The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 23

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

23

Of course, many of our modern so-called “institu-
tional” churches exaggerate the importance of this
social feature and place it above the Gospel and the
Sacraments; but that should give us no reason to
think too little of its value. We know that bells are
no means of grace, and yet we use them to bring
people under the influence of the Word. We know
that teaching our children reading, writing, and
arithmetic will not save them, and yet we teach these
and other secular branches in our parish-schools in
order that we may bring the children attending
these schools under the influence of Gospel-teaching
and training. We know that the social gatherings
of our young Walther Leaguers are no means of
grace, and yet we encourage these gatherings within

St. Paul’s Chapel, Los Angeles, Cal.
Inset: Rev. John McDavid.

reason because they help to keep our young people
with their Church and are a means of getting others
interested. Though the purpose of our Savior when
performing His miracles was also in part the allevia-
tion of earthly pain and distress, yet His main pur-
pose always was thereby to open the way for the
Gospel and, its great spiritual blessings. Our
medical missionaries and church-social workers have
the same purpose in view.

Viewed in this light, we cannot but rejoice that
the sainted Mrs. Witte, by her fine bequest, made it
possible for our widely scattered colored members
to have this modest social center. Under the wise
guidance and leadership of our good friend Pastor
McDavid, we know, it will prove an efficient means
to hold the present membership in closer communion
and may also be a means of bringing others within
the sound of the saving Gospel. F.J.L.

‘*Kastern Field’’ Notes.

St. Philip’s, Cleveland, put on an every-member
canvass, which resulted in enough subscriptions to
take care of a $700 budget for 1933. It has a com-
municant membership of only fifty-two, and con-
sidering the fact that a number of families in the
congregation are in destitute circumstances and
dependent upon the charity of their fellow-members,
it did very well indeed.— Our Colored Missions
sustained a decided loss, about a month ago, in the
death of Miss Beulah Millender of St. Philip’s,
St. Lowis. Miss Millender was the organist of
St. Philip’s for three years, and for two years she
served as principal of our Mount Zion School in
New Orleans. We met her
there a year ago and were
impressed with the fine work
she was doing. God com-
fort the survivors as only
He can comfort! — Kan-
napolis, N.C., received four
adult members; Spartan-
burg, S. C., received one;
Grace, St. Louis, five adults.
Three of the latter were
gained by the efforts of one
lady, who has succeeded in
gaining two more for a new
class of catechumens and
has gathered a Sunday-
school class of twenty chil-
dren which she instructs in
her home. One of the new
adult members of Grace was
gained through his children who attend our mission-
school. Grace gained seventeen members by con-
firmation and twenty by baptism in 1932. — From
Washington we hear that Pastor Stephan has “gone
and got married.” Congratulations! One adult was
recently received into membership, and another is
being prepared for confirmation. A Sunday-school
has been opened in the home of one of the members;
it has an enrolment of twenty-five. — Baltimore
reports that on a recent Sunday four adults and
forty-eight children attended the Sunday-school.
A little over two years ago the average attendance
was four children. —In Buffalo the Sunday-school
is growing so rapidly that the children have to be
taught in shifts because of lack of room! The first
section of the Sunday-school meets at 9 a.m, and
the second section is dismissed at 12.30. God grant
further increase! F.J.L.