The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 59

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

59

and wrecked and rebuilt as a chapel with an addi-
tional expenditure of only about $40 — all labor
donated. The city license for building is free for
churches. This unusual opportunity afforded by
hard times proved tempting, and it was resolved
to capitalize these times, as they might never come
again.

Fortunately the ladies’ aid of Hope Congrega-
tion near by was kind enough to lend $100 to these
struggling brethren, the money to be repaid at the
rate of $5 a month; and so Joshua, together with
Cyril Manuel, who with his family had in the mean
time joined him, as well as the White family, and
Richard Terry and his helpmeet Gertrude, who had
decided to join, too, and encouraged by the Lutheran
Louis family near by from Bethlehem, resolved to
begin building the chapel in the name of the Lord.
The mission must act as an independent, self-
supporting congregation from the start, yet, lacking
the six voting members necessary for incorporation,
Joshua took the lot in his own name “in care
of” the little congregation, by that time named
St. Philip’s, and he and Manuel purchased the old
house and proceeded to work.

The obstacles they then began to encounter
proved much greater than they had anticipated.
A few “friends” at first came freely and lent willing
hands to wreck the building; but it soon became
known that some of them hoped to get some sort
of remuneration, and when they learned that the
pastor had no hidden resources and that it was
really an undertaking against odds, they assisted
with increasing’ unwillingness and finally entirely
disappeared from the scene, with the exception of
several whose children or grandchildren’ were now
attending Sunday-school and the services. Several
tradesmen would have assisted just for the pleasure
of it had there been proper tools and proper mate-
rials. But insufficient and improper tools and
materials could only produce a “botch”* job, and
they did not venture to lose their reputation as
workmen by being identified with the job.

So the progress slowed down greatly. Cold and
rainy weather also intervened, Joshua and Manuel
and Terry took sick by turns, as did other members
of their families and of the congregation. The
work for the Welfare Association and elsewhere was
reduced to two days a week and then to one. That
last week Joshua got $2.50 for the one day. $2 went
for rént, 15 cents for the church envelope, and
85 cents for food. Of course, he had to ask some
friends for food for his’ wife, who was sick, and
four children, who also had to stay at home for

lack of tuition-money (25 cents) and for lack of
clothes in January. Since then, however, the one
day’s work has increased to two, and Mrs. Joshua
has recovered her health sufficiently to go out work-
ing several days a week and so to help out with food
and rent.

Perhaps the most harassing problem in connec-
tion with wrecking the old house and building the
chapel was the thieving of some of the neighbors.
Whenever a cool wave arrived in New Orleans, the
lumber began to disappear. Nailing it up didn’t
secure it, and although much time was spent by
Joshua and Manuel in watching it by a bonfire, still,
they could not do so all night because they had to
work on some days and sleep some nights in order
to live and provide for their families. And when
they left for their homes, the thieves got busy. The
Lord, however, spared His workmen just enough
flooring and just enough ceiling, wall boards, and
sheathing to: finish the work by the skin of their
teeth: - Only five bitter dollars had to be raised to
replace missing joists and rafters. And at the time
of this present writing Joshua is able proudly to
exhibit a substantial triumph —a rough structure,
35X14 feet, with a ten-foot ceiling, walls of upright
one-by-twelve boards, with flooring, ceiling, doors,
steps, and tar-paper roof almost complete.

Although there were many hard knocks, such
as the city inspector’s rejection of the foundation,
which had to be torn down and rebuilt heavier
and: deeper for church purposes, the withdrawal of
Mount Zion’s financial support at a critical time,
a rainy and cold day for the corner-stone laying,
the criticism and ridicule of ‘bystanders, the doubts -
and withdrawal of impatient friends, still, on the
other hand, there were unexpected lifts, such as
casual private donations of cash, labor, and nails,
hot coffee for refreshments, window-sashes, a roll
of paper for the walls, potato sacks to go behind
the paper, hymnals, a hymn-board, a pulpit, a floor-
runner, several creosoted sills, and, above all, the
regular, though small, contributions of St. Philip’s
members toward meeting the financial obligations
incurred by this venture. Sad to say, they are just
now thirty days in arrears with their payments.

In another month’s time, at the present rate of
progress, the window-frames and -sashes, papering
and painting, and laying of the brick walk will
have been completed, and there will be a jubilant
dedication. ‘Then Joshua will have a temple to
which he can direct all inquirers for the salvation
of their souls. And together with him there will
soon be many other brethren working toward one