The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 4

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4. .. THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

During one month Missionary John McDavid
of Los Angeles made over 300 bedside visits at
various public institutions of that city. When at
Los Angeles several years ago, Pastor Wachholz,
the institutional worker of our white brethren in
Los Angeles, spoke most enthusiastically to the
Editor of the very successful work which Pastor
McDavid is doing among the colored inmates of the
city’s institutions. — A busy missionary is Pastor
Schulze of St. Philip’s, St. Louis. Over 1,300 letters
were mailed from his study in the past year, many
of them to prospects. At the present time more
than thirty adults are being prepared for confirma-
tion. Pastor Schulze reports a most commendable
practise of his confirmed members, which is that
quite a large number of them continue to attend the
lectures given to candidates for confirmation after
they have been confirmed. St. Philip’s has two mis-
sionary visiting committees, one composed of ladies,
the other of men. They are doing very successful
work among their unchurched neighbors and
friends. Question: If our white congregations were
more concerned about the spiritual welfare of their
friends and neighbors, don’t you think that they
could also succeed in bringing in more of those who
are without? F. J. L.

Alabama Briefs.

From a Pastor’s Letter.

“Just recently I met a gentleman who showed
no little interest in our church. One of our mem-
bers has been sending him occasionally a copy of
our Missionary Lutheran, and otherwise has wit-
nessed to Luther’s doctrine pure.

“Yn the course of conversation he said among
other things: ‘I have learned to love the Lutheran
Church. Now, I’ll visit your mission. Your church-
paper I read from cover to cover. I am especially
interested in the psalms suggested for daily Bible-
reading. I want to become “warp and filling”
a Lutheran. J’ll attend your church until I am
further instructed, and then I’ll join and take my
family with me.’ .

“This gentleman visited us one Sunday and the
following Thursday night. He lives about seven
miles from the church and uses a stick to assist him
in walking.”

The same pastor wrote later: “Mr. G. has now
given his name together with that of five members
of his family for the catechumen class. One reason
why Mr. G. desires to join the Lutheran Church was
stated by him thus: ‘I have preached in the ——

Church for quite a while, and I find that, if a
preacher is to make any kind of living there, he
must preach to suit different groups in the church.
Here is a group who make it known, “If you don’t
stamp and howl, we won’t give you anything.”
There’s a group who won’t support you if you don’t
uphold them in, or at least if you preach against,
their wrong living. And here are a few who say,
“Give us the sweet Gospel-message.” What I like
about the Lutheran Church is that it preaches the
Law and the Gospel without fear or favor.’

“After receiving the first instruction preparatory
to church-membership, he said, ‘I shall invite some
of the neighbors in at our instruction next week.’

“Two of Mr. G.’s children have walked a total
of seventy miles to and from a State school during
the past whole week.” — A. Dominick.

Tuskegee Hospital Report.

Preaching services and visits in the wards are
still being carried on at the United States Veterans’
Hospital (Negro) at Tuskegee, Alabama. Once
every week the missionary visits the institution and
breaks the Bread of Life to afflicted and dying souls.
While often the visible results do not seem to justify
the expenditure of so much time, labor, and money,
the seed nevertheless is-sown in hope; and some-
times the results are most gratifying.

Patient: “Reverend, do you still remember me?
When I was in E [last-stage tuberculosis ward],
you visited me. I have been transferred and am
now up and going about, as you see. You don’t
know how much I appreciated your talks. They
have made a new man of me.”

Some patients do not recover, but they die in
the Lord, in faith and peace. One patient, who
had been “‘a-bed” for some four years, heard the
Word gladly: and a few days before his death re-
joiced in the Savior, as he had been doing since the
missionary first visited him.

Many of the shut-ins greet the worker with
smiles of inner joy, tears of unspeakable happiness,
and hand-clasps of gratitude. Only rarely does one
find a patient who does not care to hear the Word
of God.

The institution assures us of its cooperation.
Let me tell you of a recent visit.

Guard (at the entrance) :
pastor.”

Patient: ‘Reverend, tell us, does God hear a
sinner [unbeliever] who prays to Him?”

In the tuberculosis ward about fifteen men
gathered around. The missionary had just been

“Good evening,