The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 55

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“THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

50

many a pastor of other churches than our own is
pointing out a way to salvation that is not the way
of the Bible, holding out false hopes to them or
leaving them to their misery on their sick-bed by
failing even to visit them.

-Many of the patients have church connections
and have had them for years. The majority of
such patients eagerly desire the attention of their
minister. It is the duty of the chaplain to inform
these pastors of the presence of such members in
the hospital. Most of the time no attention is
given to such requests. Many of these people there-

‘fore become disgusted with their churches and say,
“I certainly wish my pastor would visit me as you
Lutheran pastors visit your people.”

The other noticeable fact is that many of these

“church-members” have such meager knowledge of

Colored Immanuel jChosch: Cineinnat

the true way of eriention by faith plone in Christ
Jesus. “I must do my best, pray, and do what is
right,” is the answer that is usually given by patients
when they are asked about the way to heaven. Cer-
tainly a pitiful situation. When these people hear
the true Gospel, they are surprised that it agrees
with what they have been reading in their Bible.

It is in this fertile field that our Lutheran
Church of Cincinnati is working with good results.
Pains are taken to follow up those unchurched after
they are discharged. As far’as the colored patients
are concerned, this is being done most effectively
by the members of Immanuel Church. Now and
then one of these former’ patients is won for mem-
bership in our Church. But even if the person is

not gained as a member, we have the promise_of _

God that the seed ‘thus sown in the-mind of such
a person when it is most receptive’ will’ often’ bring
fruit that only eternity will reveal.. O. F. Rav.

- Notes on the Statistical Report.

Our Colored Missions number 67 congregations,
a decrease of one since the last report; 15 preaching-
stations, an increase of 2; 8,152 baptized members,
an.increase of 487; 4,282 communicant members,
an increase of 274; 993 voting members, an increase
of 62; 2,705 day-school pupils, a decrease of 206;
4,875 Sunday-school pupils, a decrease of 28. Our
missionaries officiated at 660 baptisms, confirmed
552 persons, communed 14,543, an increase of 375,
solemnized 37 marriages, a decrease of 11, and
served at 72 burials, a decrease of 8. The total
contributions amounted to $24,082.64, a decrease
of. $1,908.88.

Mount Zion, New Orleans, still has the largest
baptized membership, 668; St. Paul’s, New Or-
leans, ranks second, with 529 baptized members.
St. Paul’s, New Orleans, still holds the record of
having the largest communicant membership — 299.
St. Philip’s, St. Louis, though still a relatively new
station, has the second largest communicant mem-
bership — 233. The highest day-school enrolment
is in Bethlehem School, New Orleans, with 249
pupils; the largest Sunday-school enrolment is in
Mount Zion, New Orleans, with 239 pupils.

Bethlehem, New Orleans, leads with 54 bap-
tisms; but a number of other stations have also-
had a large number of baptisms. St. Philip’s,
St. Louis, reports the largest number of confirma-
tions, 45, though Piney. Woods is a close second
with 42.

Vacation Bible schools were quite generally con-
ducted at our stations in Alabama last summer, with
a total enrolment of 910. The average enrolment
for each school was 28. Ten congregations in the
Eastern Field report having had summer-schools.
The total enrolment was 503, andthe average per
school was 50. The missionaries at Buffalo, Yon-
kers, Cleveland, and Cincinnati conduct Saturday-
schools. The total enrolment in these schools is
120 pupils.

What are Missions Costing You?

“Read a year about missions, and it will cost
you your time. Study a year for missions, and it
will cost you a-tenth of your income. Work a year
in missions, and it’ will cost you all your possessions.
Pray a year for missions, and it will cost you a son
or daughter.. Ponder a year on the command of
Jesus and: it ‘will cost you the dedication of your
life to missions.”- -