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1'/lISt$IONARY 1'/IONTHLY.
PunLISJIED DY TUE EVANGELICAL L u TJlERAN SY~ ODICAL Cm,TERENCE OF
Non.TH
A:\mnrcA.
R. A. DISCIIOF.1:', E11itor. :Entered nL th e l'osLOnicc at SI. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter.
Vol. XX.VII.
St. Louis·, Mo., January, 1905. A New Year's Wish.
"Tho Lord bless thee nnd keep thee," Numb. G, 24.
"The Lord bless thee I How shall He bless thee? With the gla.duess tha.t kuoweth no decay, ,v1th the riches tha.t ca.uuot pa.ss a.wa.y, With the sunshine thnt ma.kes a.n endless da.yThus ma.y He bless thee. "And keep thee! · How sha.11 He keep thee? With the all-covering sha.dow of His wings, With the strong love tha.t guards from evil things, With the sure power that safe to glory bringsThus may He keep thee."
A Happy New Year.
To wish one another a Happy New Year is a beautiful custom. But let us not forget that true happiness is foup.d in Him only of whom the NE:_w Year's Gospel lesson says: "His name was called Jesus." Jesus means Saviour, and He was called Jesus because He, and He alone, saves from sin. ''Without Him," says Luther, ''there is nothing but sin and all misery, but with Him there is forgiveness and· all blessings." · Mhny hope to find happiness in the joys, and honors, and pleasures, and riches of this world, but these things cannot give true happiness. They cannot take away sin, the source of nll misery; they cannot take away the wrath of God; they can give no comfort in the days of sorro,v and trouble; they . can give no hope in the hour of death. Salvation, and therefore true happiness, is found · in Jesus only; for in Him only ''we have redemption through His blood; even the forgiveness of sins." 11 Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men
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whereby we must be saved:," They who do not own Him as their Saviour cannot have true happiness. They are still under the wrath of a just and holy God, and their life is but a journey to endless woe_. "He that believeth not shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," says the Bible. They who have Jesus· by faith have also true happiness. They enjoy the grace of a merciful God, and their life is but a foumey to endless bliss. In His name they have forgiveness of sins. "Your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake," i John~, 12. In His name they have everlasting life. ('These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life," 1 John 5, 13. Well may the believer enter the new year without fear; for be has Jesus, the source and the ground of all true happiness. It is true, he does not know what the new year will bring him. It may bring sorrows, and ~rials, and even death. But this does not take away his happiness, for it cannot take away Jesus. The believer knows that Jesus will never forsake him, and that it will be well with him while Jesus is his Guide. In Him he will have comfort in all sorrows, strength in all trials, life in the midst of death. So he goes on his way rejoicing until his journey is ended and he shall be with Jesus in eve~lasting joy and happiness. At the beginning of a new year and at the opening of a new volume of our paper we, in the name of Jesus, wish all our ~eaders a Happy New Year.
Epiphany. Epiphany is one of the oldest festivals of the Church and occurs on the 6th of January, twelve days after Christmas. The word means appearing
.. The L1.1-theran Pioneer.
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or manifestation, and the festival reminds us of the manifestation of the ,Christ-chilq. to the wise men who came from a distant heathen country to Judea to worship the Saviour, whose birth God made known to them by a wonderful star. These wise men of the East were Gentiles, or heathen, and the story of their coming to Jesus shows that the Saviour born at Bethlehem is the Saviour, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. He came to save all. "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." The angel that brought the news of the Saviour's birth sajd, "Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." The aged Simeon calls the infant Saviour "a light to lighteD' the Gentiles." . Epiphany is therefore the missionary festival of the Church. It should impress on our minds the blessed truth .t hat "the Goepel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, ·and also to the Greek," Rom. 1, 16. The missionary command is : "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel.to every creature." Every human being, be he Jew or Gentile, has an.interest in the great salvation which is in Christ Jesus, and it is the Church's duty to make known this salvation to all that know it not. If it is not the Church's duty, whose is it? May the Epiphany season stir . our hearts to increased missionary effort also in our work among the c9lored people. The wi~e men of the East that came to worship tlie Saviour not only gave the offering of their lips, they also presented unto Him gjfts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. In like manner we, too, should give of our substance to the King of kings by giving it for the upbuildfog of Hie kingdom. Giving should be a part of our worship. How can we really love Him if we are not willing to give •that Hie kingdom may b~ extended? How can we really be His disciples if we have the ability to help to spread His Gospel, but are too stingy to do it? May the grace of-the Qhrist-child, who, though He was ri~h, yet for our sakes became poor, that we throng~ His poverty might be rich, fill o_u r hearts with love to Him and His kingdom and make us liberal and cheerful gi:vers for the mission cause. ·
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Everlasting.
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.Aa so many. th~ngs fail, and pass away with the flying months of the year, it will be well for all true believ~rs ,to remember that there is one who will never fajl them, one who does not change. It is u J esua Christ, the same yesterday, and to•day, and
for ever," Hehr. 13, 8. He is all in all to His people now, and He is all in all to them forever. It is He in. whom by true faith they have found , life, and it is " eve1·lasting li fe," John 3, 16. 5, 24. It is His love which has drawn them and-still dmws them to Himself, and i_t is "everlasting love," Jer. 31, 3. · · It is His way on which they waJk, and it is " the eve1·lasting way,'-' Pa. 139, 2•.l:. It is His light which guides them therein, and it is "an eve,·lasting light," I s. 60, 19. . It is His strength which helps them thereon, and it is "everlasting strength," Is. 26, 4. His arms they are which bear and embrace them, ~nd they are " the everlasting arms," Deut. 33, 27. It is His c_o nsolation which comforts them in all their sorrows, and it is " evei·lasting consolation," 2 Thess. 2, 16. It is His kindness which pities and supplies them, and it is_" everlasting kindness," Is. 54, 8. It is His mercy which surrounds the·m , and it is "everlasting 'llie1·cy," Ps.100, 5. It is His joy which gladdens them, and it is "eve,·lasting joy," Is. 35, 10. . It is His salvation· which saves them, and it is "everla.sting salvati on," Is.' 45, 17. It is His kingdom into which He receives them, and it is an "eve1·lasting kingdom," Ps. 145, 13.
A•Co_m fo~ting Thought. It is a welcome and comforting thought to the true child of God, that with every year.which passes that last day comes nearer· when time shall be no longer, that last day when all the children of God shall go into an eternity of bliss and happiness. There the light of the Lamb will be in. the place of · the .sun, and that light will cast ~o shadow. · There come ne,v cares :ind sorrows Every year, Dut the truer life draws nea1·er Every year. Earth's hold on us grows slighter, The heavy burdens lighter, The dawn Immortal brighter, Every year."
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The Lord's Dealings. Le't us not promise . to explain al.l the Lord's dealings with us. His ways ar~ past finding out, Rom. 11, 33. -Our faith knows that He is leading , us "by the right_way," P!3. 107; 7; that all His path's are mercy and truth, Ps. 25, 10; and that all . things
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The Lutheran Pioneer. work together for good to'them that love Him, Rom. 8, 28. Faith interprets all by the cross of Christ"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also give us all things?" Rom. 8, 32. "Thy wn.y, not mine, 0 Lord, However dn.rk it be; Lead me by Thine own hn.nd, . Choose out the po.th for me. Smooth let it be or rough, It will be still the best; Winding or strn.ight, it len.ds Right onward to Thy rest."
Christ's Ascension. Forty days have passed since the Resurrection. These days had been blessed days of communion between the Saviour and His disciples. During these days the Redeemer had conversed with the faithful again and again, their eyes had seen Him, and their hands had touched Him. But now the time is come when they must be deprived of His · earthly presence, the time when He must ascend to His Father and their Father. He meets them for the last time in Jerusalem and leads them to Bethany, for this same village from which He made His triumphant entry into the earthly Jerusalem shall also view His triumphant entry into the Jerusalem that is above. Taking a last farewell He lifts His hands in blessing, and while speaking His words of benediction is parted from them, and their yearning eyes see a cloud receive Him hiding Him from their view. He has gone up on high, He bas ascended to heaven whence He will not return until He will come in glory to judge the world. Concerning the Messiah David had written hundreds of yea.rs before: ''Thou hast ascended on high, 'rhou hast led captivity captive:· Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also," Ps. 68, 18. And as the royal prophet had foretold, so it was fulfilled. The assembled disciples saw the Saviour ascend on high. Christ, ,according to His human nature, now entered into the heavenly glory of His Father. As the apostle puts it: "He that descended is the s9:me also that ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all things," Eph. 4, 10. The pearly gates of heaven open wide, and the jeweled walls of His city shine to receive the triumphant Hero. Our Saviour and King ascends to His royal city, takes possession of His ,throne, and fills all things with His presence. . Jesus Christ, the·Godman, fills heaven and earth. But Christ's Ascension redounds to our good. For qs He went on high, even as' He descended
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from heaven for us. It is our Saviour, Mediator, and Substitute that entered into glory. For us He gained henven, for us He entered heaven, for us He took possession of heaven. "Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also," says the psalmist. And so it is. That which Christ has gained and received is all for us, and so He has entered heaven for no other purpose than that He might give it to us. Where He is, there shall also His servants be, John 12, ·2s. He has opened heaven's gates and paved the way that we may have free entrance into its joys and glories. Since He has gone to heaven, His home, we, too, that home shall one day share. Satan, Law, sin, death-all these combined can no longer debar us from entering our eternal home, for where Christ, the Head, has gone, the memb~rs will surely follow. As our Mediator He daily intercedes for us and secures for us for~ giveness, and He will not cease to do so till alrtbat are His will be gathered before His Father's throne. Saviour, hasten Thine appearing; Bring, 0 bring the glorious day, ,vhen the awful summons hearing, Heaven and earth shall pass away. Then, with glorious harps, we'll sing: "Glory, glory_ to our King I"
F. J. L.
Something to Hold On By. How loudly the flight of time speaks to us I Another year is gone, and eternity is nearer. The new year may be our last year upon eart?. It will be well for us to have something to hold on by. in our last hour. A woman who had been a prominent lect~rer on infidelity came to her dying pillow. She being . much disturbed in her mind, her friends gathered about her and exhorted her to "hold on to the last." "Yes, I have no objection to holding on," said the dying woman, "but will you tell me what I am to hold on by?" These words .so deeply impressed an infidel standing by that he was led to renounce tb,e de• lusion. " Infidelity will not do "to :\:l:old on by" in the . solemn hour of death. . "Father," said a young man as 'he lay dying, "I .find eternal punishment which I 'have so long disputed now to be an awful realjty." At another time he said, "As soon as I am dead write to my friends L. and D. that the doctrine we have tried to spread.is an awful delusion-:-that it forsook me on my deathbed." ·
The Lutheran Pioneer. "Oh, don' t bother me with your 'thens I ' I must Said anoth.er under similar circumstances, "For several years past I have followed the doctrines of be off." Years p~ssed by, when the two met again, and Univerealist preachers, but find it all n delusion now. Tell my old friends not to trust in such n the young man said to bis friend: " God bless you I I owe my happiness to you. " - refuge of lies, but to repent and be converted. " "How?" asked the friend. False doctrine will not do "to hold on by" in "By two words spoken in season on that New the solemn hour of death. Year's Day - the two words : ' And then?' They How different it was with that young Christian made me think of the foolishness of my wishes and who -in his last moments raised himself 011 his dy- moved me to care for the eternal welfare of my soul." ing bed, and said to us as we entered -the room: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after "I'm going home. To me to live is Christ, and to this the judgment," Hehr. 9, 27. die is gain." " What is a mnn profited, if he shall gain the Said an aged Lutheran pastor on his dying bed whole world, and lose his own soul?" Matt. 16, 26. to his son who is also in the ministry: "How easy God has made dying for us I If we only have Jesus Cast Thy Burden on the Lord. · · and know and believe that He out of grnce bas gained heaven for us, we die a blessed death. Oh, The Apostle Paul says that we should be anxious never forget to preach this to your people again and about nothing, but that in everything, by prayer again." and supplication·, with thanksgiving , we should In the Gospel of Jesus we have something "to make our requests known unto God. That is, inhold on by" in the solemn hour of death. He that stead of worrying ·and fretting over matters which trusts in this Gospel can, like that little child, quietly might trouble us, we should put them altogether fold his hands in the hour of death.and pray: out of our bands into God's bands, and there leave "I fall asleep 1n Jeius' wounds, them. The peace of God will keep our thoughts There pardon for my sins abounds; and hearts in Christ Jesus. Yea, Jesus' blood aud righteousness We heard of a poor woman who had been carMy jewels are-, my glorious dress Wherein before my God I stand ried triumphuntly through a life of unusual sorrow. When I shall reach the heavenly land." She was giving the history of her sad life to a kind visitor on one occasion, and at the close the visitor said feelingly : · . "And Then?" "0 Hannah, I do not see bow you could bear Speaking about New Year's wishes, a young man so much sorrow!" said to a friend of his: "I wish I would become the · "I did not bear it, 11 was the quick reply, "the owner of this estate. The new year would be a Lord bore it for me. 11 happy year for me." · "Yes," said the visitor, "that is the right way. "And then?" said the friend. We must take our troubles to the Lord." "Why, th'en I'd pull down the old house, and "Yes," replied Hannah, "but we must do more build a large, beautiful house, have lots of jolly fel- than that, we must leave them there. Most people lows around me, keep the best wines, and the finest take their burdens to Him, but they bring them horses and doge in the country." away with them again, and are just as worried and "And then?" as unhappy as ever. But I take mine, and leave "Then I'd hunt, and ride, and smoke, and drink, them with Him, and I come away and forget them . . 'and 'dance, and keep open .house, and enjoy life If the worry comes back, I take it to Him again; . gloriously." and I do this over and over until at last I just for"And then?" get I have any worries,· and am at rest." "Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by "Why, then, I suppose, like other peopie, · I should grow old and not care so much for these prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your thing11." requests be made known unto God. And the peace "And then?" of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep "Why, then, I suppose, in the course of nature your hearts and minds through Chris't Jesus," Phil. I should leave all the pleasant things -and-well, 4, 6. 7. yes-i:lie." · "Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He will sustain thee, 11 Ps. 55, 22. · "And then?"
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The Lutheran Pioneer. It Will Not Do to Wait.
"No, I don't think so either; something might happen. A year from now; how would that do?" It was the Inst evening of the year when Dr. Wil"I don't know, sir." son came from the evening service in some country "Neither do I. The new year may be your last town to the house where be bad hie room and board. year on earth, and if you die without accepting the The good lady of the house, a rather elderly per- Saviour, you die in your sine and are lost forever. son, after bustling about to provide her guest with It will not do to wait. Many young people, who refreshment, snid in the presence of her daughter, ~eemed to be as well as you are have died suddenly. "Dr. Wilson, I do wish you would talk to Caroline. Besides, the Bible says, 'Now is the accepted time; She doesn't care about going to church, or about behold, now is the day of salvation.' 'All things the salvation of her soul. I have talked and talked, are now ready.' . In Christ salvation is prepared, and got our minister to talk, but it doesn't seem to and in the Gospel all sinners are invited to come do any good. I wish you would talk to her, Dr. Wil- to Him and find rest. It will not do to wait and son." Saying which, she soon left the room. let God call us in vain. The Bible says: 'ToDr. Wilson continued day if ye will hear His quietly taking biswmeal, voice, harden not your · when he turned round to hearts."' the young girl and said, Caroline was deeply "Now, just tell me, Mies impressed by the earnest Caroline, don't they words spoken by the . bother you amazingly doctor. Before the close about this thing?" of the old year she op.e ned She, taken by surprise her Bible which she had at an address so unexneglected so long. She pected, answered at once, read of the Saviour, who "Yee, sir, they do; they came to seek and to save keep talking to me all the thatwhichislost. InHim time till I am sick of it." she found peace and rest. "So I thought," said for her soul, and became Dr. Wilson. "Let's see a faithful member of the -how old are you?" church. "Eighteen, sir." "Good health?" Not Afraid. "Yes, ei\'." "The fact is," said A beautiful story is Dr. Wilson, "religion is told of a little girl, whose a good thing; but·the idea faith in Goq may teach us Luther College in :Hew Orlean■, La. all a lesson. of all the time troubling a young creature like you with if-and you are in The lamp had just been put out, and the little good health, they say I Religion is a good thing. girl was rather afraid of the dark. But presently It will not do to die without it, as the preacher she saw the bright moon out of her window, said this evening, preaching on the text: 'So teach and s_he asked her' mother, "Is the moon God's . us to number our days, that we may apply our light?" "Yes, darling," the mother replied; "the moon liearts unto wisdom.'·· It is not wisdom to wait •too· long. I wonder how long it would do for you and stars are all God's lights." "Will God blow out His light and go to sleep to wait?" · "That's just what I've been thinking myself," too?" she asked again. "No, my child," replied the mother, "God'a said Caroline. "Well," said the doctor, "suppose you say till lights are always burning." ·"Well, mamma," said the little girl, "while you are fifty? No, that won't 'do; the other day I attended the funeral of a lady fifteen years younger God's awake, I'm not afraid." The psalmist says: "He that keepeth thee will than that. Thirty? How will that do?" "I'm not sure it would do to wait quite so long," not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," Pe. 121, 3. 4. said Caroline. •
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The Luther an Pioneer. From Jerusalem to Bethlehem. n1 ,,.. J . OoEsoAnL.
secret, stepped up and requested to be permitteq to join us, which was readily granted . · When we reached the pastor's residence we were My readers must not expect to hear of an actual kindly received by 1\1rs. Kossmann, to whom I exjourney to these very renowned and to us. so dear plained the lateness of our visit, it being then about Scripture cities. Nothing would delight me more, 9.30 P. M. especially now during this festival season, than to be The Bibles were brought, and while we comable to take them all with me on an actual journey pared the passages, a knock at the door announced from. Jerusalem to Bethlehem. This would be a visitors. In walked two colored gentlemen wit h a most delightful.journey; butl cannot offer you any- large clothesbasket, covered. These were followed thing like this. by Mrs. Wilson (the arch conepiratress), Oliver HaTo explain how the above title suggested itself ger, Aaron and Mrs. Wiley, Miss Clay, Mrs. Smith, to me, let me tell you: Mrs. Bloom, Mrs. Camel, Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Rutledge, It ~as on a Thursday evening, lately passed, as Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Delvach, -Miss Smith, Miss Bloom, I sat in my r.oom reading in Prof. Seiffarth'e chro- Mies Steele, Miss Wiley, Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Wiley, nology the record of hie calculations fixing the date Mr. Camel, Mr. Jones, Master Colline, and Master of the destruction of Jerusalem in the ye~r 70, that· Smith, until the two front rooms were packed with it came to my mind that this was Thursday even- visitors. All presented their compliments to the ing, the regular week service evening at Bethlehem bri°de and groom with an earnestness and fervor that Chapel for our colored Lutheran brethren, and that evidenced a warm heart and earnest Christian spirit l bad promised to attend. The clock pointed to ten towards their pastor and hie lady. minutes after seven; no •t ime to be lost, thought I, Then the basket was unpacked, one of the via. . as service begins at seven thirty. So, after mark- itors explaining the usefulness of each article, until ing the. passage I read-last at .t he word Jerusalem I ·an endless quantity of tin-granite ware covered a closed my book, and involuntarily the thought ·came large table, which fairly groaned under the load. to my mind·: "FroIP Jerusalem to Bethlehem." It was a happy, joyful, and very respectful meet. I reached Bethlehem Chapel in time, a few ~inutes ing, and the time passed pleasantly and agreeably . . before the bell rang. After a short while all the company were regaled· As I stepped- in, a middle-aged colored lady, with an abundance of very palatable peach sher- • Mrs. Wilson, with a fri~ndly smile and bright face; bet and excellent cakes, which in some mysterious approached me and whispered ·in my ear: manner had also been spirited into the house. Later, "Can you keep a. secret?" after much pleasant conversation, three hymns were "Oh, yes I I can," I replied. sung from memory : "All glory be to God on high,"· "Now surely," ahe·aaid, "can you?" "Now thank we all our God," and" Glory be to God "Oh, yea I" I repeated, "just try me." the Father." "Well," she said, "I will. " After repeated further congratulations, the viaSo she inf~rrped me that certain members of the itors left the surprised pastoral couple to give them congregation intended. to surprise their pastor, the an opportunity to recover from their surprise. · .Rev. J. Kossmann, and Mrs. Kossmann this even-· The readers would have been highly impressed ing in commemoration of their tenth marriage an- could they have seen the gentlemanly and ladylike niversary. She asked me if I would like to par- deportment and. the· Christian spirit which maniticipi.te. · feated itself, and they may rest assured that this "Of .course," I repiied, "with pleasure." little impromptu assembly contained in any a LuThen she requested me to se·e the pastor home theran heart which will join ·with them in fervent · under some excuse. prayer and thanksgiving for the gift of the ChristAfter church service, which was well attended, child. · some forty adults being present who listened atThis is my ·trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem tentively, I asked Rev. ~ossmann if he had com- which I enjoyed very much, and which I never pared certain Bible verses in the first book of Moses shall forget, as it called to my memory the words of which I -had referred to him some days previous. St. Peter: 1 iOf a truth I perceive that God is not a He replied that he had not yet found the time, but respecter of persons, but in every nation ,he that if I would come with him he would do so then. . feareth Him and worketh righteo.usnese is accepte~ Mr. Wolf, the teacher of the Bethlehem parochial with Him:" • school, who stood near and was evidently in the New Orleans, La., December 2, 19,04.
The Lutheran Pioneer. Let Us Pray for One Another. Let us pro.y for one anot her, For s o mo.ny hearts o.rc nchlug , And so mo.ny hearts arc breaking , And so mo.ny eyes are drenched with falling tea.rs. Auel s o many feet arc straying, Loving hopes so long delo.ylug, As they bo.sten down t he passageway of years. Let us pro.y for 011c another, For the s ands of life a.re falling, Aud tbe·evenlog bells are calling, And the end of all things earthly soon wlll come ; So we'll share co.ch other's sorrow, ,valting for tho.t bright to-morrow, When God's children rest together, safe at home. S cleclttl.
•. NOTES AND ITEMS. · A-r H o11rn WITH THE Lono.-After a long and painful illness, patiently borne, the Rev. Prof. A. L. Graebner, D. D., of the Lutheran Seminary at St. Louis, Mo., fell asleep in Jesus on the morning of December 7, 1904, aged 55 years. The lose in the death of this highly gifted and learned servant of God will be keenly felt in the synod of which be was a valuable and highly esteemed member. Never epai:ing himself, he took an active interest in all church work, also in our mission work among the colored people. In 1896 he -visited our mission stations in North Carolina and publiehe.d a very favorable· report of the. work done by our missionaries in church and school, calling upon wealthy members of our Lutheran congregations to help in this import.a nt work by erecting chapels for, church and school purposes. Great is the lose of the church. But our loss is hie gain, and we may well rejoice with him at hie release from all ills. His joy is unepeak~ble and full of glory. "The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away," Is. 51, 11. LOUISIANA. -The number of pupils att~nding our St. Paul's Lutheran school in New Orleans is still increasing. At the beginning of the school year an assistant teacher was employed, whose class numbers already 150, so that it has become necessary to call another teacher. -The Rev. Weinhold, our missionary at Mansura, La., has been called to our colored Lutheran congregation at Springfield, Ill., of which he will take charge as soon as a successor has been secured for Mans1;1ra. ·
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NonTH CAROLINA. - Our colored Lutheran congregation at Catawba, N. C., celebrated its annual mission festival on the third Sunday in Advent. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. Lash, Doswell, and Ph. Schmidt. · There was a large attendance of colored people who enjoyed the festival services. One of them told us: "It was good to be there. ' ' T HE B IBLE AMONG J APANESE SoLDIEns.-The agent of the American Bible Society, Rev. Mr. Loomis, s peaks glowingly of the door that is opening to the Bible among the wounded Japanese soldiers. He says: "I am now much interested in the work among the sick nnd wounded soldiers. Last week I spent two days visiting the hospitals in Tokyo. I went also again yesterday. We have now donated more than 32,000 Testaments and Gospels to the Japanese soldiers, and the most of them have gone to the sick and wounded in the hospitals. It is re~ ported that there are already 45,000, and: more ar~ coming all the time. The request has come this morning for 5000. The applicant writes, 'Soldie are begging for them.' Another missionary, to whomE9 I had sent 500 copies, writes, 'The soldiers are ver~ glad to receive them, and are very ready, in many~ cases eager, to be instructed.' ,, .
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A TIGHT PLACE.-There is a story told of aetingyo millionaire who was asked to contribute toward rear~ ing a statue to Washington. The mise.r refused wit~ the excuse : "I keep W aehington al ways in m~ heart." "Well, 11 was the indignant reply, "I don't believe the fathe~ of hie country ever _got into sue~ a tight place as that.,, · Are there not those who say they have the mission cause at heart, whilst they contribute nothingN or very little, toward the mission treas,u ry? ~ AFTER MANY YEARS.-Dr. Paton, the well-knowxP-c missionary, tells a touching story of a visit to a neglected island in the Pacific; where, to his amazement, he found a sort of Sunday keeping, though no missionary was there or had been 's ent there. Two old men, who had a little knowledge of the truths of the Gospel, were keeping track of the days, and on the first day 'o f each week they laid ordinary work aside, put on a calico shirt kept for the purpose, and sat down to talk to those whom they could call about them, and in a simple way recited the outlines of a wonderful story they bad once heard about on..e Jesus. Dr. Paton inquired where they bad learned this truth, and .they answered that a long time ago a missionary had vjsited the island, and bad ~ven
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The L1.1.thera11 Pioneer.
theIJ? each a shirt, and told them something ~f this story of Jesus. .asked if they could remember the name, and they said, "Yes, it was Paton." Thirty-three years before he had on hie evangelist tours stopped at this island for a few days; and here, so long after, was the fruit. The calico shirts bad been worn but once a week, carefully preserved for the Lord's day, when the two old men metothei:s and told what they remembered of the wonderful story.
He
Another Church Dedicated. The last Sunday in November was a day of great rejoicing for the pastor and members of our Lu'theran congregation at Sandy Ridge, N. C. The occasion was the dedication of a new church. Two services were held, and both were largely attended despite the inclemency of the weather. At the appointed. hour for opening, the people assembled before the church. After a prayer the doors were opened, and the pastor, reading an appropriate psalm, walked down the aisle to the altar, followed by the officers and the congregation. Rev. J.P. Schmidt, th~ pastor in charge, preached the dedication sermon, basing it on Rev. 3, 20, and· in the afternoon the undersigned preached on Ps. 87, 1. 2. Prof. H. L. Persson presided at the organ, and the choir of Grace Congregation at Concord rendered some choice anthems. The church is beautiful in appearance, and will seat a hundred P.ersons, more or less. The people appreciate it and are grateful to the Mission Board. May God grant that many more such churches may be erected among our people in whiQh the pure preaching of His ,iacred Word may be heard, and that many souls may be blessed, in time and eternity, oy the bearing and doing thereof. S. DOSWELL.
The Father AlmJghty.
Eskimo Babies. There is a curious custom of the Eskimos -that· when a baby dies the next child born in the village shall receive its name and take its place ; and it is always thought by the parents of the dead baby that the new baby is in some measure their child. They have a share in the care of it, and advise with its own parents about the best way of bringing it up. Sometimes the father and mother of the new baby are too poor to feed and clothe it, and then the other father and mother take it to their own ''igloe, '' or snowhut, and give it a home there. I suppose they are very glad when this happens, and the place of their own little one i's filled, but of course the parents to whom the baby really belongs are not always willing to give it up so entirely. In that case the foster-parents contribute something every year to its support, and it lives at home, coming, perhaps, now and then to make a long visit at the "igloe" that is its other home. A.ckno,,-leflgment. I
Received for colored missions of Rev. S. Doswell from congregation a.t Mount :Pleasant, N. C., 810.00, and from congregation near Dry's Schoolhouse, N. C., 15.00; of Rev. J. :Phil. Schmidt from Grace Church in Concord, N. C., 20.00; of Rev. F.J .Lailkenau from St.Pa.ullsChurch lnNewOrleans La., 25.00; of Rev. I{. Kret:i:schma.rfrom Mount Zion Church In New Orleans, La., 26.00; of Rev. J. Kossmann from Bethlehem Churcli In New Orleans, La., 82.95; of Rev. M. Weinhold from St. Paul's Church In Mansura, La., 10.00; of Rev. J.C. Schmldtfrom Grace Church In Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; of Rev. L. E . Thalley from station in St. Louis, 'Mo., 21.28. St. Louis, Dec. 15, 19~iA. C. BunGDORF, n-eas.
E,•angellcnl Lutheran Colored Churches. NEW ORLEANS, LA. St. Paul'• Chapel, 16".5 Annette St., nemr N. Olnlborne St.; F. J. L nn• kcnnu, P111tor. DlvlncServlcos: Snndny, ll A. x. nnd 7.30 P. 11. ; Wcdnosdny ~~~
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Mount Zion Church, Franklin nnd ThlLllaSts.; K.J{rctz1chm11r Pastor Divine Services : Sunday, u A, x. and 7.30 P. 11.; Thursday; 7,30 P, II. J1 Bcl/clchem Chapel, Wnehlngton Ave. nnd Dryadca St.; J. "'· F . l{ouruann, Pastor. •,··, Divine Sc"lccs : Sunday, 10 A, :11. and 7.30 P . H . ; Thursday, 7,30 P. :II, • • SPRINGFIELD, ILL. '' Roly Trinft11 Churcl•; L. E. Thulloy, P11stor. . Dlvfne Services: Sund11y, 10.SOA. H , and.I! p , 11. 0
"I believe in-God, the Father Almighty." Such is the confession of every true Christian. It is a strong consolation in· all the dangers and trials of life. The Christian has a Father who is not only willing,. but also able to help. Other helpers are finite; they may be sincere, yet there is a limit. to their pow~r. But our-Father is almighty I He who is from everlasting; who spake, and it was done; · who commanded, and it stood fast; who spread the heavens and set the stars on high; who created tlie earth and decked it with flowers, and plant13, and trees, and surrounded it with the mighty ocean He ii our Father. His children must be safe, for ther abide beneath. the shadow of THE ALMIGHTY.
TERMS: TBB LVTBERAN PIONBBR Is published monthly, paynblo In advanco at the following rates, postage Included, to-wit: 1 Copy •... .... .... . . . ... ... . . . ... f · .25 10 Coples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . 2.00 25 " •...... . ..... . ... .. .•... . 5.00 50 " .. ..... . . •,•.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.00 Club rates only allowed lf all copies a.re to be sent to one addreas.-In St. Louis by mall or carrier, 85 cents. All business communications to be addressed to Concordia Publishing Hpuse, Jefferson Ave. and Miami St., St. Louis, Mo. ' All communications concerning the editorial department to be addreased to Prof. R. A. BISCHOFP, Conover, Catawba Co., N. C.
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P u nLISIIED nY ·nm EVANGEL ICAL L u THE RAi.~ S YN ODIC,\L C ONFERENCE OF N oRTIT .AJIERICA.
:tl, A. IlISc'JCOFF, Editor. E ntcrccl nt tho Pos t Office nt St. Louis, Mo., ns scconcl -class matter.
Yol. XX.YU.
St. Lou.is, Mo., Februarv, 1905. Nothing to Pay.
"Nothing to pay?-No, not a whit. Nothing to do ?-No, not a bit; All that was needed to do or to pay, Jesus has done In His own blessed way. "Nothing t o pay ?-No, thanks be to God, The matter is settled, the price was the blood, 'l'he blood of the victim, a ransom divineBelieve It, poor sinner, and peace shall be thine."
Salvation for Nothing. Some time since, says a pastor, when visiting an old man who seemed anxious about salvation, I found great difficulty in making him understand that salvation is the free gift of God through Jesus, the Saviour of sinners. At last I said to him: "Now, suppose I were to go to a shop, and buy something for you, and pay for it, and se~d it to you, need you pay any money for it?" "No," said the old man, brightening up i "jt would be paid for." · "Need you make any promise to pay at some future time?" I then asked. "No," he replied i "I should have it for nothing." "So," I said, "it is with salvation-the Lord Jesus has paid the full price for it. He bought it for us with His own precious blood, and now He sends it to us in the Gospel and offers it to every sinner as a free gift." "Yes," said the old man, as his eyes filled with t~ars, •"I see it now i it is salvation for nothing I Christ has bought it and gives it to me for nothing." Yes, we are saved for nothing through the sal.. vation which is in Christ Jesus. "By grace are ye
No. 2.
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast," ~ph. 2, 8. 9. We have nothing whatever with which we could buy salvation. The prophet says, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," Is. 64, 6. It is not, All our wickednesses are as filthy rags, but, "All our- righteousnesses are · as filthy rags," and surely we cannot expect to buy salvation with a lot of dirty rags. Salvation has been bought for us by Christ with His own precious blood. He came into the world for the salvation of sinners. His birth was made known by the angel as the birth of,the Sayiour. When He was circumcised His name was called J·esus, which means Saviour. His name was called Jesus be.cause He saves from sin. And when the child Jesus was brought to the temple, the aged Simeon took Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy • salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people." This salvation which is in Christ Jesus is offered to sinners in the Gospel without money and without price. It is salvation for nothing. The Gospel call to sinners is: •"Whosoever will, let him take th·e water of life freely," Rev. 22, 17. Jesus says, "I will give unto him .that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely," Re~. 21, 6, Freely means for nothing. Yes, let the sinner take salvation freely-for nothing. That is the only way he can get it. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,''. says the Bible i al}d believing is not doing, it is resting upon that which is already dc:>ne, it is accepting that which is freely offered, it is calmly trusting in Jesus in wbom alone there is salvation. May every troubled
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
sinner see that all the doing is dope, and that salvation is for nothing. Saye an aged divine: "We talk about our sins · grieving Jesus, and so they do; but nothing grieves Him so much as our miserable doubts of Hie amazing love, which moved Him 'to_procure for us a perfect salvation, and of His precious Word in which that salvation is freely offered to tie." "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and be that bath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price," Is. 55, 1.
Christ Sltteth at the Rig.ht Hand of God the
Father Almighty. This is not to be so understood as though God the Father were sitting on an actual chair or throne, and Christ were occupying another chair at His right hand. We kno,v that God is a Spirit, that He bas no body, and therefore can have no right hand in the real se_n se of the word. God's riglit hand is His power and majesty. The expression is often tqus used in the Bible. And if it now be said that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, the meaning is that Christ partakes of Hie Father's divine power and majesty. Of. course, according to Hie divine nature this was always the case; but since He ascended into heaven, it is also true of His human nature. That divine power and majesty which was already imparted to His numan nature when He was conceived of the . Holy Ghost, but of whose use ij:e deprived Himself almost wholly in the days of His life here upon· earth, Christ now fully uses since He has gone up on high. Christ•, the Godman, now rules and governs with the Father apd the Holy Ghost over all things. That power which is given Him over.all things in heaven and on earth He now fully exercises. · EspeciJilly, however, does the ascended Lord govern and protect His Church, of which ,He is the Head. The sending of the Holy Ghost ten days after His ascension lVas· a revelation of His divin:e power ·and majesty. · And has He not at all times proved His .o mnipotence and glory? Principalities, and powers, • and might, and dominions, have they not all been obliged to recognize that they have been put under His feet? How His Church has been persecuted; how few were His followers I But nevertheless His Gospel has triumphed and- still ttiumphs over the powers of darkness. Emperors, and kings, and peoples have been overcome, and.His kingdom has
spread despite ail obstacles and hindrances. The ten bloody persecutions during the first centuries of the Christian era could not prevent the growth of Christ's Church; Julitm the Apostate, the bitter enemy of Christ and His Church, was compelled to cry with his expiring breath, "Nazarene, Thou hast ·triumphed;" the pope and his minions could not hush the Gospel tidings as proclaimed by Luther; all the funeral piles could not prevent the spread of Christ's kingdom; all the false teachings spread by Satan's servants have not succeeded in overthrowing the Church. And since the right band of God is everywhere, Christ is also omnipresent. He says, " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Where but two or three are gathered in H is name, there is He in the midst of them. 'l'herefore we need not fear, though the earth quake and the bea;ene eb.a ke, though the enemies of Christ scoff and Satan roar. The Lord is with us; He fights for us, the Valiant One, whom God Himself elected. And as long as He is wl th us, all is well. Abide, 0 dearest Jesus, Among us with Thy grace, Thnt Satan may not harm us, Nor we ~ sin give pince. ' Abide, 0 faithful Saviour, Among us with Thy love, Grant steadfastness, and belp us To reach our home above.
F. J. L.
The Difference Between the Law and the Gospel. · Through the Iiaw the Holy Spirit is never give!} . . It cannot, therefore, quiet the conscience or justify before .God, for it teaches only what we ehall: do. Through the Gospel, however, the Holy Spirit is given, for it teaches what we shall receive from God; · ' He, therefore, who teaches that we must be jueti.: fied by the Law does nothing else than fight against , the Goepel, for Moses with his Law ever continues ... driving .us; insists upon it that "!8 fulfill the Law., and pay God that which we owe Him; in short, he will have us good and holy. On the other hand, the Gospel demands nothing of us, but brings to us. forgiveness of sin by grace and freely, 'and asks us to open our hands, to extend them, nn,d to lay bold of that which God has offered and given us in Christ. Bllt no)V, to demand and to present, to give and to tak~, are diametrically opposed. That which is given me I ta\te, but that which I give someone else I do not receive, but pres~nt it freely and gra'
The Lutheran Pioneer. tuitously. If, now, the Gospel be a gift, nnd offers us a gift, as it truly does, it is certain that it demands nothing of us; but the Law neither gives nor presents us anything, but demands of us, and demands that which it is impossible for us to give. Lt1tlter.
Beginning of Missions in Greenland. When missions were begun among the stupid Greenlanders, it seemed as hard to change them as it would be to melt the ice around the North Pole. They made fun of the missionaries; one stole a Bible and sewed the precious leaves together to make himself a coat; during preaching they would pretend to sleep and snore, or drown the singing by beating drums. They etole the food and papers of the missionaries, stoned them, and when their food was gone, refused to sell them any. The E skimos were dirty and low in their ways, the mothers licked their children instead of washing them, just as cats do kittens. At last the Gospel story touched the heart of one E skimo named Knyarnak. H e drew near to the missionary, saying: "Tell it to me onqe more, for I, too, want to be saved." From that day Knyarnak's heart and life was changed . Daily he came to the missionary's hut and sat with tears rolling down his cheeks listening to the stories of Jesus. The other Eskimos, seeing bis changed life and actions, began to listen too. It must be a l_V0nderful book which had so changed him. They, too, wanted to be changed. Cruelty gave place to kindness, sins were confessed and forgiveness sought; they began to love and even to help others. Kayarnak became their teacher, and even taught the missionaries their language and helped them to translate the Bible.
The Prayer of Faith.
Dr. Luther says: "I know, as often as I have earnestly prayed, when it has been real earnest with me, I have indeed been richly heard, and have obtained more than I have prayed for. God has "for a time delayed, ·but nevertheless the help has come. Ah, how truly grand a thing is the honest prayer of a true ChristiaJl I How mighty is it ,vi~h God I That a poor human creature can so speak with the High Majesty in heaven, and not dread Him, but know that God is kindly smiling on him for: the sake of Jesus G:lhrist, His dear Son, our Lord and Saviour.I To this end the heart and conscience must not look back, must not doubt or fear on account of unworthiness. 11,
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"O11ly a Boy." About a century ago a faithful minister, cot;ning early to the church, met one of his aeacons, whose face wore a very resolute but distressed expression. "I came early to meet you," the deacon said. "I.have something on my conscience to say to you. Pastor, there must be something radically wrong in your preaching and work ; there h~s been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he is only a boy. " "I feel it all," the preacher said. "I feel it, but God knows that I have tried to do my duty, and I can trust Him for the results." "Yes, yes," said the deacon, "but 'by their frufts ye shall know them; ' and one new member and he, too, only a boy, seems to me rather a slight evidence of true faith and zeal. I don't want to be hard, but I have this matter on my conscience, and I have done my duty in speaking plainly." "True," said the old man, " but 'charity suffereth long and is kind, benreth all things, hopeth all things.' Aye, there you have ii: 'hopeth all things.' I have great hopes of that one boyRobert. Some seed that we sow bears fruit late, but that fruit is generally the most precious of all." The old minister went to the pulpit that day with a grieved and heavy heart. He closed his discourse with dim and tearful eJes. He wished that his work were done forever, and that he ·were at rest among the graves under the blooming trees in the old churchyard. He lingered in the dear old church after the rest were gone. He wished to be alone. The place was sacred and inexpressibly dear t~ him. I~ had been his spiritual home from his youth~ Before this altar he had prayed over the dead forms of a biYgone generation, and had welcomed the children of a new generation, and here, yes, here, he had been told · at last that his work was no lpnger owned and blessed. . No one remained. No one? "Only a boy." The boy was Robert Moffat. He watched the trembling old man. llis soul was filled with loving sympathy. He went to him and laid his hand on his black gowl). "Well, Robert?" said the minister. 11 Do you think ·if I were willing to work hard for an education I could ever become a preacher?'.' "A preacher?" 11 Perhaps a missionary." There was a long pause. Teare filled the eyes of the old minister. At length he said: 11 This· heals the ache in my heart, 'Robert. I see the di-
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
vine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher." ln 1870, after fifty-five yetirs of faithful labors, there returned to London from South' Africa an aged missionary. His name was spoken with reverence. When he went into an assembly the people rose; when he spoke in public, there was a deep silence. Princes stood uncovered before him; nobles invited him to their homes. He had added a province to the Church of Christ on earth, had brought under the Gospel influence the most savage of African chiefs, had given the translated Bible to strange tribes, had enriched with valuable knowledge the Royal Geographical Society, and had honored the humble place of his birth; the Scottish church, the United Kingdom, and the universal missionary cause. It is hard to trust when no evidence of fruit appears. But th_e harvest is sure. The old minister sleeps beneath the trees in the humble place of his labors, but men remember his work because of what he was_to that one boy, and what that one boy was to the world. "Only a boy I" -Selected.
The Saviour's Peace. It was a dark and ~tormy night. The missionary's horse was tired, and he was wet and weary. · For some time he had looked in vain for a·cheerful light in the lonely wooc;ls. At length he saw a faint glimmer 'through the trees. But when he had fastened his horse and gone into the log cabin, he thought he had neve~ seen so wretched a place-cold and dirty and almqst without furniture. In the corner of the room was a ragged bed, on which lay a pale little girl. The missionary saw that the little girl's f~ce was pale and that her hands were thin. She was ill and a great sufferer: But she smiled with a smile that showed peace was -in her heart, while her body was suffering with disease. From under her pillow peeped a little book. It was the New Testament which some Bible agent had left in that desolate place. The missionary .asked the little -girl, "Can you read?!' · , "Yea, air," she replied. 11 • 0an you understand it?" "A great deal of it, sir. I see there how Jesus came into the world to save sinners-all sinnersalso children. He said, 'Suffer little children to •come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom 9f God.' And when I think of that ]
am happy. And in the dark night when I lie here, and cannot sleep for pain, I think of II)y· Saviour and heaven, and He seems to be saying, 'Suffer that little child to come unto me, and forbid her not.' I am soon going to be with Him forever." Thus that gift brought peace to the heart of the little girl,-that peace which the Saviour promised to His own when He said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be _afraid," John 14, 27.
God Hear~ Prayers. A colored girl was setting the table, when a boy in the room said to her: "Mollie, do you pray?" The suddenness of the question confused her a little, but she .answered, "Yes, every night." "Do you think God hears you?" the boy asked. She answered promptly: "I know He does.'' "But do you think," said he, trying to puzzle her, "that H'.e hears your prayers as readily as those of white children?" For a while the child kept on with her work j then she slowly said, "Master George, I pray into God's ears, not His eyes. My voice is like another girl's, and if 'I say what I ought to say, God does not stop to look at my skin." '
An Honest Boy. At a slave market, many years ago, a col(?red boy was offered for sale. One of the bystanders, moved with comP,assion and being well pleased wit~ the boy's appearance and conduct, wished to keep him from falling into the hands of some cruel master. So he went up to the boy and said, '' Will you be honest if I buy you?" With an indescribable look upon his frank countenance the boy replied, "I will be honest, whether you buy me or not."
Christ Gives by Promise. Merit is a work for the sake of which Christ gives rewards. But no such work is to be found, for Christ gives by promise. Just as. if a prince were to say to me: "Come to me in,my castle, and I will give you a hundred florins." I do a work, certainly, in going to the castle, but the gift is not given to me as the reward'of my work in going,. but because tlie prince promised it to me.-Luther.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. Money Spent not in Vain. One beautiful Sunday afternoon Wen Hain, a Chinese girl, lay dying in our Peking school. We knew that she must soon go, and so, as it is the custom in China, she was bathed and dressed in her grave clothes. Her glossy black hair was knotted on the top of her head with bright red cord. She wore a dark blue garment with a bit of bright trimming down the edge; snowy stockings and embroidered slippers were on her feet. Her white hands were folded peacefully, and she lay so calm we knew she was resting in the arms of Jesus, and only waiting for Him to ta~e her spirit from the poor worn body.
As she found how precious it was to have the dear Lord Jesus go with her through "the dark valley and the shadow," she was thinking of them, the kind friends so far away, who had done so much for her. I said to her, 11 Wen Hsin, do you want anything?" 11 1-want-to-,vrite-a-letter." "O you are too weak I What is it you want to say? Tell me, and I will write it for you." Gathering up all the strength she had left, she gasped it out in her weakness, a word at a time: "I want to tell my American friends they did not spend their money in vain for me."
AIMission School in India.
It was the hour of the Sunday school. They knew in the chapel "that she was dying, and through the open windows we could hear them singing, "There's a land that is fairer than day." The busy little clock on the square red table kept on ticking, ticking, until the Sunday·school was dismissed, and many of her schoolmates gathered sorrowfully around the brick bed on which the dying girl lay. Several of her old friends came in from the neighborhood. None of them had ever seen a Christian die before, and they gazed with wonder upon the peaceful girl and went back to their homes with the wondrous news that Wen Hain lay dying and was not afraid I . Somebody in America had given thirty dollars a year to support her in a Christian school.
Soon she closed her black eyes, and went away from the brick bed to the mansion prepared for her, but she had sent her precious message to cheer and encourage the home worke}:'s in the mission cause. World- Wide Missiona.
A Fatal Love. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2, 15. The friendship of the· world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4, 4. • Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by tlie renewin~ of yo~r mind. Rom. 12, 2.
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14:
In the Day of Trial. Son of God, my Saviour, hear me, Let me know that Thou nrt near me, With Thy presence strong to cheer me In the day of trial. Thou hast said Thou ,vilt not lea,•e me, Though Thou let temptations grieve me: Help me, trusting, to belie\'e Thee In the day of trial. Let not evil triumph o'er me; Thou, who sinless s ufft redst for me, From the tempter's power restore me In the day of trial. If Thy pro,•ldence bereave me, l\lay Thy loving arms receive me, May Thy grace, 0 Lord, relieve me In the day of trial. Suft'er not despair to claim me, Discontent or doubt to shame me; Let no Impious rage inflllme me . In the day of trial. May my grief work patience in me And to hope triumphant win me, God's love shecl abroad within me In the day of trial. To Thy wlll I woul,I resign me, For Thy praise Thou clldst design me; For Thy use, 0 Lord, refine me In the day of trial. Let Thy love, O Christ, constrain me ; Let Thy grace, 0 Christ, sustain me; Let Thj p9wer, 0 Christ, maintain me In the day of trial. When the shades of death o'ertake me, Leave me not, nor then forsake me! By Thy grace vjctorlous make me In the day of trial. /lei,. c. E . Crai,en.
A Happy Old M~n. I met him on the platform of a street car station, waiting for a car to take him back to the city. He was one of the veterans that had served under Stonewall Jackson and had come to the city to attend a soldiers' reunion. His back wae bent, bis limbs trembled beside his staff, his clothes were old, hie voice wae husky, his hair was white, his eye wae dim, and hie face wae furrowed. Yet he seemed • full of gladness, not at all put out with his lot. As his legs and cane carried him up and down the platform, he hummed the lines of the familiar hymn, "Jesus, Lover of my soul." "Friend," said I, " you seem to be a happy old man?" "All are not," said be. "Well, why then .shquld yo,u be -happy?" . "Because I belong to the Lord." "Not all are happy at your time .of life. " " No; sir," said he, as bis form straightened into the stature of his former days when he marched to the sound of drum and fife. "Listen, please, to the truth from one who has passed his three score years and ten-The devil has no happy olcl 1nen/ 11
H~s Mis~ionary Bra~ch.
"You are always working, II I said to an energetic young business man whom I called upon at his office not very long since. "How many hours do you put in each day?" "Twenty-fo,ur, II he replied, with·a smile. I presume my face expressed my astonish·ment. "Yee," he resumed, 11 i work ten·hours here ;:-the rest of the time I work in the antipodes-byproxy,of course." • "I don't understand," I said. _Faith. "Let me explain. When I wae at school I beLuther says: cc Faith is not man's opinion and came deeply interested in the mission cause, and ,, dream, but it is a divine work in us th~t changes dete11mined to go out and work in the mission field. and begets us anew ol Goc;l. It mortifies the old My father, however, died•before my plans were fully Adam, transforms us into entirely different men in matured. Hie business here wae in such a state · heart, mind, will, sense, and powers, and brings that no outsider without a personal interest could with it the Holy Ghost. Oh, this faith ie a living, carry it on. Mother, sisters, aI?,d younger brothers • busy, active, efficacious thing, eo that it ie im- depended upon the profits of the house. I wae possible for it not incessantly to do good works. obliged to remain here. I determined, however, to Neither does it ask whether good works are to be have a representative in the field and assumed the done; but before the question has been asked, it support of a native preacher. He bas gathered a has already done them, and ie always doing them. school and organized 'a church. Thie I call the But be who 'does not do these works ls a faithless missionary branch of my business. My man there man, who is always groping and looking for faith is working while I sleep. He is my substitute. and good works; and nevertheless knows neither Thus I work twenty-four hours a day for my Master.' what faith nor good works are, though be prate in I work here for what is necessary to keep my rep- . resentative supplied over there."-Selected. many words concerning faith and good works."
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The L1.1.theran Pioneer. NOTES AND ITEMS. ST. Louis, Mo. - Our colored Lutheran mission at St. Louis celebrated Christmas with joy and thanksgiving. Mrs. B--, the Superintendent of the school, writes: "Our Ev.-Luth. Grace Colored Mission had its second Christmas celebration in its church on corner 12th and Carr streets . The church was decorated with wreaths of holly, and our tree was laden with all good things, many a light gleaming from the tree and reminding our poor little colored children of the glad Christmas tidings. The children were also pleasantly surprised to find their boxes filled with all kinds of good things. With glad hearts they sang praises to the dear Christ-child who was born also for them. No tongue can tell the joy that was seen in this little Mission at this joyful Christmas celebration. · Teacher l\foDnvid delivered a very impressive address on the birth of the Saviour.-Our mission is doing well, and we have nil reason to thank God that there is a prosperous colored mission in St. Louis, Mo." GnEENsnono, N. C.-Spenking of the college to be erected at Greensboro for colored students, and of our mission there in charge of the Rev. J. C. Schmidt, a writer in the Lutheran Church Visitor says: "The writer spent a summer in Greensboro some eight years ago. While doing some office .work in my room at my boarding house one forenoon, I overheard a heated discussion in the back yard upon the subject of religion between two cooks and a wood chopper, all negroes. Curious to bear what perverted ideas they might advance, I found • myself an eager listener. It soon appeared that the wood chopper was more than a match for the cooks, · one a Baptist, the other a Methodist. He unmercifully assailed the pet doctrines of his an_tagonists, and then proceeded to enlighten them as to what salvation is, and the means through which it is attained. To µiy utter surprise he outlined a clear conception of the Lutheran faith in the plain• est terms, establishing his position by abundant Scripture proofs. On inquiry, I found this wood chopper was Rev. Schmidt's Sunday school superintendent. I investigated R~v. Schmidt's mission and methods, and found that he used no clap-trap schemes. In the week days he taught school for the colored r~ce, making religion a part of the instruction. No member was admitted to the congregation who had not mastered the Catechism and understood.its conception of salvation."
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AN INDIAN CHIEF'S PLEA. -A correspondent in New York writes: Two real, blanketed Indians of the Comanche tribe, from the reservation near Fort Sill, Oklahoma, spoke on a recent Sunday afternoon at a missionary meeting in our city. A third was also expected to address the meeting, but he was ill. 'l' he three Indians are traveling in the interest of their tribesmen. Their names are Periconic, Nnhwatz, and White Wolf. Periconic is the chief of his tribe, and up to three years ago was a worshiper of Mescal, the sun god. He at that time was a famous gambler and drinker, and altogether a bad Indian. About three years ago a Protestant missionary held an Indian service at Fort Sill, which Chief Periconic attended. It was there that be first heard of what the Indians call "the Jesus road." He was brought to faith in the Saviour, and ever since bas been anxious for the Christian instruction of ·his tribesmen. "I am O.Q a long trip," "be said to his New Yor!t audience, "to ask the paleface to send a missionary down to tell the rest of my tribe what I ho.ve heard. I am a poor, ignorant man, and cannot read." The Christian chief ie also making pleas for funds with which to build a little Indian church on hie reservation. "I want it built strong,!' he said, "so it will last after I am dead." The chief said that he left his squaw and pappooses and also his crops to come among the palefaces to get help for mission work among 'his poor Indian people. HEATHEN CRUELTY. - When a chief or some other prominent man in Africa dies, it brings great . suffering upon his widows and slaves. Some of his • wives are thrust into the grave with him. When they begin their wailings, they do not know which of them must endure this dreadful fate. The choice is kept secret until the body of the chief is ready for burial. Then ten slaves Iiave their heads cut off. But death is not so easy for the four widows who are to follow their husband into eterµity. With a club their arms and legs are broken, that they may be rendered helpless. They are then cast alive into the grave. The chief's body is placed upon them, and all are covered up with earth. · Such is the cruelty of heathenism. A NontiE CONFESSION. -The first Papuan to be baptized by the Rhenish missionaries in New Guinea, before hie baptism, in order to show his faith before his people, spoke as follows: "I renounce the customs of my ancestors. I know they have made the people believe on the idols through lies. I believe in Jehovah. He is the true God, who made heaven
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.' and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ. He is God's only Son. Jesus has forgiven me my sins. He has freed me from Satan. He has freed me from hell. I f01;merly walked in the ways of my fathers, now I will walk in the ways of Jesus. 0 God Jehovah, I have prayed to Thee, Thou hast beard it I O J ehovah, help me.. Amen I" After this, he kneeled and was baptized, while in the eyes of the missionaries tears were gathering at this, the first fruit of sixteen years' labor. And a great stillness fell upon the assembled Papuans, who felt that now they were standing in the presence of God·. May many more soon be brought to believe and be baptized unto salvation.
No Money for Missions. A missionary writes : "I lectured before a Ladies' Missionary Society attached to one of the wealthiest churches in Bnot long since, and while they were conducting the 'business' part of the meeting I estimated the worth of the jewelry worn at not less than ten thousand dollars. A plea came from a mission church in the West for some money with which to build a little wooden church. After much deliberatio,;i, ten dollars was suggested, and after more talk that was·cut down to five dollars I They had asked me to offer a prayer and to close with the Lord's Prayer. Each one said 'Amen' at the close. They prayed, 'Thy Kingdom come,' and subscribed five dollars toward that work, while at the same time they wore jewelry worth ten thousand dopars I
NoT AFRAID OF THE WEATHER.-A missionary reports that Christians in Greenland very seldom, if ever, stay away from public worship on accol,\nt .Mission. R cvicto of the World. of the weather. When it is so cold that their breath freezes and forms icicles in their faces, they go long A.cknowle1lgments. distances, through snow and ice and storm, to the Received for colored missions of Rev. IC. I{retzschmar house of prayer. Men, women, and children go. from Mount Zion Church In New Orleam1, La., S25.00; of From these poor Greenlanders many Christians of Rev. F. J. Lailkenau from St. Paul's Church In New Orleans, 25.00; of Rev. J. Kosi1mann from Bethlehem Church In more favored lands may learn a lesson. The apostle La., New Orleans, La., 25.00; of Rev. M. Weinhold from St. Paul's says: "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves to- Church In Ma.ni1ura 1 La., 10.00; of Rev. J. C. Schmidt from Grace Church In Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; of Rev. J. Phil. gether, as the manner of some is." Schmidt from Grace pburcn In Concord, N. C., 10.00. St. Louis, Jan. 15, 1905. A. C. BURGDORF, 7rea,.
Hindu Superstition.
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Received for Luther College from St. Paul's Church In Mansura, La., 818.00; Mount Zion Church, New Orleans, 15.00; B~thlehem Chapel, New Orleans, 16.75; St. Paul's Chapel, New Orleans, 29.00. New Orleans, Jan. 111 1905. F. J. LANKENAU.
One of the Lutheran missionaries in India relates th_e following incident: "Last Saturqay, returning from the postoffice, my shadow chance~ _to fall across the path of a Evnngcllcnl Lutl1eran Colored Churcllcs. NEW ORLEANS, LA. Hindu woman who was coming from the Godaveri, St. Paul'• Chapd, 16".6 Annette St., near N . Olalbome St.; F. J. Lanwhere she had been performing her religious ablukenau, Pastor. Divine Services: Sunday, 11 A. :u. and 7,30 P. u.; Wednesday, tions. Sb.e was walkin'g along, mumbling some quo7.S0P.H. Mount Zion Church, Franklin and ThallaSts.; K.Kretzschmar,Pastor. tations from the sacred books and sprinkling herself Divine Services: Sunday, 11 A. :u. and 7.30 P. lll.; Thursday, 7.80 P.31. with water from the small brass 'chimbu' in her Bethlehem Chapel, Washington .Ave. and Dryadea St.; J. W. F. Kos■mannJ Pastor. . hand. When a Hindu woman, principally of the Divine Services: Sunday, 10 A. M. and 7.30 P. :u. ; Thursday, '1.S0P. K. • · Brahmin caste, is so doing,' or bringing water 'f rom· SPRINGFIELD, ILL. the well, and anything unclean to her crosses her · Holu Trinitu Church; L. E . Thalley, Pastor. , Divine Services: Suuday, 10.ao A. :u. and 8 P. :u. pa-tJ:i or its shadow ·falls upon her, the water she carries is defiled. She, according to the tenets of · her strange religi~n, must pour out the water, no TERMS: TDE LUTHERAN PIONEER ls published monthly, payable matter how far from the river or well she is, and re- in advance at the following rates, postage Included, to-wit: tum for other undefiled. I had heard and read this, I Copy····· · · · · •• •• • • • •• • : • •• • • .. 8 .25 · d I d . dd 10 Coples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 b ut never saw 1t one. t seeme quite o to me 25 " ....• . ... , . . . . . • • . . . . . . . • 5.00 that I should be the innocent cause of her having 50 " • • • • . • . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • • • • • 9.oo o for . other yet undefiled water. Under such Club rates only allowed If all copies are to be sent to one g to address.-In St. Louis by mall or carrier, 85 cents. idle, silly superstitions India. labors." All business communications to be addressed to Concordia Publishing House, Jefferson Ave. and Miami St., St. Louis, Mo. • All communications concemlng the editorial departF .AITH clings to the Word alone, not to sight, ment to be addressed to Prof. R, .A.. BISOHOJ'l'1 Conover, 'aigna, and feelings.-.Luther. Catawba Co., N. C.
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1\/fISSIONARY 1\/fONTHLY.
PunLISHED nY T H E EVANGELICAL LuTI-IERAN SYN001c,\L Cm,""FERENCE OF
NonTI-r ~ramc,\.
U. A, llISCUOFF, Etlitor. li:nteretl aL the l>os t Ofllee nt St. Louis, Mo., ns second -class mnttcr.
Vol. XX.VII.
St. Lou.is, Mo., ~1:arch., 1905. He Died for Me.
When time seems short nnd death is near, Ancl I am pressed by doubt and !ear, And sins, nn overflowing tide, Assail my pence on every sicle, This thought my r efuge s till shall be : I know my Saviour clied for me. I-Iis name Is Jes us, and Ile died For guilty sinners crucified; Content to die that Ile might win Their ransom from the death of sin; No sinner worse than I can be, Therefore I know He died for me. If grace were bought, I could not buy; If grace were coined, no wealth have I; By grace alone 1 draw my breath, Helcl up from everlasting death; Yet, since I know His grace is fl;'ee, I know the Saviour died for me. I rend God's holy ,vord, and find Great truths which far transcend my mind; Aud little clo I know beside Of thoughts so high, so deep, and wlcle; This Is my best theology !. know the Saviour died for me. :M:y faith is weak, but 'tis Thy gift; Thou canst my helpless soul uplift, Anet say: "Thy bonds of death are riven, Thy sins by me are all forgiven, And thou shalt live, from gu.Ut set fre~, For I, thy Saviour, died for thee." .
G. 11'. Bethune, D. D.
For Us.
In the Lenten season we behold Christ in His bitter sufferings and great agony. We go with Him on His way of sorrow and see Him bowed do"{n under the wrath of a just and holy God. And ;yet He was no sinner. None of His enemies could con-
No. 3.
vince Him of sin. The judge before whom He was brought said again and again, "I find no fault in Him." He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," Hehr. 7, 26. He "did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth," 1 Pet. 2, 22'. There was not the least stain of sin fn Him. His · nature was perfectly holy. He was perfect in all His thoughts, and words, and ways. God was fully pleased in Him. Twice the l'ather's voice was heard from heaven saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Yet that Son endured the most bitter sufferings and died the most shameful death upon the cross. How is this? Let the Bible tell you. The Bible says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the c~rse of the Law, being made a curse for us," Gal. 3, 13. '' His own self bare our sir£s in His .body on the tree,'' 1 Pet. 2, 24. God ''hath made Him to be sin form, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him," 2 Cor. 5, 21. "The Lord bath' laid on Hi,n the iniquity of m all," Is.,53, 6. He "gave Himself for our sins," Gal.1, 4. Thus we see fr(!m God's Word that Christ suffered and died form-in our place. By our sins we deser~ed punishment; for God is just and holy. He cannot overlook sin. His justice demands the punishment of every sin. ' No creature in heaven·or on earth could free us from God's wrath and from damnation which sin brought up'on us. So God's own Son in His unspeakable ron came down from heaven to be our Redeemer. · He became man, and took all our sins upon Himself, and bore all the punishment of sin for us. "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world I" He was punished in our stead: He took our place and · suffered and died form-the Just for the unjust. Our. sins brought that great suffering of body and:·
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soul on the Holy One of God. Our sins made Him world despises, and whom it regards as neither King a man of sorrows, nailed Him to the cross, and put nor Priest. This is just what Isaiah says: "When Him to death. Ip His sufferings and death we see we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a the punishment of our sin. Woe to them who reject this Saviour and whnt man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we He has done and suffered for them. They thereby hid as it were ou1· faces from Him. He wns despised, reject their only salvation and must themselves suf- and we esteemed Him not. 11 This Priest offers us fer the punishment of their sins in tlie everlasting His own body and blood upon the cross in a place fires of hell. But blessed are all that see in the suf- that was dishonored, desecrated, yea, accursed . This ferings and death ~f the Saviour the punishment of shall be our dearest, loveliest, and most graceful their sins and trust in His work for salvation. In His garment, no matter how it is regarded by the world death they find everlasting life, and by His wounds and the natural eye. Bulls, heifers, and calves were they are healed. His blood cleanses them from all sacrificed in the temple upon an altar that was not sins, and though their "sins be as scarlet, they shall consecrated. Gallows and places of execution · are be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, to this day horrid and dishonorable, and Moses they shall be as wool. 11 • • writes: "He that is hanged is accursetl of God." Believe in the Saviour who suffered and died for Now, the world thinks.it disgraceful and dishonoryou and with His own blood paid the price of your able that this Priest was not permitted to bring His redemption. Come to Him for salvation. His nrms offering even to the place where heifers and calves are open to receive even the chief of sinners. were sacrificed. But this was for us and for our good, that we might learn that H e has brought a "Each drop of blood proclaims there's room, And bids the poor and needy come." · fully satisfactory offering for our sins. Since our sins could not be atoned for and removed by any other than this Priest who is the eternal Son of God, · "Father, Forgive Them; For They Know Not it is our fault that He could ~ot have a more honor. What They Do."· able altar and a more precious garment. This is no hindrance, however, to the discharge of His office. This prayer s~ould teach us, first of all, that ~ur He not only · does offer His body nncl blood, but dear Lord Jesus is a priest, and that He fulfilled-the also prays for poor, ignorant sinners. duties of the priestly office there upon the ·cross. We should, therefore, be heartily comforted beTo pray for sinners is, indeed, one of the proper cause of this Priest and His office. Even as He employments of the priesthood. Now, Aaron, serv- suffers not alone for those who were present at His ing i.l:pder the Law, was invested with peculiar crucifixion, took hold of Him an.d nailed Him to the. priestly apparel made for glory and for beauty. cross, so, neither, does He pray for them alone, but But if we ·would know with what priestly robes also for us; otherwise the prayer of Christ would' Christ was clad and what the altar was at which He receive too limited an interpretation. Those present served, we need.merely look at the cross. There we then were merely our servants and ministers. Had see Him entirely naked, full of wounds and void of it not been my sin and thy sin that nailed the Lord , every trace of sacerdotal splendor. Still He attended Jesus to the cross, these men would surely not have to H\s priestly duties most perfectly and carefully, been able to molest Him.-Luther. ev~n praying for Hie foes. Let us not b~ offended ... at His unpriestly appearance, for the work of this Christ's, Return to Judgment. Priest has a significance entirely different from that of" Moses' priests. This difference we learn even Christ, who now .sits enthroned in glory at the . from the superscription written over Him, which rig~t hand of His Father, will come from thence to declares Him to be "the King of the J ewe, 11 the judge the quick and the dead, and then will His correctness oi which. title He had Himself publicly glory be revealed to all flesh. and.clearly confessed be'fore Pilate. · As the disciples stood on Mount Olivet and with , Neither does this title harmonize with His ap- longing hearts gazed after their ascending Lord, pearance. Instead of .wearing a scarlet robe, 'Hie they were told by the angels : "This same Jesus body_ie covered witl:i blood and wounds and bruises. which is taken up from you into heaven shall so Instead of a golden crown, He wears a crown of come in like manner as ye ,have seen Him go into . ilioma. There upoI]. the cross we see a -Priest and heaven," Acts 1, 11. Job in holy confidence deXing, of whom the world is ashamed, whom the clares that he shall see his Saviour stand at 'the
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The Lutheran Pioneer. latter day upon the earth. Yes, Jesus will return visibly, and all t4e eyes of men ,vill behold Him in His divine glory. "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory; and before Him shall be gathered all nations," Matt. 25, 31. 32. All lowliness and poverty will have vanished~ the world will look upon its Lord and King, and every tongue will have to confess that He is the Lord. 'fhis return will occur on the last day. Goel bas appointed the day of Christ's visible and glorious return, but He bas revealed it to no man. Even Christ in the clays of His humility knew not when it would be. "Of that day and that hour knowetb no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father," Mark 13, 32. And since G~d in His wisdom bas withheld from us the knowledge of this day, it would be sinful on our part to try to asc~rtain it. Besides telling us that the last day will surely come, God has, however, told us that it will come suddenly, unexpectedly. "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night," 2 Pet. 3, 10. As the fowler's snare falls ·s uddenly and without warning upon the bird, so the last day will break upon an unsuspecting world. In addition to this God. bas told us that "the end of all things is ~t band," 1 Pet. 4, 7. Obrist may come nny day, any hour, the signs which Obrist told us would precede His coming having all been fulfilled. Therefore we should always be ready to receive our King wbep He comes to take us home, to His Father's house, with its many mansions. , Christ will return at the last day to judge the quick and the dead. "He is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead," Acts 10, 42. On the last day Jesus Obrist, the God-man, will occupy His judgment seat and execute judgment upon the whole world, Acts 17, 31. The whole world, all men,. from Adam and Eve to the last child born of woman, must then appear before the Judge. Then king and subject, prince and beggar, the high and the · low, the learned and the ignorant, all without exception will be gathered around His throne. They whose bodi~s molder in the grave, they who were devoured by wild beasts, they ,vhose bleached bones are scattered in the desert, they whose bodies lie at the bottom of the sea, they whose bodies were burned and whose ashes were scattered to the winds, yes, all the dead and ~11 th~t remain alive till that' day, all must then appear before Christ's throne. And when all will be gathered about the Judge, then the judgment will take place. Christ wili then
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judge all flesh according to ·the word that He has spoken, John 12, 48. According to his belief or unbelief every man will be placed with the sheep at Christ's right hand, or with the goats upon the left, for He Himself said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." No partiality will be shown, no exceptions will be made, for Christ will render righteous judgment. The penetrating eye of Christ will look into the inmost recesses of the heart, and no man will be able to deceive Him, nor will anyone succeed in hiding aught from Him. To prove the justice of His decision, Christ will bring forth the testimony of every man's works. The good works which the believer has done for Jesus' sake will prove that his faith was upright, and the evil works of th e unbeliever will bear testimony to his unbelief. Thus every one will receive "according to that he hath done, whe,t her it be good or bad," 2 Cor. 5, 10. 0
Great God, ,vhat do I sec and hear! The end of things created; The Judge of man I see appear, On clouds of glory seated; Beneath tlie cross I view the day When heaven and earth shall pass away, And thus prepare to meet Him.
- · F. J. L.
Answer a Fool Acco~dlng to His Folly. Prov. 26, 5. John B. Gough tells a good story 9f his old friend Mr. Carroll. Together they bad been listening to an infidel lecturing in Hyde Park on the merits of illuminating gas, who said that the inventor cf gas did a great deal more for the world than did the inventor of Christianity. At the conclusion of this man's tirade against the Gospel, Carroll got up and said, "Now that our friend has finished, I would like to say a word or two to you;" and be pref~ced his address in defense of Christianity by saying, "When the last speaker comes to die, be will .not send fo; a Gospel mes~enger, I suppose, but •h e will send for a gal!·fitter." 0
Why Not? .
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When the .martyr John Huss· was let out to the stake to be bound1 they pl~ced a paper crown on his head on which devils were painted. When HuBS saw this he said, "My Lord Jesus Christ for my sake wore a crown of thoms; why should I not for His sake wear this?"
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the Law cannot cleanse us from sin and cannot redeem us from its curse .. There is no salvation in the Law. The Law con. demns man, but cannot save him. The ·. . .... i ~ '"$ • . · -· -::-.• . .. ·-.: ~ - -:.'/~ . ···.•) sinner who by the Law has come fo the . ,: ·::·. \"., -~. ·:_.:.'. . - . r: .~-~. knowledge of his sins and trembles at the wrath and punishment of God must trust for salvation in the Gospel that tells him of the blood of Christ which cleanses us ·tt" -~ ·'._ .. ~. :· from all sin. The Law brings man to a J :;. • • . • '<:_ : consciousness of sin, but cannot cleanse him, cannot make him clean. To illustrate this truth, a pastor related _, ~ .•: the following story. He had promised his ! . ;..~ ,~,· . ~ :i C:~'boy a ride in a carriage, but the little fel,. -;•,-~ ·:.. :}1· low, after having been suitably dressed, '...., ... ,,1/' had soiled his clothes frightfully. When ~ . the father arrived with the carriage, he ~!: • found his son not fit to be seen, and although the little fellQ.W clapped his hands • I with delight in expectation of his ride, his ~ .-.~ father said, "Why, my boy, I can't take . t you in that state, you are all soiled and dirty.'' "Oh, no, l'se not, father, l'se not," i. . . said the boy; "mamma bas washed me, . and put on all my nice clean thi~gs, and . . you promised to take me." The father just hitched up his horse, took the little boy into the house, and . .,,,,,,---:- -~ , ~ .,. .... . '\ .. -~ . ~ =-- <-~:.,.. . . .." • . ........ ~·• '.::>~ ~ held him up before a looking-glass, where he could see how dirty he was. That "Beneath the cross of Jesus silenced the little fellow. "But," said the preacher, I fain would take my stand"I'll tell you what I did not do-I dicln't take the
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The shadow of a mighty Rock Within a weary land, A. home within the wilderness, A. r~st.. upon the way, From the bumlng-of the noontide beat, And the burden of the day. "0 safe and happy shelter, 0 refuge tried and sweet, O trysting-place, where heaven's love And heaven's ju!ltlce meet! A.a to the. holy patriarch That wondrous dream ,vas given, So' ls my Saviour's cross to meA ladder up to heaven."
No Sal.v atlon· In the Law. "By the Law is the knowledg~ of sin," says the apostle. From.God's Law we learn our sin and the curse which sin has brought upon us. The Law is like a looking-glass in which we see how dirty we are by sin and how surely we need cleaning. But
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lool..-ing-glass to wash his face with."
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Preach Christ, and Him Cruclfled.
A friend of the Rev. ,D r. Judson, the well-known missionary, relates the following story,"whicb happened when the devoted missionary, broken down by bis many labors, came home to recover bis health. A short time before Dr. Judson left ~his country, he visited my native village and the church of which I had been a member. As the house was small, he had conl!ented to -address the congregation; and this, although the day was rainy, brought toget~er_ quite a crowd. After the -usual sermon was over, he spoke for about fifteen minutes, with singular simplicity, and, as I thought, with touching pathos, of the "precious Saviour:" W~at has He done for us, and what do we owe to Hin:i? As he sat down, however, it was easily; seen that most of the listeners were disappointed. After the services several per-
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The Cleansing Blood. The Rev. McAll, the well-known Protestant missionary, who, in 1871, began mission work in Paris among the most wretched people of that wicked city, one day received from some unknown person a letter with the request to visit a poor, sick woman. With great difficulty he, in one of the most ill-famed stt.eets, found the wretched place where the dying woman lived. Before the door stood a wild-looking fellow-the w,oman's son. The missionary asked him whether a sick woman lived there, mentioning the name that had been given him in the letter. "Yes, she lives here; what do you want with her?" was the rough answer. "I beard of her being sick and thought she might wish to see me." '' What do you want of her? Do you want to talk with her about religion?"
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"When a- person is sick, he is glad if someone comes to see him. If you were sick, you too would be glad if someone came to inquire about you." These words seemed to quiet the young fellow ; still he wanted to know for what purpose this visit was made, saying that he would · allow no one to talk religion to hie mother. The missionary said, "I propose a compromise. I will not go· to your mother without your consent. You are to tell her that I am here and ask her whether she wishes to see me. If she says 'no,' then I shall I.eave. If she says 'yes,' then you will let me see her; will you not?" At last the young man consented; he opened the door and asked, "Mother, someone wants to speak with you. Do you wish to see him or not?" . Plain and clear the answer came from the sickbed, "If he wants to speak about the blood that cleanses, I will see him; otherwise not." The missionary was astonished on hearing these words. Turning towards the woman's son, he said, "That is the very subject on which I wanteq. to speak with her. Well, an agreement should not be broken; as a man of honor I hope you will keep your word." "Yes, an agreement is an agreement," the young man murmured as he opened the door and let the stranger in. • The missionary could hardly find the wretched bed on which the dying woman lay. He knelt by tlie bedside and said he was glad to bear that she knew the precious truth about the blood that cleanses. "But I do not know that truth! I know nothing about the blood that cleanses I" the woman cried out; "therefore I said I would see you, if you could tell me something about it." '' But how strange that you wanted to learn something about the cleansing blood without knowing its value I" ea.id the missionary. "How did you come to hear of it?" ''Thirty years ago," she replied, "'I sought shelter from a storm in a large house where there was preaching. It was the first and the only time that I was in a church. I heard the preacher recite the words: 'The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' That is all I know ofthe sermon, "but these words came to my mind again and again. Now I die and know not what will become of my soul. Can you tell me anything about this clel!-naing blood?" It was a sweet task to bring to this poor soul.the glad message of the finished work of redemption: As a drowning person grasps the rope, so she laid hold of the salvation whicl;l is in Christ Jesus.
The Lutheran Pioneer.
22 Missions.
0 Church of Clirist, for whom He died In pain and pnssion sore; 0 Church of Christ, B is holy Bride, Beloved fore,•ermore; Into thy hands Bis Word of graceA snored trust-He gave And bade thee bear it to the rnce He came to seek aud save. He bade thee e,•ery crenture tell How from His throne He came To rescue man from sin ancl hell, To bear his grief and shame ; Bade thee all nations to refresh · With the baptismal floocl; To break the bread, wbich is His flesh, And pour the wine, His blood. Durst thou that holy trust betray? Durst thou_despise His Word? Durst thou His saying disobey, Or leave His voice unheard ? Arouse tbee, then I Awake, a wake ! Attend the Saviour's call, ' Spend and be spent for His dear sake To whom thou owest all.
off to something else. "Now I know," said one of them, "why Arndt can give so many alms. I know for certain that he has somebody to make money for him. My husband says that if he bad the authority, Arndt would be prosecuted as sorcerer." "Yes,"· chimed in another, "and my husoand says that he knows as little of theology as a schoolboy, and ·that he deserves to be tried for heresy, and to be banished from the country." "Of course," rejoined the third, "and I know also why he is so friendly to his neighbor, the weaver. Arndt simply sends the penny after the dollar." Suddenly there was a crash, and the wagon broke down I The passengers were now obliged to get out an4 walk the rest of the way. Of course, the three backbiters were very much startled when they saw Arndt, the object of their vilification, coming out from behind the barrel. To add to their confusion, a carriage just then drove up, which had been sent by Pastor Arndt's wife to meet him. The good man insisted on their getting in and riding home, while he .walked the rest of the way.-Ex.
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Rev. Jno. Power.
A Blind Missionary. "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor."
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Johann Arndt, the author of the famous book, "True Christianity," knew not OI!_ly how to write '!-bout. true Cliristianity, but was himself a true Christian, who lived according to the precepts of the Bible. At one tjme he had gone on a trip some distance away from hoine. On the day when he had to retum a heayy rain set in. The roads accordingly being rather muddy for walking, he took the first opportunity offered and rode back on a freightw,agon he chanced to meet. There was a large barrel in the wagon, and Arndt was assigned a place in back of it. · They had not gone very far, when they caught up with three women who had been out on a visit and who~ like Arndt, were ver.y glad of an opportunity .to ride. So they were taken in and given a seat in front, where they cou1d not see Arndt on accoun~ of the barrel. No sooner were they seated and the wagon started, when they began to talk. first the friend whom they had been to see was most thoroughiy criticized, her person, her house, the· table she set, in short, everything they had seen or heard or tasted was subjected to a destructive artillery-fire of criticism. .. When this ■ubject w9:1 exhausted, they branched
A blind Indian who had become a Christian went to a missionary and said, "I want a bell, -and hymn-.book, and a God-book.". When asked why he wished these things he said; "I live far away·in _a heathen village. If I can show the books to my friends, they will perhaps believe what I tell them they contain, and I will ring the bell for them to listen to me." He went away, and after some time the-message came from his village asking for a missionary. The blind Christian was dead, but as long as he liveda year and a half from the time of his visit.-he kept tally of the Sundays, and when they came he would go through the village, ringing his bell and singing his hymns and telling the story of J esuil as best he could~ Some of his hearers believed, and they wished to know more of the Saviour.
a
· That's Enough. Little Willie Stark was praying to God, as his mother taught him to, for help in his need. Being asked how he thought God could attend tQ hi~_. w:hiie he had. everybody else in the world 'to care for, he replied, "I don't know anything about thl!-t; · all I know ,is He says He will, and -that's enough for me." J
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The Lutheran Pioneer. A Missionary's Sad Experience. Universally the colored people are denounced for their immorality. That this sin is prevalent among them to a great extent, no one who even has but a superficial knowledge of the state of affairs will deny. But there are causes for this condition. It will not do to say it is a racial characteristic; for if some things could be changed, the future generation with absolute certainty would show a marked improvement. As it is, the quarters assigned by an unwritten law to the colored population of a city are infested by the very scum of the community. How can you expect a higher morality among the colored people, while every day, at their very doors, the most despicable and shameful immorality proudly rears its head? How can you expect an improvement in the coming generations, if they are forced to see day after day, from their earliest childhood, how those whom they have been taught to look up to as their superiors, whom they are expected to imitate in speech, in manners, in dress, etc., bow these very ones wallow in the depths of the most beastly lusts? Almost daily these facts are impressed upon all those who are working to free as many as possible from vices and evil practices and also from serving the devil in immorality. Strange things sometimes happen to us. Let me relate an instance that happened only a short time ago. It was a very dark night, and I was just returning from the humble home of a colored couple whom I bad instructed in the doctrines of the Catechism to prepare them for joining the church. A man, in search.for a certain one of the many houses of illrepute nearby, accosted me, asking for directions. As I turned to let the electric light from the C(?rner fall upon him, I saw before me a middle-aged man with a faded, though still intellige'n t face. His ·hair was sprinkled with gray, his clothes were shabby, his strength was gone : a physical and moral wreck I Instead of directing him, I began to tell him of his sin, showing him how it would surely lead to temporal and eternal ruin. He broke down and ' wept like a child. I then pointed out the better way, showed him the Saviour, begged him to turn, to believe in Christ, who bad died for him also, and to sin n.o more, pleading with him for almost a half hour. Ob, bow he begged me to help him, to stand by him, not to forsake him, to give him one more chance I I rejoiced, told him how glad I was to help him, and promised to take. him to a place where be would be in good company,. where he would be given employment and be encouraged
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and assisted in bis struggles in the new life. And what was the result? With tears streaming down bis wrinkled face he sobbed out, "Friend, I feel your sympathy, I feel your love. I know you are right. I ought to go with you. If I don't, I'll go to ruin. I wish I could. But oh, I can't-I can't. -Good bye- good bye I" I turned sadly, saying to myself: Another soul in the grip of the devil, another soul lost I TH. B.
A Retrospect. I. Twenty-seven years seem a long stretch of time when we look ahead, especially in the years of early manhood. But after we have traversed them and have grown older with time and then review these twenty-seven years, how short they appear I Nevertheless, in all our surroundings and in all our conditions of life they have left their footprints around and about us. It was in February of 1878, twenty- seven years ago, when the Synodical Conference sent its first missionary South to preach the true Gospel according to the Lutheran Confessions to the colored people of the United States. ·. How well do I recollect this event, especially as some of our Christian friends and brothers thought lightly, yea, even disparagingly of the enterprise. They argued 't hat it was a waste of efforts and energy which would be bett~r applied in a mission among the whites in the So~th, where our Lutheran chur_c h at that time bad but few congregations. :J3ut, my dear reader, i doubt if our beioved church ever u~dertook 'a mission which was so timely and so needful, and which, as long as .it exists (and God grant that it may continue to exist until _the coming of Christ on judgment day), will be of such great benefit to poor sinful souls, as well as improve the social and economical conc;litions of the colore·d race as is this mission among our colored American citizens. It is a mission at ho·me, among ·a race unduly despised, berated, and quite often abused: To lead these people to Christ is the only object of this· mission. Such a work necessarily bears many blessed fruits. Th~ colored citizen is taught to comprehend the sinful condition of man ; his o,vn helplessness to contend successfully against tl;lis sinfulness through and by himself. Having been brought to Christ, his Saviour, be learns to obey the remonstrances of the Holy Ghost against ail wickedness; he learns to love and fear God, and thus avoids the sin of cuTsing and swearing whi_c b bas bec~me so habitual.
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24: He is taught to love God's Word : this makes good church - goers. He is taught to honor and obey parents and masters: this makes obedient children, good servants, and faithful laborers. He is taught - not to hate his fellow-man and perhaps injure or eventually murder him. He is taught to be chaste: this will- make good fathers and mothers. He is taught not to steal: this will make him trustworthy. In short, you elevate him in heart and mind to the life of a Christian, and good Christians never fail to make good and valuable citizens. You make this despised, berated, an~ abused race useful in all avenµes of life. Enlightened by the Word of God, they become faithful, diligent, industrious, and thrifty; in fa~t, with God's ·word-well rooted in their hearts, you will make, so to say, a new race of men and women out of them, who may put to shame many an ungodly white man and woman in this life and on the day of judgment. What a great c]lange for the better in the social and economical conditions of the commonwealth of the United States lies in prospect as a result of this mission if it could be carried on to its fullest extent I But if it is not for us to conquer all, let us go forward step by step in the good work, according to the means God provides. His blessings are sure to follow. F. J. 0.
The Frog -Oath. On the Island of Sumatra in the Dutch Indies there live the numerous Battak tribes. They belong to the Malay -race. Those who are still heathen worship good and evil ·spirits that are believed to liv!l on .thi mountains, in caves, 'in the springs and creeks, and protect or hurt man and his cattle and fields according to the measure of his offering in their little temples guarded by greedy priests. Heathen as they are, the Battak never commit perjury; the nature of the oath they take prevents them from doing so. A dispute is settled by an o~th. The Battaks do"not swear by their gods, but "by the frog.,; Some man of good repute goes to the next swamp and catches a frog. He ties a hind leg to a cord made of grass, and fastens this to a whip. He then walks up to him who is to take· an oath, and says to him, "As this frog is hanging now and will perish miserably, thou shalt hang and all thy descendants Iikew.ise, if ·thou art committing -·. perjury." The man about to swear will then say, "Like this frog dangling from thy whip and going -to die miserably, I shall hang, and -all my descendants shall bang and perish, if I am committingperj':1ry·" . Thus saying, solemnly he will touch t;he
wriggling frog. The other man will then throw the frog upon the ground until it is dead, and then throw it into the swamp. The Batta.ks firmly believe that a perjurer will come to a bad end and his descendants will die off miserably. They therefore are very much afraid to break an oath. The Christian Battaks - of whom there are nearly sixty thousand, gathered by the Rhenish Mission-do not swear at all, and are in no wi~e afraid of the spirits their fathers worshiped; they have become free from idolatrous superstition, and trust in the true God. - E xchange.
Christ in the Scriptures. Remove Christ from the Scriptures and they will become _an empty shell. Every word in the Scriptures points at Him, since the Scriptures were revealed to the holy men who wrote them for His sake.
J.
L tltltci·.
A.cknowleclgments. Received for colored missions from Mount Zion Church, New Orleans, La., $26.00; from St. Paul's Church, New Orleans, La., 26.00; from Bethlehem Church, New Orleans, La., 25.00; fropi St. Paul's Church, Mansura, La., 10.00; from St. Matthew's Church, Meherrln, Va., 10.00: from mission station in St. Louis, Mo., S.26; from Holy Trinity Church, Springfield, m.,- 6.14; from Grace Church, Concord, N. C., 10.00.
For Luther Collcue from the following congregations In Ne,v Orleans: St. Paul 70.GO, Mount Zion 53.00, Bethlehem 43.05, and of Rev. J. Kossmann from R. Dixon and family 6.01; from St. Paul's Church in Mansura, La., 33.00. St. Louis, February 151 1905. A. C. BURGDORF, Treas.
Evnngcllcnl Lutheran Colored Cb11rcl1cs• NEW ORLEANS, LA. St. Paul'• Chapel, 1625 .Annette Sl., ne11r N. Ol11ibome St. ; F. J. Lnn• - kenau, Pastor. · Divine Servieos : Sand11y, 11-A. u . and 7.30 P. x.; Wedneaday,
. Mount Ziun Church, Franklin and TballaSts.; K. Kretz1cbm11r,Pastor. ~~~
Divine Services: Sunday, 11 A. M . and 7.30 P. u.; Thursday, 7,30P,U. Bclhlehem Chapel, Washington Ave. and Dryades St.; J. W. F. Kossmann, Pastor. Divlno Services: Sunday, 10 A.u. and 7.30 P.H. ; Thursday, 7,30 P , )(, SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Holy Trinity Churcl,; L. E. Thalloy, Pastor. Divine Services: Sunday, IO.SO A, Jl, and 8 p , 11.
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atht Jnthtran A
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Vol. XX.VII.
St. Louis, Mo., April, 1905. Only the Crucified.
Ask me what great thing I know That delights and stirs me so? What the l.llgh reward I win? Whose the name I glory In ? Jesus Christ, the Cruclfl~d. What Is faith's foundation strong? What awakes my lips to song ? He who bore my sinful load, Purchased for me peace with GodJesus Christ, the Crucified. Who is llCe In life to me ? Who the death of death will be ? Who will place me on His right With the countless hosts of light? Jesus Christ, the CrucUl.ed. This Is that great thing I know ; This delights and stirs me so : Faith In Him who died to save, Him who triumphed o'er the graveJesus Christ, the CrucUl.ed.
Selected.
Our Substitute. DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENSES.
A substitute is one who takes tlie place of another, acting and suffering in his stead. Christ is our Substitute, because He took our place, the sinners' place, acting and suffering in our stead. The apostle says, "Christ was delivered for our offenses." On account of our sins we are under the wrath and curse of God; for our sins are offenses against the holy God, whose justice demands the punishment of sin. To redeem us from sin and its punishment, Christ took our place and was delivered into sufferings and death for our offenses. In the darkness of Gethsemane, in the darkness of Calvary God met
No. 4:.
His Son, standing in the sinners' place and laden with the sinners' offenses, and the sin-hating God poured out upon His sin-pearing Son the wrath which we deserved by our offenses. So Christ was our Substitute, suffering and dying in our stead. His agony was our agony, His sufferings were our sufferings, His death was our death. RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION.
Christ is our Substitute not only in His sufferings and death, but also in His resurrection. As our Substitute, laden with our sins, He endured sufferings and death, and was_laid in the grave. As our Substitute, justified and free from sin, He came forth triumphantly from the grave. If He had remained in the grave, we should be lost. It .would mean that He, as our Substitute, undertook the wor~ of our redemption, but failed. It would mean that the burden of our sin and woe was laid upon Him and crushed Him. But, blessed be God I It is not so. Christ is risen I He is risen, indeed I Our Substitute is set free 'from the prison-house of death; He is justified and absolved from sin-not from His own sins, for He had none, but from our sins, which He took upon Himself and bore in His own body on the tree as our Substitute. In Him we are absolved from sin and justified. Therefore the apostle says, uchrist was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification," Rom. 4, 25. Blessed Easter tidings I They give us the assurance that our debt is paid, that the work of our redemption is finished, that heaven is again opened to us through the sufferings, death, and resurrection of our Substitute. Glad Euter tidings I They assure us of the forgiveneBB of sins in Christ Jesus, they rob the grave of its gloom and death of its ter-
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The L1.1.thera:i;i Pioneer.
ror. All that by faith accept Christ ne .t heir Saviour It is the victory of life over death-a life everlastenjoy the redemption secured for.all sinners by our ing, with which this temporal existence on earth Substitute. Theytriumph ove.r sip, death, devil', cannot be compared. Of this we have reason to and hell, and say with the apostle, "Thanks be to rejoice. Merely to view the former scene would be God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord terrible, but when we view it in connection with the glad event of the resurrection, and when we Jesus Christ." • bear in mind why our Lord suffered thus, we shall derive from such a contemplation much benefit and The Benefits of the Resurrection of Christ. consolation. It will become apparent to us how inIf we desire to compre4_end the benefits of the expressibly great the love of God to us poor sinners resurrection of Christ, we must keep in view two was, as He had compassion on our misery, even to distinct pictures. The one is somber, full of mis- such an amazing extent that He did not spare His ery, distress, and woes; it is the scene of blood beloved and only Child, but gave Him up for us, to presented to us on Good Friday-Christ crucified bear upon the cross and in death the burden of our between two murderers and dying with excruciat-. transgressions, which were too heavy for us, and ing pain. This scene we must contemplate with pla.ced by God Himself upon His Son, who, as God much earnestness, as already said, to realize that from eternity, could alone bear the heavy weight of it all happened on account of our sine, yea, that sin. Upon Him we now find our burden. Let us Christ, as the true High Priest, sacrificed Himself leave it there, for there is no one else to be found for ·us and with His death paid our debts. We who would better relieve us of it. ought all ·to know that our sins thus wounded and The other scene presents to us Christ no longer tormented Christ, and that His sufferings were. in woe and misery, weighed down with the pondercaused alone by our iniquities. Therefore, as often ous mass of our sins, which God has laid upon Him, as we remember or view this doleful, bloody scene, but beautiful, glorious,· and rejoicing; for all the we o~ght to bear in mind that we have ·before us sins have disappeared from Him. From this we our sins and the terrible wrath of God against have a right to conclude: If our sins, on account of them, a wrath so dire that no creature could en- the sufferings of Christ, no longer lie upon us, but dure it, that all atonement became impossible ex- are taken from our shoulders by God Himself and cept the one made by the sacrifice and the death of placed upon His Son, and if on Easter, after the the Son of God. If this awful scene were the only resurrection, they are no more to be seen, where, one presented to our sight, and if it remained un- then, are they? Micah truly says : They are sunk changed, it would be too terrible and ]>ainful. ' into the depth of the sea, and no d.evil, nor anyBut this picture of sorrow is· changed, and in body else, .s hall find them again. our Creed we join closely together these two arIf we desire to be true Christians, it is necessary ticles: "Christ was crucified, died, was buried and for us firmly. to establish in our hearts through faith descended into hell, and on the third day He rose this article, that Christ, who bore our sins upon the again from the dead. 11 Yea, ere three days had gone cross and died in payment for them, arose again from ·by, our Lord. and Saviour presents to us another the dead for our justification. The more firmly we picture, beautiful, full of life, lovely-, and cheerful, believe this, the more will our hearts rejoice and bein· ol'der that we might have -the sure consolation come comforted. For it is impossible not to be glad that not only our sins were annihilated in the death when we see Christ alive, n pure and beautiful Beof Christ, but that by His resurrection a new eter- ing, who before, Qn account of our sins, was wretched nal righteousness and life was obtained, as St. Paul and pitiable in death and in the grave. We are now says, Rom. 4, "Christ was delivered for our offenses, convinced that our transgressions are removed and and was raised again for our -justification. 11 And 'forever put away.-Luther. 1 Cor. 15, "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ a.re perished. If The End and Alm of Christ's Redemption·. in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." As in the former We were all the children of wrath, lost and conscene we saw -t he burden of our sin upon Him and demned creatures. No man and no angel could bringing Him to the cross, so in this scene of the rescue us out of our wretched condition. But Christ resurrection we witness no longer sin, pain, and has done so. He has redeemed us, purchased, and aorrow, but only righteousness, joy•, and happiness. won us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
The Lutheran Pioneer. To do this, cost our Saviour great labor, and great was the battle He fough t to rescue us out of the hands of our enemies . And unspeakably great and precious are the gifts which Christ has gained for us and which He offers for time and eternity. H e has gained righteousness for us. Vie were not as we should be according to the demands of God's Law. Instead of being righteous, we were all unrighteous. Christ, however, fulfilled the whole Law for us. He is righteous and makes us partakers of His righteousness. F or Christ's sake God looks upon us as being righteous and credits us with what Christ did as our. Substitute. Through Christ we are righteous, and if we continue in Christ we shall be in possession of everlasting righteousness. Christ has likewise gained innocence for us sinners. Christ being m ade sin for us, we are now sinless in God's eyes. God no longer imputes our iniquities unto us. All our sins are pardoned, and all our debts are canceled. Not a penny stands against us on God's book, and we need no longer fear the accusations of Satan or the Law. . There is no more condemnation in such of ue as are in Christ Jesus, and if we remain in Christ this innocence will be everlasting. Christ has also gained for us blessedness. He that has kept God's Law and is free from the guilt of sin, he that is righteous and innocent, is in communion with God. But whoever lives iii communion with God, the Source of all true bliss, must partake of God's blessedness, must be blessed. In Christ we have righteousness and innocence, hence we are also blessed in Him. And though this bliss is often clouded here upon earth, it is, nevertheless, the harbinger of perfect and everlasting bliss, which will be ours in heaven. Serving our Saviour here upon earth in the kingdom of grace, He will at Hie appointed hour transplant us to His kingdom of glory wh·ere we will then serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Christ having delivered us out of the hands of our enemies and gained such great blessings for us, it follows that He has the greatest claim upon us. He has the right to demand "that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, fa holiness and righteousness before Him, all .the days of our life." · He is o~r true Master, having bought us with such a great price. We are Christ~s own, wherefore .we must not be the slaves· o'f men,. no matter who they be. With Thomas every Christian shall confess Christ to be his Lord and hie God. Let ua, then, follow the admonition of the hol!
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apostle: "He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again," 2 Cor. 5, 15. Let us put off the old man and serve Christ in the newness of.life. Let us be faithful to our Lord and place ou~ thoug~ts, words, and deeds in His service. We late were Satan's captives, led And hell had been our end, Hadst Thou not for our pardon bledThe sinners' only Friend. For this we wm ·employ our tongue Nor shall our praises cease; We evermore wlll sing that song,. ., "The L ord, our Righteousness." We daily prove Thee still the same Whene'er our need we see ; Thou hearest still a Saviour's name, Thy servants we will be.
F. J. L. · .,
Two Pictures from Life.
' pictures to A missionary in China gives two illust; ate the difference between the hea~\}en and the Christian mother in the face· of death : ·· A black-eyed baby ~ay moani~fg iis young life away on the brick bed of a drearf. "mud house in Peking. The feeble voice, _growfog -_weaker and weaker, was now ana then drowned in the sobs and groans of the young mother, whi> gazed in de'"' She longed to pre_se it spair upon her dying chiJd. to her aching heart, ,b~t s_he ha~ always _heard that demons are all aro1:1nd the dying, waiting to snatch the soul away, and so because it was dying she was afraid of her own baby. . 11 • ' 1t· is almoe~ ti'me," 'said tne mother;in-law, _glanci ng at t~e 11lanting sunQeam that had stolen Jnto t.he dismal roqm through JI. hole in the p~per • I windo~; and she snatched, up the helpl~se baby, whilst the mother shrieked, "My. baby is not dead yeti" "But it bas only one mouthful of breath left," said the old woman; 11 the cari will soon pass, and then we shall have to keep it in the house all night. There is no help for it;-the gods are angry with you." The mother dared not resist, and her baby was carried from her eight. An old black cart drawn by a black cow passed slowly down the street; the litt.le body was laid among the others already gathered ·there, and the driver drove on through the city gate. . Outside the wall he laid them 9:11 in a common pit, buried them in lime, and drove on. No stone marks the spot; no Bower will ever blossom on that grave.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
The poor, desolate mother wails, "My baby is lost; I can never find him again.,, That black-eyed baby's mother is a heathen, not knowing the Gospel of Jesus. A few days later another baby lay moaning on the downy pillows of its little crib, and it was whispered' softly through our mission, "Baby is dying." With sorrowing hearts we gathered in the stricken home, but it was a Christian home that knew the comfort of a living Saviour. "Our baby is going home," said the mother, and though her voice trembled, she smiled bravely upon the little sufferer. "We gave her to the Lord in baptism; He has but come for His own," said the father reverently, as he threw his arms lovingly around bis wife. As we watched through our tears the little life slipping away, someone began to sing softly: "Jesus, Lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fty."
Whil.e we were singing the child passed uwny to. the heavenly fold. "Let us pray," said a low voice. We knelt together and approached the throne of grnce in prayer and thanksgiving. The next day we followed the Jillie coffin to the cemetery. With a song of hope and words of cheer and trust, and a prayer of faith, ,ve comforted the sorrowing hearts. "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,,, Hid the child's father, and the mother answered, "Yes, our baby is safe; we shall find her and have her again some glad day.,, ' That child's parents are faithful mem hers of our milsion. They have been brought out of heathen darkness into t~e light of the Gospel, believing in Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, and who in His resurrection hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light.
The Saviour's Love. A missionary in Africa preached on the Saviour's ·love. An old man among the hearers paid very close attention. When: the miBBionary told of the 1uffering1 and death of Jesus for the salvation of ■inners, the old African was very much moved. Suddenly he sprang up and cried out with a trembling voice: ''la that true?" "Yea," aaid the missionary, "it is the truth." . "Did it all really happen as you say?"
"Yes, I tell you the very truth." Tears rolled down the cheeks of the old man, and again he asked, "Can you swear that what you say is true?" . "I can swear to it in the presence of Almighty God." Deeply moved, the old African cried out: "O ye Christians, are you so heartless as to speak of such love without tears?" For a moment deep silence prevailed. Then these earnest words came as a solemn vow from the lips of the old African: "Jesus, God of the Christians, Saviour of sinners, I will be Thy disciple and follow Thee, and if I must die for my faith, I will not leave Thee I" On the day of hie baptism he was suddenly attacked and murdered by the enraged heathen. Trusting in his Saviour's love, he passed into the presence of Jesus, where there is joy and peace for evermore.
"I Wlll Trust and not Be Afraid." A certain man was worrying about the future life, because he did not trust God's promises. He and a friend were walking along a double-track railway, and heard a train in the distance. The friend wanted to get off the track, but the mun who could not trust God said, "No, stay where you are. That ·train id coming to\vnrd us, and is on the other track. The company has an invariable rule.,, "I see,,, said his friend, "you trust the railroad company more than you trust God. And yet God's ways are more unfailing than those of any human concern."
For Me. A ship was on its way from Bremen to South America. During the voyage Peter Jensen, the captain, took seriously sick. He lay in hie cabin suffering much pain, and it seemed as if he would not reach the port the ship was bound for. In high fever he tossed about in his bed. He was very restless, and something seemed to trouble him. One day he said to the first mate who, during the captain's sickness, had taken command of the ship: "My life is coming to an end; I know I shall ~ot reach the port. But how can I reach that other port above - the heavenly harbor? Oh, do help me." With an anxious look he grasped the mate's arm and said, "Help me I Tell me what I must do that I may not perish 111 "Captain," replied the mate, "that I do not know. I have always tried to live honestly and to
The Lutheran Pioneer.
29
do my duty, and did not bother about God and di- ler'e peace was upon Him , and with Hie stripes Carl vine things." Moeller is healed." "Then send the second mate to me," commanded The sick man raised hi'mself up in bed and cried, the captain. "Stop, boy I That is just what I need; read that The second mate came, but be knew no more verse again, but put my name in the place of yours." about the way of salvation than the first mate. Nor Carl read that Bible verse once more, slowly and could any of the ship's crew give any comfort to distinctly. When be had finished reading: "The the poor captain as they were called into his cabin chastisement of Peter J ensen'e peace was upon Him, one after the other. Only the cabin-boy was still and by His wounds Peter J eneen ie healed," the left. He also was called by the sick captain. As he sick man drew a deep breath, saying softly, "There entered the cabin, the captain's eyes rested anx- I have what I have sought so long; that gives rest iously upon him. and comfort." "Carl Moeller," said the captain, "have you a From this day on Carl Moeller was called many mother at home, ie. a time into the she n pious woman , , . ~ ., ... ·.,. -~1:· ,.,. .. captain's cabin, and did she teach where he had to . you to pray?" read to him from ... "Yes, captain, hie Bible. As the •• , she did; and when end drew nearer, I left home she the sick man gave me a Bible, wanted to hear and"again and again ''Haveyou the the comforting Bible with you?" words: "By His interrupted the wounds Peter Jencaptain. sen is healed. " "Yes, captain; With that comand I had to promfort upon his lips ise my mother to ang in his heart, read it daily." Peter Jensen en"Fetch that tered the port Bible, boy; and above-the heavread something to enly harbor. me that will help me in my dying EASTER. hour." MISSIONARIES Carl fetched hie had been working "In the bonda of death He lay Bible and asked, Who for our offense waa alain ; 'long and faithfully But the Lord la risen to-day; ''What shall I among the GreenChrist has brought us life again; read, captain? -~ landers without • Wherefore let us all rejoice, Shall I read wliat any result. One Singing loud with cheerful voice, I read together day it occurred to Hallelujah!" with mother when Missionary Beck I left home?" to tell the people "Yes, yes; only begin, boy, begin I" the story of Jesus' sufferings in the garden of Carl opened the Bible at the fifty-third chapter Gethsemane. A thoroughly wild man by the name of the prophet ltiaiah, in which the prophet speaks of Kajarnack, who had never before heard God's of the sufferings and death of the Saviour. He be- Word, called out suddenly: "What was that? Say gan to read that chapter, but when he had read the it again; I, too, want to be saved." The misfifth verse, he paused and said, "Captain, shall I sionary had never before seen a man so moved and read this verse as my mother taught me to read it?" interested in God's Word as this wild man, and he And then he read : "But He was wounded for Carl hastened to tell him all the story of Jesus, the Son Moeller's transgressions, He was bruised for Carl of God and true man, who came to die for the sins Moeller's iniquities; the chastisement of Carl Moel- of the world. After that many were converted.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
30 I Am Thine. P s . 119. OI.
I am Thine and Thou art mine: By a covenant divine, By a love that cannot fall, By the flood that must premll, By a great, a precious price, By s. lioly sacrifice. I nm Thine nnd Thou nrt mine, By this sweet, this lh•lng s ign, Thon dost lend my soul along. In my weakness make me strong, Give a perfect peace to me, Pardon nod security. I am Thine and Thou art mine, What a heritage divine I ,vbat a kingdom, what a crown, What v11St riches arc my own I Thou wilt share with me Thy throne When thl1 earthly life Is done. I am Thine and Thou art mine, How this truth doth rouud me twine I With all glad.n ess Is It fraught, Ever nearer It Is brought; 'Tis to me a living rock That can stand all dangers' shock. I am Thine and Thou art mine: \Vhen my mortal powers decline, When I feel Death's Icy hand, My soul without fear may stal!d, On this troth may it reclineI am Thine nod Thou art mine. A . J . Walker.
Prayed Twenty Years.
"Most assuredly," be replied. "Missionaries came to us and told us all about Jesus Christ. They taught us to know and love Him; and now I have come to prepare myself to preach the blessed Gospel to my brethren. " At this the laborer laid down bis hammer and sprang toward the African. Grasping his band, be exclaimed, joyously : "So you are one of those for whom I have prayed these twenty years I I have never put a penny in the mission box without praying, 'Lord, bless the poor, benighted Africans for whom this is intended I'" Thus, dear reader, will it some day be granted unto you to see, with your own eyes, how the precious seed, sown by you in faith, will have sprung up nnd brought forth fruit unto eternal life.
Echoes from Our Mission Field. Prof. L. Fuerbringer visited the different stations of our Colored Missions at and near New Orleans. . The statistical reports of our missionaries at New Orleans are indeed splendid reading. It is especially gratifying to hear that the day school of the St. Paul's station has an enrollment of over 270 pupils, with the prospects of soon reaching the 300 mark, and that Mount Zion, another station in New Orleans, has an enrollment of more than, 275. Plans for the new Immanuel College at Greensboro, N. C., where we have been successful in acquiring a most suitable tract of land, have been drafted and are now under careful consideration. What is needed now for the further progress of the contemplated building are contributions. Owiµg to continued ill-health, our missionary, Rev. M. Weinhold, stationed at Mansura, La., was obliged to leave his field of labor nnd to seek restoration of health in his native state, Missouri. Rev. J. Kossmann, of New Orleans, La., has been called to Mansura. · A prospering day school among the colored people in St. Louis, Mo. , has been established under the leadership of Mr. McDavid. More than 30 pupils attend. CORI~ESPONDENT.
A poor laborer was busily engaged breaking stone in a quarry not far from the city of London. One day he observed an African nearby intently viewing the city. Wondering what he could be doing, he was a little surprised, when the African sud. denly turned to him and asked, in correct English, what that large building in the distance might be. The laborer removed the mask that protected his face from the particles of stone, which flew from his work, and quietly answered: ''That is St. Paul's Cathedral," and then directed the African's attention to other prominent and important buildings throughout the city. FAITH does not justify because it is a work or "This is indeed a beautiful city," said the Afri- gooti deed done by man, but because it grasps and can, "but the city of our God is indescribably more clings to God's grace and mercy in Christ. In this beautiful. I mean the Heavenly Jerusalem. I sin- faith, trust, and confidence the church has its life cerely hope we both shall be permitted to see that." and being, humbly confessing its sins and unworthi"What I" exclaimed the laborer. "Do you know ness, and hopin$ God will forgive for Jesus' sake. something about those things?" Luther.
The Lutheran Pioneer. A Retrospect. IL But to return to the beginning of our Colored Mission. The missionary arrived h~re in the winter of 1877-78. After prospecting some days he located one station near Claibourne St., in the lower portion of our city, and n second station nt the corner of South Peters and Erato streets up town. It is the writer's purpose to touch on the commencement of the mission at the latter station. Here, at the corner of the streets last named, stood an old dilapidated brick building, called' 'Sailors' Home," which, many years prior to the Civil War, served as boarding house, hospital, and refuge for indigent sailors, as well as a rendezvous for sailors, generally, from all parts of the globe. The building was a ruin; the doors and windows were broken out; from the lower floor the boards had disappeared, evidently carried off for firewood; the wide staircase had lost its banisters, and several of the steps were missing, making it necessary for visitors now and then to take two steps in one when ascending to the second story. The lower floor at night was a habitation for goats and dogs, and •the upper third story for owls and night-hawks. The great Mississippi flowed by two blocks from the front. A half block in the rear was St. Thomas St., with by far the filthiest dwellings in the city. Here vice and filth reigned supreme. Many rooms in these buildings, rather large rooms, contained as many as three to five color~d families, or, so to speak, a conglomeration of families. Many a colored mother lived here with her several children supported indifferently by a husband or father who often spent weeks away from them in Natchez, Vicksburg, or some other river city where he had another so-called wife with a family, while these, here, might look to provide for themselves as best they could. The men were mostly employed as laborers, called roustabouts, on steamers plying up and down the river for loading and unloading cargo at each landing place. Scarcely a day passed in which St. Thomas St. did not furnish its quota of the city's criminal cases. In this unpromising neighborhood the missionary launched this enterprise. When asked why he selected 110 degraded a section of the city while other localities contained a much better class of colored people, he replied, "I feel convinced that this neighborhood will furnish · the lame, the crippled, and the blind for God's feast." Thus the mission was begun in this section and in the old "Sailors' Home." Regular Sunday
31
service and Sunday school were held in the second story, which bad been put in order as good as a new broom could accomplish this. Benches were furnished by the Zion's Congregation. They were long, plain board benches that ,vould accommodate 6 to 8 persons each; with these and a borrowed organ the church outfit was complete. The regular church service was fairly well attended, and the Sunday school recorded about 25 or 30 little colored childreJl of all shades. The writer assisted in the early days of this Sunday school. Inconvenient and rickety as the surroundings were, the work went bravely on, and we soon became accustomed to these poor conditions. One Sunday a heavy rain poured down during Sunday school, and the water ran in little streams through the very defective roof over the children. We moved the benches to places in the large room which afforded the best protection, and continued our work, while the water gathered in little pools here and there on the uneven floor. Here a little incident occurred which induced me to write this, and which it is my intention to relate to you in my next article. It is an incident so touching and, at the same time, so characteristic of the mission and its element that it left a lasting impression on my mind. F. J. 0.
NOTES AND ITEMS. OuR. COLORED MrssroNs.--The Statistical Year Book of the Missouri Synod brings also the statistics of our missions among· the colored people for the year 1904. Mission work was carried on at 28 stations, 19 of these being in North Carolina, 4 in Louisiana, 3 in Virginia, one in Illinois, and one in . Missouri. These stations were served by 15 pastors and 12 teachers. At the close of the year the mission numbered 1615 souls, 762 communicants, 196 voting members, and 1231 pupils in the day schools. Our colored congregations contributed $1419.16 to the mission treasury. OuR GREAT NEED.-We recently had the pleasure of meeting the Rev. N. J. Bakke, professor in Immanuel College nt Concord, N. C. We were glad. to hear that the College is well attended and that the work is prospering in spite of many difficulties. Our great need at present is a new college building. This is simply a necessity if the work is t-0 be carried on successfully. May God move the hearts of our mission friends to enable our Mission Board to carry out the resolutions of the Synodical Conference in regard to the erection of a suitable building on the site secured in Greensboro, N. C. ·
32
The Lutheran Pioneer.
. NEVER Too OLD TO LEARN. -Anxious to be nble "Twenty years ago, when I went into the provto read her Bible, Kale Evans, a colored woman of ince of Kwang-Tung, there were •10,000,000 people 73 years, persevered until she hnd mastered the ele- there, of which 20,000,000 were women, and not a mentary grade of the Night School at New Haven, woman doctor nmong them all, and the men would Conn. She was formerly a slnve, but she was an rather let their wives die than allow a man to cross eager student, attended school regularly, and com- the threshold to treat them. "I remember once going to the liouse of a man pleted her course "with high honors." whose wife was ill. While treating h·e r I suggested THE BIBLE BRINGS PEACE. -At a mission fes- to the husband that he had better give the wife the tival in New Guinea a native convert arose, seized best room in the house and let the cow occupy the a spear, and addressed the congregation as follows: apartment then used by the woman. "' But the cow might die,' said the man, 'and '' As a heathen this spear was my constant com panion.. Wherever I went and whatever I did, whether it costs more lo get a cow than a wife.' " sitting down to eat or lying down to sleep, the spear OUR BOOK TABLE. had to be at hand, for we were never safe. Now we can rest in safety, and why? This book" (holding ACDTZEUNTER SYNODALBERICUT DES IOWA· DISTRICTS. the Bible above hie head) "has brought us peace Concordia. Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. Price, 25 cts. and security, and we need the spe~r no longer." ZEALOUS IN M1ss10N Wom.:.-A slave woman named Ogunro, living i~ the Kale country west of the Niger, longed for freedom, and worked hard until she secured it. Then she traveled to another region to enjoy life. There she was converted to Christ. This gave her a new longing. What she now longed for was to tell the,Kale people, among whom she had been a slave, what good things she had learned. She went back to Kale, worked hard, earned money, got a church built, and late in 1903 she placed the church at the disposal of the nearest Christian pastor. The Church Missionary Intel{igcncer now reports that five young men from Kale have been baptized through these efforts of the former elaye . . The Christian name given to Ogunro in baptism was the appropriate one of Dorcas.
This pnmphlet contains the second part of a. highly Instructive paper on the Bible doctrine of the Lutheran church concerning Justlllca.tloo. STATISTJSCBES JAURDUCJl der deutschen ev.-luth Synode von Missouri, Ohio uocl nndero Staaten fucr dus Juhr 190,l. Concordia. Publishing Housl.', St. Louis, l\10. Price, SO cts. This S,tatlstlca.l Year Book brings the full st.atlstlcs of the largest Lutberau synod In America..
A.cknowle1lg111ent. Received for colored missions of the missionaries from their c.Jngrega.tlons: Jolin C. Schmidt, Greensboro, N. C., $12.00; K. ICretzschmur, New Orleans, La., 25.00; F. J. . La.nkennu, New Orlean11, La., 25.00; J. Kossmnno, New Orleans, La.., 25.00; M. Weinhold, Mansura, La., 10.00; Jolin McD11vld, St. Loul,., Mo., 8.00; J . Ph. Schmidt, Concord, N. C., 10.00. . . ,., St. Louis, March 15, 1905. A. C. Bu~~p0RF1 7l-eas.
E,·nngtillcnl Lnthcrnn rolorcd' Cimrchcs. NEW ORLEANS, LA'. 1: SI. Paul'• Cllopel, 1G'l5 Annotte St., near N. Olalbome BL; F. J. Lnn•
AN EXAMPLE OF LrnERALITY. - A farmer in Northern India lost his crops through drought; he was starving, and, moreover, he was attacked by leprosy. He lost heart, left his little bit of land, and became a beggar. Wandering into Allahabad,. he was taken to a leper asylum. There he heard for the first time of J eeue Christ, began to read the Bible, and found in it supply for a long list of needs. The Briti1h and Foreign Bible Society has now · received from this broken-down, leprous farmer a. thank offering of $1.20, which the man saved for the purpose, steadfastly followed through months, by eating a part only of each day's ration. HEATHEN CRUELTY. -The following story re-
iated by Mn. W. White in China well illustrates the heathen cruelty of the Chinese and the little value placed by theQi upon human life:
konau, Pastor. " lllvlno Services: Sanday, ll .A..11. and-7.30 P. 11. ; \Vcdne ■day, 7.30P.II. Moum Zion C71vrc1&, Franklin and Thalia St&.; K. I,retz1cbmar,Pa1tor. Divine Service&: Sanday, 11.A.. 11. and 7.SO P.11.; Thursday, ?.SOP. II. Bellllelt.n& Chapel, Waeblngton Ave. and Dryades St.; J, W. F. KOH• • mann Pastor. olvtno Service&: Sanday, 10 .A..11. and ~-80 P. 11. ; Thursday, ?.SOP. II. SPRINGFIELD, ILL. ·00111 TrinU11 Cllurc1&; L. E. Thalloy, Pastor. Divine Benlcce: Sanday, IO.SO .A.. 11. and 8 tt. 11.
TERMS: TUB LtJTBBRAN PIONEER ls published monthly, payable in RdYance at the following rates, postage Included, to-wit: 1 Copy • . . •. ................. .. . ,I .25 10 Coples . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 25 60
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~ht Juthtran A
1\ /l I SS I ONARY
P u nLISilED Il\" T IIE EYAXGELlCAL LUTl!l':RAN
1\/fONTHLY.
'n\OD [CAL co~'TEREXCE OF NORTH }brERICA.
R . ,\. JU CllOFF, Editor. :F.nlcrc<l al the PoHLOffice :,t vi . Loui s, l fo. , as sccontl-clnu matte r.
Vol. X..~VII.
St. Lou is, Mo., ~1:ay, 1905 . At Peace.
A mind at perfect peace with God, Ob, what a word is this ! A sinner reconciled to Goct T hls , this Indeed is peace . By nature and by practice far, How very Car from God I Dut now by grace brought nigh to Him Through faith in Jesus' blood. So near, so \•ery near to God, I cannot nearer be, For In the person of Bis Son I am as near ns He. So dear, s o very dear to God, I cannot dearer be, The love wherewith He loves His Son, Such Is His love to me. Why should I ever anxious be Since such a God Is mine? He watches o'er me night and day, And tells me, "Mine Is thine."
H.B.
Peace by Jesus Christ. When sin entered the world, the peace which existed between God and man came to an end. The carnal mind, the mind of the flesh, is enmity against God. Sin is rebellion against God, who is "not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness." The holy God hates and must punish sin. If peace between God and man was to be restored, sin must be put away and the punishment of sin must be borne. Therefore God, in order to make peace, sent His own Son to die for us "when we were enemies." At His birth the angels sang, "Peace:on earth." The prophet says, "The chastisement of our peace was upon Him." "He made
,,
No.
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peace through the ' blood of His cross,,, says the apostle. · Yea, peace has been made by Jesus Christ, of whom the apostle says, "He is our peace.,, "The God of peace brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus," says the Bible. By bringing Him again from the dead He declared Himself perfectly satisfied with the work of His Son. He gave to all sinners the assurance that sin is put away by the sacrifice of His own Son and that peace is ·made. Therefore Christ, when, after His resurrection, He came to His timid and restless disciples, greeted them with the comforting words, "Peace be unto you." No wonder the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. The words with which their risen Saviour greeted them were not an empty wish. They gave to the disciples the peace which He made by His blood, of which He reminded them when "He showed them His hands and His side.,, The disciples by faith accepted this peace secured and brought to them by Christ, and ·their hearts were filled with gladness. . This peace has been secured by Jesus Christ for all sinners, and is offered to all sinners in the Gospe1. The risen Saviour said to His disciples, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." They, too, should be preachers of the Gospel, which is the message of peace. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace." Whenever Christ's messenger preaches the good Gospel tidings, J eeus Himself comes. to the sinner with His c9mforting greetings : "Peace be unto you." The Goepel speaks of yvrath endured, of sin forever put away, and, of peace made by Jesus Christ. All our mission work is nothing else than "the preaching of peace" to poor, restless sinµers.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
Those who in unbelief reject the Gospel thereby reject the peace offered to them, and remain restless; for "the wicked are like the troubled sea; there is no peace to the wicked," says the Bible. If they die in their unbelief, they cast themselves into the everlasting torments of hell, "where peace and rest can never dwell." Those who believe the Gospel have peace. The apostle says, "Being justified by faith, we ·have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." This peace is a settled and everlasting peace. It rests not upon what we do or feel, but upon that which Christ has done for us. Nothing can shake the peace which rests upon the finished and perfect work of Christ. " 'Tis everlasting peace, Sure as Jehovab's name; 'Tis stable as His steadfast throne, Forevermore the same. My love Is ofttimes low; My joy still ebbs and ftows; But peace with Him remains the same, No change JehoYab knows."
The Good Shepherd. What a beautiful, comforting Gospel that is in which the Lord Jesus depicts Himself as the good Shepherd, showing what a heart He has toward us poor sinners, and how we can do nothing to eave ourselves. The sheep cannot defend nor provide for itself, nor keep itself from going astray, if the ~hepherd did not continually guide it; and when it has gone astray and is lost, it cannot find its way back again, nor come to its shepherd; but the shepherd him■elf must go after it, and seek it until he finds it, otherwise it would wander away and be lost forever. And when he has found it, he must carry it, lest · it 1hould again be frightened away from himself, and 1tray, or be devoured by the wolf. So also it is with us. We can neither help nor counael ourselves, nor come to rest and peace of conscience, nor escape the devil, death, and hell, if Christ Himself, by His Word, did not fetch us and call us to Himself. And even when we have come to Him, and are in the faith, we cannot keep ouraelve1 in it, unles1 He lifts and carries us by His Word and power, since the devil is everywhere, and at all times on the watch to do us harm. But Christ is a thousand times more willing and earnest to do all for Hi1 sheep than the best shepherd. Luther.
Precious Jesus. He is very happy who is able to set his Saviour above all. To every Christian He should be the "precious" one, the one "altogether lovely." "To you, therefore, which believe He is precious," says the apostle. You surely know what the word precious means. A pastor was once visiting in a home where there were several children, with whom he talked about the Lord Jesus. He repeated to them that verse from the Bible: "To you, therefore, . which believe He is precious," 1 Pet. 2, 7. 'l'hen he aaked them what the word precious meant. None of the children answered, until it came to the turn of the youngest, who said very sweetly, "Mother is precious; we need her; we cannot do without her," and then hid his face in his mother's lap. Thie is how Jesus is precious. "I need Thee, precious Jesus, For I am full of sin; My soul Is dark and guilty, My heart Is dead within; I need tho cleansing fountain Whore I can always flee, The blood of Christ most precious, The sinner's perfect plea. "I need Thee, precious Jesus, For I am very poor; A. stranger and a pllgrlm, I have no earthly store; I need the love of Jesus To cheer me on my way, To guide my doubting footsteps, To be my strength and stay."
In the Day of Trial. It is very difficult to rise above the gloom that gathers around the soul in the day of trial. Even Christians sometimes say in their troubles, they do not know what they have done to deserve the punishment. But if it is a question of what they deserve, they deserve to be shut up in hell forever; and they ought to know enough to understand that Christ bore all the punishment in our stead, so that "there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." God's children must look at their trials and afflictions in the light of God's Word, which tells them : "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth," Hehr. 12, 6. "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are 1een: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things
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The Lutheran Pioneer. which are not seen are eternal," 2 Cor. 4, 17. 18. "Wo know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose," Rom. 8, 28. Let Christians receive in simple nnd unquestioning faith these and such like promises nod assurances, nnd they will realize that the voice of the rod is the voice of infi nite love, and that the stroke under which they smnrL has been inflicted by unerring wisdom. "Dear Lord, I cannot see Why Thou hast wounded me, But this I know,Thls cross must needed be, · Thou dost not wllllngly Afflict me so. 11 In trial or In loss, In toil or heavy cross, Whatc'er ' my way, Lord, I would walk with Thee Until Thy face I sec In cloudless day. 11
The Third Article.
"I B ELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST." The Second Article hns taught us that Jesus Christ is our Saviour nnd Redeemer, that there is salvation in none other: "for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Only he that believes in Christ will not perish, but have everlasting life j only he that comes to Christ will not be cast out of heaven. Now it is quite easy to talk about "believing in Christ," or "coming to Him," but. utterly impossible for any man to do this by his own power or strength. We cannot give this fai~h in Christ to ourselves. No man can say by himself "thatJesus is the Lord, 11 that is to say, by his own power no man in his heart can trust in Jesus 11s his Saviour. This faith, this trust must be given to him, and He that works this faith in man is the Holy Ghost. "No man can . say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Who is the Holy Ghostf In the Third Article we confess, "I believe in the Holy Ghost." We say that we believe and trust in Him, and in saying this we.declare Him to be true God with the Father and the Son. We confess Him to be the equal of the Father and the Son in divine majesty and glory, and therefore give Him equal honor and worship. And in doing so we build upon God's infallible Word, for the Holy Scriptures again and again assert that the Holy Ghost is true God. Christ commands His disciples to baptize all nations "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 11 What else can this mean than that
the Holy Ghost is true God with the Father and the Son? St. Paul writes to the Corinthians: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" 1 Cor. 3, 16. The Corinthians are called temples of God, and such temples are they because the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, dwells in them. If, however, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost made them and makes us the temples of God, it necessarily follows that the Holy Ghost is true God. Acts 5, 3. 4 Peter accuses Ananias of having lied to the Holy Ghost, and then adds: "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Peter, then, also asserts that the Holy Ghost is true God. These are only a few of the many passages in which the Ho.ly Ghost is called God. The Bible also ascribes divine works to the Holy Ghost. No one will deny that the creation of heaven and earth is a divine work. But in this divine work the Holy Ghost took' part, for Pa. 33, 6 we read: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens madej and all the host of them by the breath (Spirit) of His mouth." Here the psalmist declares that the boat of the heavens were made by the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost. Likewise does the Word of God ascribe divine attributes to the Holy Ghost. When the psalmist exclaims, Ps.139, 7: "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?" he declares the Holy Ghost to be omnipresent. And when the apostle says, 1 Cor. 2, 10: "The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things · of God, 11 he ascribes omniscience to the Holy Ghost. But, now, omnipresence and omniscience are attributes that belong to God only. If, therefore, the Holy Ghost is present everywhere and knows all things, He must be true God. Our faith in the Holy Ghost consequently is well founded, and we do not commit idolatry when we put our trust in Him. He is very God, the third person in the Holy Trinity, and the equal of the Father and the Son . Now yet a few remarks as to the name we usually give the Third Person of the Godhead . . We generally speak of Him as the Holy Ghost. This name is ~ven Him not so much because He is holy, which He ia, of course, but rather because of His peculiar office and work. The particular work of the Holy G!io•t is to make us holy, that is, to lead us to Ohriat, work faith in us, and appropriate to ~ Christ and His salvation. His desire ia To speak Bia pardoning grace to me, To set me burdened sinner free; To lead me to the Lamb of God, And wash me In Bl.a precious blood.
F. J. L.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
As none of us knows what will be his last utterance, each one should see to it that he say nothing "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every which he might have reason to regret, and that all word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," bis words be in harmony with those of the young man at Bonn. No opportunity to praise the Lord Matt. 4, 4. . Jesus should be neglected. He should have the This is the common sin of men that they care first and last fruits of our lips; for there is no other very little for the Word, but are chiefly concerned name under heaven given among men whereby we with their bread and the support of this present life. can. be saved, except the blessed name of Jesus. At They are not aware that these are the snares of the that name every knee shall bow oI things in heaven, devil, and say to themselves: If I only had a comand things in earth, and things under the earth i fortable home and a well -filled treasury, then I and every tongue shall confess that J esus Christ is would mind the Gospel. No, says Christ, the very Lord, to the glory oI God the Father.-Ex. reverse I You ought to say: I must first of all care for the needs of my soul and see how I stand with my God, and cling to Him with strong faith though "Out of the Mouth of Babes." my body should perish. Then God will surely give what our body needs· (Matt. 6, 33). In order to be A girl six years old was on a visit to her grandkept from such temptation you must learn from father, who was a New England divine, celebrated Christ that there are two kinds of bread for man. for his logical powers. The first and the best bread is that which comes "Only think, grandpa, what Uncle Robert says." from heaven, the Word of God. The other and less "What does he say, my dear?" important bread is that which grows out of the "Why, he says the moon is made of green ground for our temporal wants. If, then, I have cheese. It isn't at all, is it?" the first and best bread from heaven, I may rest as;'Well, child, suppose you find out for yoursured that I will also have my temporal bread as self?" long as I am to live in this world, even if the very "How can I, grandpa?" atones would have to be turned into bread. There"Get your Bible and see what it says." fore, if the devil pinches you with poverty, afflic"Where shall I begin?" tion, and starvation, suffer with Christ, and do not ''Begin at the beginning." The child sat down give up your trust in God's grace. Nothing can to read the Bible. Before ehe got more than half .comfort us in such trials but the Word of God. through the second chapter of Genesis, and had Whosoever eateth of this bread, that is, whosoever read about the creation of the stars and animals, believeth the Word, hath everlasting life. But our she came back to her grandfather, her eyes all temporal bread, after which the whole world is run- bright with the excitement of discovery: - "I've ning all "the time, only lasts to the hour of death. found it, grandpa! it isn't true; God made the moon Then it is all gone, and there remains nothing but before He made any cows." everlasting starvation where man is not provide,d with the Word of God by faith as his food that "The last shall be first, and the first, last:" abideth forever. - Lutlter.
Man's First Care.
No man is so high or may ascend to such height, . that he would not have to fear he might yet become the very lowest. And again, no one may fall A professor in Bonn was about to operate on the so low that he might not hope he might yet become tongue of a. young man who was suffering with a the highest, because all human merit is here abolCflllcer on that member. Before beginning the op- ished and God's goodness alone is exalted. When eration the professor said : ·' 'If you have anything He says : "The· first shall be last," He puts down to say, you had better say it now, for after the all your presumption and forbids you to think youroperation you will never be able to utter a word." self better than the worst outcast, even though you The. young. man said : "Praised be the Lord Jesus were equal to Abraham, David, Peter, or Paul. But Christ,".and never spoke afterwards. That was the when He says: "The last shall be first," He keeps beat thing he could have uttered. No wonder that you from all despair and f9rbids you to fall behind all present were very much touched, and that tears any of th~ saints, even though you were Pilate or Herod, Sodom and Gomorrha. -Luthe,·. ·· ■tood •in the eye■ of the professor. His Last ·words.
The Lutheran Pioneer. Sad News from North Carolina.
A sad visitation befell our mission in North Carolina, especially our colored Lutheran congregation in Salisbury. On the afternoon of April 5, a violent storm swept over that city, causing a fearful destruction of property . Among the buildings that were wrecked is also our colored Lutheran church. The storm lifted it from its foundation, tore it to pieces, and landed the fragments in the street. We thank God that no lives were lost in the terrible cyclone; but our hearts are sad over the loss of our beautiful church building. It was considered one of the neatest chapels in our North Carolina mission field. With great joy nnd thanksgiving it was dedicated to the service of the Triune God on the 19th of February, 1899, and since that time
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One thought followed another- but just then he heard footsteps near by, and turning around he saw a little girl approach the gate of the church-yard and pass hurriedly through. '' Are you not afraid, Christina, to go through the graveyard so late?" he asked. "It is, indeed, already dark." "Afraid?" she repeated, with a smile, and looked at him in surprise. "No, I am not afraid. I only go this way to get home so much quicker. Over there on the other side of the graveyard is my home, don't you see?" She pointed with her finger to a little, bright light which shone from a window beyond the graveyard. She then bade good-night and hurried away, past the graves, to her home. Christina's words bad a wonderful effect on the young man.
Ruin■ or the Colored Lutheran Chapel
at Sali■bury, N. C.
many a large congregation assembled in the beau"Yes, indeed, so it is," he soliloquized, "my tiful -church to listen to the preaching of the pure home, my real home and my Father's house, lies Gospel by our Lutheran missionaries. The con- beyond the grave. 0 why shall I, then, fear the gregation has lost its church home and the children gloomy way which leads thither? On the other side their school, and their hearts are bowed down with of the grave perfect light, joy, and love_ await mesorrow. May God comfort them and soon grant yea, life everlasting.'' them the joy of having another church home proAnd he went home comforted. - Bel. vid~d for them liy the friends of our mission.
Think of the Right Side. The Little Girl's Message.
We picture death as coming to destroy; let us
It was an autumn evening. A young.man, pale rather picture Christ as coming to save. We think and thin, stood leaning up against the wall of a church-yard. Round about him the shadows of night were thickening, and within his soul melancholy thoughts held sway. He had consumption, and would soon be laid away beneath the sod there within. He knew Jesus, and was ·certain of coming home to God; but death seemed to him so awful, and the grave so dark.
of death as ending; let us rather think of life as the beginning, and that the more abundantly. We think of losing; let us think of gaining. We think of parting; let us think of meeting. We think of going away; let us think of arriving. And as the voice of death whispers, "You must go from earth," let us hear the voice of Christ saying, "But you are coming to mel"-:--Nonnan McLeod.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. "Not Now." lIARK 5, IS. 19.
Not now, my child-a little more rough tossing, A little longer on the blJlows' foam, A few more journeyings in the deeert-darkness, And then the sunshine of thy Father's home I Not now; for I have wanderers in the distance, And thou must call them In with patient love; Not now; for I have sheep upon the mountains, And thou must follow them where'er they rove. Not now; for I have loved ones sad and weary; Wilt thou not cheer them with a kindly smile? Sick ones, who need thee In their lonely 1orrow ; Wilt thou not tend them yet a little while? Not now; for wounded hearts are sorely bleeding, And thou mu1t teach those widowed hearts to sing; Not now; for orphans' tears are thickly falling; They must be gathered 'neath some sheltering wing. Not now; for many a hungry one Is pining; Thy wllllng hand must be outstretched and free: Thy Father hears the mighty cry of anguish, And gives His answering me■sages to thee. Not now; for dungeon walls look stern and gloomy, And prisoners' sighs sound strangely on the breeze Man's prisoners, but thy Saviour's noble freemen; Hast thou no ministry of love for these? Not now; for hell•~ eternal gulf ls yawning, And sonls are perishing In hopeleH 1ln Jerusalem's bright gates are standing open; Go to the banished ones, and fetch them In I Go with the name of Jeans to the dying, And speak that Name In all Its llving power; Why should thy fainting heart grow chill and weary? Canst thou not watch with me one little hour? One little houri and then the glorious crowning, The golden harp-strings, and the victor's palm; One little houri-and then the hallelujah I Eternity's long, deep thanksglYlng psalm I Sclecttd.
God's Terms of Peace.
verse, and read over slowly the words: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "Stop, Jamie, 11 said the dying youth, "these words were never meant for me. You know I have been God's enemy all my life, and I've fought hard against Him; these words cnn never be meant for me. No, no, I've been His enemy-they cannot be for me." "Enemy or not, Davie, my lad," said his friend, "I assure you, God speaks these words to you. You, no doubt, have been His enemy as I once was; but here God offers you His terms of peace." "Terms of peace, Jamie, did you say?" muttered the dying lad; "terms of peace? Let me hear them again. JI "That I will, Davie, just listen to them, lad. JI And Jamie rend aloud: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. JI Then turning to other chapters of his Testament, he read: "Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you, in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. JI The dying lad's face changed, and raising himself partly on his couch, he clasped bis hands and looking up to heaven, said, "I accept the terms I I accept the terms I Ohl Christ, Saviour of sinners, I surrender to Thee, my Lord and my God fJI He then sank back exhausted. All through that day he lingered in life, at times, in a whisper, saying, "Thank God, at peace, at peace !JI As the setting sun threw his parting rays on the marble brow of the dying youth, a sweet smile played on his countenance, and ere the morning dawned on the busy camp, he was absent from the body, and present with the Lord. Amid the horrors of the blood-stained battle-field, within a few hours of eternity, he accepted God's terms of peace and surrendered himself to Christ who has made peace through the blood of His cross. God's terms of peace are just the same to you to-day as they were to that young soldier on the far-off deserts in Africa. Do not reject the peace offered to you in the Gospel. Neglect not the things which belong to thy peace.
After one of the fierce battles in Northern Africa, two young British soldiers were convening together in one of the tents. The younger of the two, little more than a boy, had received a fatal wound, and lay all comfortle88 and weary in his blood-stained uniform. His comrade, who waa a Christian and acting aa a nurse, sat' by his side, trying to cheer and soothe his suffering companion by reading passages from the New Testament. "Shall I read a little more to you, Davie, my lad? It's a comfort in the dying hour, you know,'' said the Christian soldier. "WHEREVER there is divine grace there is also Davie nodded assent, and hia friend went on reading from the eleventh chapter of Matthew's divine strength to bear the cro88 and endure the G01pel. Pru1ntly he came to the twenty-eighth pain."
The Lutheran Pioneer. A Retrospect. III. Among my Sunday school class in Sailors' Home at New Orleans I had a little fellow whose name I think, was Charley Brown, about five or six ye~rs old. He was a bright little boy, very attentive and diligent at his lessons, and bad a good memory, and sang well. One Sunday Charley was missing; he had always been very regular, and we had commenced without him. I asked his playmates where Charley was, but they could not tell. While we were singing I noticed some of the scholars' eyes were attracted to the door opening. I looked and saw part of a curly head, and one white eye peeping around the door post. When we had concluded the hymn, I stepped to the door, and there was Charley. When I asked him why he did not come in, he looked at me, and then cast his eyes down over himself as if to any, "Look at me I How can I come in in this condition?" And sure enough, the little fellow stood there almost nude, wearing his pants only. "Why, Charley," said I, "where are your clothes?" "Mother hid them, " ·he replied, "because I should not come to Sunday school." "And would you like to come?" I asked him. He nodded his bead very rapidly several times. So I took him by the hand, seated him in his class, and he was so happy. It was a strange sight to see the little fellow sitting among his classmates with his bare shoulders, arms, and feet, but he was so happy that his little face beamed like a sunflower. What finally became of him I cannot say. His mother moved from the neighborhood, and I never heard of him since. He must now be a man of 30 to 35 years of age. I feel almost convinced that he never forgot his Sunday school in the old Sailors' Home, and that he grew up a good Christian and, consequently, a good man; he certainly made a good start in that direction. Shortly after this incident the Mission 11tation, by instruction of the Board a~t St. Louis, was removed to a more favorable locality, on Thalia and Franklin streets, where an old church building was purchased. Thia is one block south and about fifteen blocks west from the old Sailors' Home, but only one or perhaps two of the original attendants of the meetings and Sunday school remained after the removal. The change, however, was of great benefit to the Mission which is carried on among a better and more stable element. The river element, such as prevailed in Sailors' Home, .is transient, moving
39
hither and thither from time to time, and therefore promises very little, if any, lasting results. I visited the location of Sailors' Home a few days since. The old building was demolished completely some ten y ears or more ago, and a rice mill built on the site. This took fire and burned down totally, and nothing is left of it but the vacant lot; but all around it and in the immediate neighborhood are the immense freight buildings and cotton yards of the Illinois Central Railroad. F rom such bumble beginnings the Mission has grown to fair proportions. At the Claibourn station is Rev. Lankenau, with a church membership of 267 souls, a Sunday school of 277 children, and a day school of 275 children in three classes. At this station the collections in the past year amounted to $661.00, of which $375.00 were sent to the treasurer of our Mission Board at St. Louis. The station at Thalia street, Rev. Kretzschmar, Pastor, has a membership of 195 souls, a Sunday school of 200 children, and a day school of 198 pupils in two classes. $486.00 were collected in the past year; $340.00 were remitted to the Board at St. Louie. At Dryades and Washington is a third station in charge of Rev. Kossmann. It has a membership of 196 souls, a Sunday school of 154 children, and a , day school of 153 pupils in three classes. Thie congregation also, as well as the others, has regular collections and contributes regularly to our Mieeion treasury. In the past year the collections amounted to $569.00. To the Mission treasurer at St. Louis $347.00 were remitted. Certainly, God's bleBBings have attended the earnest efforts of the Synodical Conference and ita missionaries. Much of the go!)d done can now already be seen; much will, no doubt, yet be seen long after the present workers are gone to their heavenly rest. But most of all shall we see the fruit of our mieeion work on that great harvest day when Christ will come in glory and gather the wheat into Hie heavenly garner. Let no ·o ne despise our Colored Mission. It is j uet such work as thia that carries with it the greatest blessings of God, our Saviour, "who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." Color cute no figure here, but the soul of every man of any color belongs to God, because He created it, and because He redeemed it through the blood of Hie only-begotten Son, regardless of any color or condition in life. May God continue to bless ·our Mi11ion among the colored people I F. J. 0.
40
The Lutheran Pioneer. An Interest in .the Concern.
A gentleman in London saw a lad, an acquaintance of his, coming on a run. He stopped him with the inquiry, "Whither nway in s1;1ch haste?" 11 Exeter· Hnll." · "What is there at Exeter Hall that so interests a chimney-sweep?" 11 A missionary meeting, sir.,, "Why do you care for a missionary meeting?" 11 1 have an interest in the concern, sir." " You an interest in the ·great London Missionary Society? How came that?" "I gave my money, sir." Would it be well to be more deeply interested in the cause of Christ? Then do more and give more for it. If we do less and give less and pray less, our interest will diminish.
A Touching Appeal for a Teacher.
and get near to God. This would be a great advantage. "Sometimes one of our rich men will bestow alms and take care of the bodies of the poor around him. Our souls are more important than our bodies, and we earnestly ask you to take care of them. Our great hope is that you will let the teacher come and have a school here, that our women , and girls also, may h ear the doctrine and become children of God . You need not fear that we want to trouble you about any other things. We beg you not to sit still and let us be lost, but do let the teacher come, that we may know how to walk the heavenly road to life. If you do this, it will be like creating us anew, and will bring praise to the Saviour; if not, we cannot enter the happy, heavenly place. The report of your love is spread abroad. Do stretch fo rth both of your hands to help us ; do not fold your arms and let us go to perdition . In a letter it is difficult to express all our hearts feel, but your permission would be valued as a gift of a thousand pieces of gold." L ittle Nissio11ary.
The following letter was sent by some Chinese villagers to a missionary. It is pleasant to know that he was able to send them a catechist each week to instruct them in the way of truth. 11 To the aged and honored church teacher: We respectfully and humbly approach you. We are the inhabitants of a inean and wretched village, who all our lives have been oppressed by idolatry. We are like people sitting in a dark house without a single ray of light. We have fortunately met with your teacher. He came through our village and saw several of us together. Wishing to save us, he earnestly preached the doctrine. "We, having heard his words, know there is a Saviour who can save our souls, redeem us from sin, and deliver us from walking in the wrong road.. So now we are like men who have had a glimpse of the sun and of heaven. We are afraid if we cannot have the teacher always with us, and hear more of the doctrine, we shall always be men of hell. ''We earnestly besought the teacher to remain in our village, that he might teach us ignorant men and open our hearts, lest we lose the light of the Gospel. He said he could not without your permission. We know how difficult it is to build a large church, but we do not ask you to do that. We will get our own room and the furniture necessary, and will not trouble you in any way. Some of us might manage to go to Sunga, eight miles away, but the women and children cannot go so far; besides, if we had a church here, we could come every morning and evening .to learn, and so run a.way from the devil
Acknowledgment. Received for colored missions from St. Paul's Church In l\Iansura, La., 810.00; from the congregation In Gold Hill, N. C., 4.50; from the congregation In Rockwell, N. C., 4.20; from l\fount Zion Church In New Orleans, La., 25.00; from St. Paul's Church In New Orleans, La., 35.00 ; from Bethlehem Church In New Orleans , La., 25.00 ; from Grace Church In Greensboro, N. C., 12.00 ; from Holy Trinity Church in SprlngOeld, Ill., 10.00; from Grace Church In Concord, N. C., 10.00; from St. l\fatthew's Church In Meherrln, Va., 10.00; from Grace Mission In St. Louis, 1\10., 3.00. St. Louis, April 15, 1~05. A. C. BURGDORF, Trea,.
Evangelical Lutlteran Colored Churcltcs. NEW ORLEANS, LA. St. Paul'• Chapel, 16"..6 Annetto St., near N. Claibor ne St. ; F. J. Lan• kenan, Pa1tor. DlvlneServlees : Snnday, 11 A. u . and 7•.30 P . u .; \Vedneaday, 7.30P.K. Mount Zion Cllurch, Franklln and ThallaSts. ; K. Kretzschmar, Pa1tor. D ivine Services: Snnday, 11 A. x . and 7.30 P. M, ; Thnrsday, ~30~~ • K Bel11lchem Chapel, Was hington Ave. And Dryades St.; J. "\\·. F. OH• mann Pastor. • Dlvtne Services : Sanday, 10 .t.. 11. and 7.30 P. u.; Thursda y, 7.30P. M. . SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Roly Trinftg Church; L. E. Thalley, Pastor. Divine Services : Sanday, 10.30 A. lll. And 8 P . )I.
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(]f;ht Juthtran tontt~. A
1'/frssroNARY MoNTHLY.
PunLIS H.ED BY THE EVANGELICAL L u TtIERAN SYNODICAL Co.N FERENCE OF NoRTH .A:\raRICA.
R. A. BISCJlOFF, Editor. Rn lcrctl a Ltho P ost Offic e nLSt. Louis, i.\Jo., ns sccontl -clnss mnltcr.
Vol. XXVII.
St. Lou.is, Mo., June, 1905.
No. 6.
the fulfillment of that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: 11 And it shall come to pass in the "Oh, come, E ternal Spirit last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit Of tru th, diffuse Thou light! upon all flesh." Peter then spoke to the multitude Shine In our soul and banish about Jesus, the Son of God, whom the Jews had All blindnes s from our sight; crucified and put to death, but whom God had The hQly fire pour o'er us, raised up, and who now sitteth at the right hand Touch heart and lip, that we With faithflll, good confession of God and had on this day sent down the Holy Acknowledge Christ and Thee." Spirit. The truth pierced· the hearts of many, so that they cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" They were told to repent and to be bapPentecost. tized for the remission of sins. About three thouPentecost means fiftieth. It is the name of the sand souls were converted on that first day of Penfestival celebrated by the Church in commemora- tecost. Thus the foundation of the Church of the New tion of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the apostles on the fiftieth day after Easter. - On that Testament was laid by the power of the Holy Spirit day the disciples were assembled in Jerusalem, in the Gospel and in the Sacrament of Baptism. waiting for the promised Comforter, when "sud- From Jerusalem the apostles went forth as preachdenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a ers of the Gospel among the different nations of the rushing mighty wind·, and it filled all the house earth. Having been called to lay the foundation of where they were sitting. And there appeared unto the Church of Christ, they received miraculous gifts them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of each of them. And they were all filled with the Pentecost. They before knew no language but their Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, · own; now, however, they were suddeniy enabled to speak the languages of different nations. They beas the Spirit gave them utterance." As this happened at the time of the great Jew- fore were timid and easily frightened, but now they ish festival there were in Jerusalem many people had courage and boldness to speak the truth in the from all parts of the then known world. Upon the face of all their enemies; they were no longer afraid report of what had happened the multitude hurried of the wisdom and power of this world, but bravely to the place and were greatly astonished to hear the did their work in the very face of death. They beapostles speak to the mixed assembly in different fore often did not understand the sayings of Christ, tongues. Men of Europe, men of Asia, men of but now they understood them all. They received Africa were there, antl' every one of them heard wisdom from heaven; they were inspired and enthe apostles speak to him in his own language the lightened, so that they could not err whenever they wonderful works of God. So~e, indeed, mock- spoke or wrote as the apostles of Christ. The Church having been established, such eztraingly said, "These men are full of new wine." But the ·apostle Peter told them that this miracle was o,·dinary gifts of the Spirit are 110 longer needed. Pentecost.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
But the Holy Spirit is still active in the Church. It is He who comes in the·means of grace, the Word and Sacraments of God, and brings sinners to fnitb in Jesus and keeps them in the faith. We know that' there are still mockers as there were such on that first day of Pentecost; men to whom the Gospel is but foolishness and who resist the working of the Holy Spirit. Unhappy men! The Gospel-day of the New Testament has come with all the brightness of its heavenly light, but they still sit in darkness; the sweet spring-time of the Gospel has come with all its beauties, but the coldness of winter still reigns in their hearts. Unhappy me~I Blessed are all that by the Holy Spirit's grace are brought to Jesus. They enjoy all the blessings of the Gospel-Church of the New Testament; they have forgiveness of sins, comfort in all troubles, salvation, and life enrlasting. The great blessings they enjoy must move them to make others partakers of the same grace. The more they value the Holy Spirit's gift, the more zealous they will be in missionary work. Thanking God for His undeserved mercy, they will do all they can to lend those who are still in darkness to the light which through the Holy 'Spirit's work they have found in Jesus and His Gospel. The Holy Ghost Must Bring Us to Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, God's only Son, was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, and died, in short, redeemed us that ,ve migh·t be His own and live under Him in His kingdom. Only then can we live under Obrist in His kingdom, only then can we be eternally blessed if we become His own. We must become Christ's own. But if we would ·be His own, we must come to Christ, we must put all our confidence in Him, we must believe in Him. But this we cannot do by our own reason or strength. We confess: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him.,, 1 Cor. 2, 14 we read: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.,, Thie paEsage speaks of the natural man, of man as be is by nature. A natural man is a man who is yet in his sinful state which he bas inherited from Adam. Thie natural, sinful man receiveth with hie reason not the things of the Spirit of God. He is blind to all those things needful to his soul's salvation. Though such a person be ll8 wise aa were the old Grecian philosophers,
though he be ever so enlightened in earthly matters, in spiritual things be is blind, totally blind. And even then when the Holy Spirit reveals these things, the natural man will not receive them , because they are foolishness unto him. God's wisdom appears to the unregenerate man to be a mass of unreasonable, unrhymed , contradictory nonsense. He therefore despises it, scoffs at it, derides it. Like Nicodemus, he will exclaim, " How can it be?" So, then, by his own reason the natural man cannot believe in Christ, or come to Him. The Gospel wi11 ever remain foolisbn-ess to the proud, unconverted Greek.and a stumbling block to the selfrighteousJew. Neither can man by his nnturnl strength come to Christ. The Holy Scriptures declare that the natural man bas no strength whatever in spiritual things; they plainly say that be is spiritu_ally dead. "Ye were dead in trespasses a'Qd sin ," says Paul to the believing Ephesians. Before they believed , the Ephesians were dead. Such is the spiritual state of every man by nature. He is not only weak, not merely crippled, not even merely paralyzed, be is actually dead, spiritually dead. As the man n aturally dead can do.nothing that a living man can do, so the spiritually dead person can do nothing spiritual; he can only sin, only trespass God's laws. And we also know that a man naturally clend can do nothing to bring himself to life. H e cannot even do so much as raise his little finger. Likewise it is true that he that is spiritually dead cannot do the least to become spiritually alive. He is dead, and as far as he is concerned will remain dead forever. But do not men come to Christ; are not Sauls changed to Pauls? Certainly I but not by their own power or strength. Who, then, brings us to Christ, who leads us to believe in Him? The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12, 3: "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 11 No man can, yes, no man will by nature recognize Jesus as his Lord, for "the carnal mind is enmity against God. 11 We by nature bate all that is of God, and love that which God hates. Therefore it is only by the Holy Ghost that man can be brought to renounce his old allegiance to Satan and sin and be willing to accept Jesus as bis Lord and Saviour. And this work of the Holy Ghost is called Sanctification. He brings us to Christ, He sanctifies us, makes us sinners saints .• 0 how grateful we should be to God for this gracious work of the Holy Ghost I Were it not for this blessed work of sanctification, our redemption would be in vain . . God has not only created us, not only redeemed us, but He also desires to sanctify us, bring us to Christ, so that we may be partakers of His salvation and blessedness. F. J. L.
The Lutheran Pioneer. Why Not Sooner?
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boro, N. C., where young colored men are to be prepared for mission work among their own race. Let us not delay the matter. Also from this mission field the lament bas been heard," Why did you not come sooner?" Also in this mission field there are thousands that know not the Goepel.
In a history of the life and labors of Dr. Livingstone, the great African missionary, we rend tbnt near one of the places where he had opened a mission school lived the chief of one of the savage tribes of Africa. This chief received the missionThey're groping 'mid s in's hopeless ways, ary with great joy and listened attentively to the So wretched and so blincl; teachings of the Bible. When he became fully acOn them have dawned no Goiapel rays, No path of peace they find. quainted with the contents of that precious Book, " Go preach my Gospel I" Christ has said; he was puzzled to know why the Christian people "Go, all my famished feedhad not sent the good news to his people long beTo every creature give Life's bread, fore they did. He would say to Livingstone, "My O'er earth my message speed." forefathers I Ob, why did the Christians not send them this Word? They all died in darkness I" Rev. W. Gill, missionary in the South Sen Islands, A Saviour from All Sin. reports that at a meeting of native Christians an old man rose and said, "There is one thing I want to A pastor one Sunday missed from her plac~ in ask: Can it be that the Christian people in E ngland the house of God one of those faithful ones never have had this Gospel of· peace for many long years absent from the place of worship without urgent and have never sent it to us until now? Ob, that reasons. Wben be called at her home he found they had sent it sooner I Had they sent it sooner I bet on a sickbed. After a little, she began to tell should not to-day be solitary, sad-hearted, mourn- him of ber experience that Sunday. ing my murdered wife and children. Oh, that they " As I lay here," she said, "there suddenly had sent it sooner I" c~me to me a picture, it seemed to me, of all the When Kapiolani, Queen of the Hawaiian Islands, sine I bad ever committed. They were more than was told by an old priest how a little boy was of- I could count-sins of heart and sins of life; sins fered in sacrifice to idols, she hid her face with her of shortcoming and sins of transgression; sins of hands and, weeping, said, "Oh! why did not Chris- thought and sins of tongue. And well I knew that tians come sooner and teach us better things?" every one of them deserved God's wrath and punWhen Miss West spoke to an Armenian con- ishment now and forever I" . Tbe pastor now expected a dismal account of verted woman about returning to America, the spiritual distress. But what was his joy to hear woman begged , "Oh, don't go; stay longer and her confess her firm trust in the blood of Christ. teach us I" And then she added: "W by didn't the missionaries come sooner? If they had only He asked her, "Well, how did this view of your come when I was young, I too might have worked sine affect you?" "Why," she exclaimed, ' ~glory to God for a Saviour whose blood cleanses from all for Christ." Such cries of lament come from the mission field sin I" - - ---+-••-- - as a reproach on many a Christian's neglect of his mission duty and his disregard of the Saviour's The Prayer of Faith. command given to 'the Church as a farewell charge on the day of His ascension into heaven: "Go ye This only is a living faith which does not doubt into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every that God in His goodness has the gracious will to creature." This missionary command is given to do what we pray for. Faith does not doubt that all Christians, and there is work for everyone to do. God is kindly disposed toward the person, and willEvery Christian can at least uphold the hands of ing and ready to do him all good. But whether the the laborers in the mission field by hie prayers and things we ae'k for with a believing heart be good with his means. And then, knowing that the harvest and profitable to us we know not. God alone is great and that the laborers are few, Christiane must knows· this. (Rom. 8, 26.) Therefore faith prays see to it that laborers are prepared for their work after this manner, that it leav~s e,•erything to the and sent into the harvest field. Also in our Colored gracious will of God if it be tp His honor and our Mission the laborers are few, so very few. Let us, own welfare, not doubting that God will give it; therefore, not forget to enable the Mission Board by and, if it·is not to be given; trusting that His diour gifts soon to erect the college building at Greens- vine will refuses to' give it out of bountiful grace,
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
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THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
because He seeth that He had better not give it. thing to Him. In those things which concern God's But in either case our faith in God's gracious will honor and our soul's salvation-as forgiveness of remains firm and unshaken, whether He give it or sins, deliverance from death and· the devil, the gift not. Believe we must without doubt and without of God's Holy Spirit into our hearts, to be preany limitation to God's goodness. But pray we served in His Word and strengthened under trials, must with the condition that it be in accordance and to grow daily in faith and love-our hearts with Hie honor, kingdom, and will, leaving every- dare not doubt that God is ref(dy to give, and will
.1 The Lutheran Pioneer. not deny our prayer. For all these things concern the honor of God and our soul's salvation. If here one should pray: Lord, if Thou wilt, forgive my sin nnd save me, he would not pray aright. But it is different in temporal matters. You may be poor, sick, distressed , and despised, and yet be saved. Our salvation does not depend on those things, and the very lack of health, etc., may be for our good. Therefore, if we ask for deliverance in those things we must, indeed, believe that God is willing and able to help, but always resigning our own will into God's. Wherever it should not be to the honor of God or hinder our salvation, we must not insist on being delivered, but willingly continue to bear our cross.-Luther .
Uncle Jim's Lesson. Miss Susan was the best singer in the congregation. In fact, the congregation could hardly get along without her. But on a hot or rainy Sunday Miss Susan did not come to preaching. And the folks were sorry to miss her; for, as I said, she was the best singer they had. Well, on n cool Sunday evening Miss Susan was present at the services. The hymn was given out. Miss Susan threw back her head and sang away lustily: "Through mighty floods and burning flames
I'll pass wh'en Jesus leads."
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"None Other Name." There was n blind man standing on a bridge and reading from a Bible with raised letters. Several persons stood around, and whilst he got a little money be read from his blind man's Bible words more precious than gold. A gentleman on his way home stopped on the bridge to see what was going on. Just then the blind man was reading the fourth chapter of the Acts, in which the apostle Peter speaks of Jesus and says, "There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." The poor man, however, had lost his place, and while trying to find it moving hie finger over the page, he kept repeating the last words he had read, "none other name-none other name-none other name." Some of the people smiled, but the gentleman who had stopped to listen went away in deep thoughts. He had lately been convinced of his sine, and had in many ways tried to find peace for his restless soul. B.ut his religious exercises, hie good resolutions, his changed habits, all were unable to take away the heavy burden from hie conscience and to bring peace to his troubled heart. The words he had heard from the blind man now rang like solemn music in his soul: "None other name." When he came home and went to bed, these words were still heard: "None other name, none other name, none other name." And when he awoke, the words again came to hie mind: "None other name, none other name, none other name. 11 The precious words entered hie soul, and by the blessing of God he awoke to a new life and found peace in the name of Jesus. "I see it all," said he, "I see it all. I have been trying to be saved by my own works, my prayers, my reformation. I see my mistake. It is J eeus, He alone can save; for He alone has finished the work of redemption. To Him I will look. Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name, none other name, none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."
After services old Uncle Jim, passing up the street with her, said, "I was glad to see you in church this evening, Miss Susan; we missed you badly Sunday before last. 11 "Well, 11 said she, "you know it was such a rainy Sunday; I could not come. 11 11 And last Sunday?" said Uncle Jim. "Last Sunday? Oh, yes. Last Sunday it was so hot, you know, so very hot. 11 "Well, suppose there had been 'mighty floods' Sunday before last and 'burning flames' last Sunday, what then, Miss Susan, what then?" said the kind old uncle as he slyly looked up nt the young lady. Miss Susan passed on silently; but next SunBelieving Prayer. day-it was a rainy Sunday-she was in her seat at church. Uncle Jim •was glad to see her there. These things are always joined together: He She had learned n lesson from what he had told her. Perhaps she remembered also Luther's explana- who believes well, prays well; he who does not betion of the Third Commandment: "We should fear lieve well, cannot pray well. For the very first reand love God, that we may not despise preaching quirement for our prayer is this, that our heart be and His Word; but hold it sacred, and gladly hear assured of God's mercy and grace, and His readiness to help us from our distress.-Luther• • an_d learn it."
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The Luthe r a n Pioneer. Our Missionaries. Blcst arc ye, ye chosen bearers Of God's Word to lands afar, Bidding all men to be sharers Of the joy(ul ne,vs ye bear. Onward, onward, boldly pressing Through the howling desert speed,· God will crown your work with blessing, And give Increase to the seed. High your Saviour's banner waving, Tell It forth, Intrepid band, That His name alone ls saving, That all power is In His hand I Be to all the world a witness Of the everlasting Word, Teaching all to taste its sweetness, And confess that He Is Lord. Arm, ye soldiers, t hough your weapons Be not spears or glittering swords, Press on still, though danger threo.tens, For the whole eo.rth Is the Lord's. He who sent you will defend you, And your King o.nd Shepherd be; Though like sheep 'mid wolves He send you Ye shall wander glo.d and free . Love It was for one o.nother Which first moved and urged you on, That to tell to your poor brother Which the Lord for him hath done. Therefore seek ye neither pleasure, Honor, wealth, nor earthly good, No; ye bear a nobler treasure, Peace through Jesus• precious blood. Bear all hardships unreplnlng; Scoffed at, answe·r not a word ; Heathen lands shall soon be shining With the glory of the Lord. Bleat are ye, brave standard-bearers, Witnesses for Christ to men, Ye shall in His joy be sharers, When your Lord shall come again. After all their tribulations, Thousands shall Hosanna sing, And the heavens with acclamations To their God and Saviour ring. Thousands then shall hall the teachers Who first brought them to the Lord ; They ahalf be, ye faithful preachers, Your bright crown and sweet reward. From the Gern1a11.
The Spanish Pllot and the Bible. Some years ago a number of Christian ladies in London were in the habit of going to the hospitals every morning, taking with them a small bunch of flowers_ to cheer the weary hours of the sick-room. To the flowers a card was tied, on which were
written words of comfort from the Bible. Th e heart of mauy a sick person was gladdened nt the sight of the beautiful flowers and by the comforting words of God's Book . One of the ladies one morning found a Spanish pilot in one oH he hospitals , laid up with a lingering disease. H e was a Roman Catholic, sick among strangers. H e had often longed to bear again bis native langua ge, to see again his native count ry. The Jndy brought him a buuch of flowers with a card, on which was written a passage from the Bible in Spanish. How glad the sick stranger was when he saw the fresh flowers which reminded him of the sunny land of Spain! H ow he rejoiced when he rend the comforting words in his moth er-tongue I He asked from where these words came. When be was told that they were from the Bible, he indignantly threw the flowers and the card far away. Romish priests bad told him that the Bible was a bad book, and that be should never rend it. The next day flowers with a card were again brought, and again be threw them away. The weary days wore on in the sick-room, and at last the stranger accepted the flowers, and even read the words on the card, setting his conscience at·rest with the thought that the card was not the Bible itself. As he rend, the words became sweet to him like the comforting words of a mother. He longed for the next day and for another Bible-word. At last he asked for the book written in such wonderful language. H e though t H surely could not be ihat same Bible which the priests bad forbidden him to rend. A Spanish Bible was given him , and during the long days of his recovery he rend that wonderful book again and again . By the grace of the Holy Spirit the truth of God's Word was brought home to his heart; it brought pence to bis soul and joy to his life. The holy Book became dear to him, more precious than gold, sweeter than honey. Later on he became a Bible agent in his native country, and made known the Gospel among his countrymen. Is the Bible precious to you? Christ says : "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me." Read your Bible I There you may learn What Christ has done To save your soul from hell; Not all the books on earth besides Such heavenly wonders tell.
"THE dearer the child, the keener the rod."
The Lut heran Pioneer. Easter Sunday in Bethlehem Chapel at . New Orleans. A lovely, bright Easter sun ushered in Easter Sunday at New Orleans. The weather was magnificent ; the trees, shrubs, and flowers were arrayed in their brigh test foliage; the birds sang their sweetest lays, and every man and woman, every boy and girl seemed to wear a bright and happy Easter look as they strolled along the aven ues, responding to the cheerful call of the church bells: Christ is risen I Christ ia risen I Come to worshi p I Come to worship! So it appeared to the writel' as be wended his way to Bethlehem Chapel of the Col(?red Mission. He reached the chapel shortly before 11 o'clock to participate in t he S unday school service. It was crowded with about 100 Sunday school scholars and 39 adul Ls, all arrayed in their best and all wearing smiling faces in anticipation of the service arranged for the occasion . · 'fhe scholars ranged in ages from 5 to 15 years. 'fhe service was cond ucted according to the program arranged by Rev. A. 'f. H anser, beginning with the hym n , ''Awake, my heart, with gladness." 'fhe children responded to the pastor's questions on Christ's ~esurrection with songs at intervals. The first class of th e day school sang: "0 joyous Easter morning," d uring t he first interval. In the second interval the entire day school (three classes) sang: "Rock of Ages." In the third interval the second day school class sang: " Christ the Life of all the living," the entire school falling in at the refrain: "Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,dearestJesue, unto Th.ee I" In the fourth interval the first day school class san g: "Christ is risen. Hallelujah I " the entire school joining in the chorus at the end of each verse: Christ is risen I Hallelujo.b I Risen our victorious Hend. Sing His praises I Hallelujah I Christ ls risen from the dead.
At the close of the questions and answers the third day school class, all little children from 5 to 10 years, sang: "I want to be with angels," etc. Then followed a recitation by Juanita Harris: "He is risen I He is risen I 'fell it with a joyful voice." This was followed by four stanzas of the opening hymn by the congregation: "I cleave now and forever." Then, after the beautiful and grand Easter liturgy and prayer and the benediction, the services closed with the last stanza of the hymn : "Christ is risen," the entire congregation joining in the chorus. It was very interesting to see all the little colored Lutherans so happy and singing the Easter hymns with devout earnestness and close attention.
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During the preceding week envelopes for Easter offerings had been distributed among the scholars, to be returned on this day. The offerings realized !lil 5.00, all from the little ones. The chapel had received, in the previous week, an appropriate Easter garment, the altar, pulpit, and walls having been refreshed and made quite cheerful by a new coat of paint. Bethlehem School is growing. Seldom a week passes which does not bring in new scholars, and the average attendance at the chapel during church service is quite encouraging. F. J. 0.
Livingstone and the Lion. The most famous of all missionary encounters with wild animals was that of Livingstone and the lion, which well-nigh cost his life. As it was, hie arm was permanently injured. A false joint, resulting from the crunching of the bone, seriously inconvenienced him during the thirty years of arduous toil that followed. It rendered an important service, however, after his death, by furnishing a conclusive means of identifying his body when it was brought to England by his followers in 1874. In 1843, two years after his arrival in Africa, Livingstone opened a new station in Mabotsa, a place infested with lions. Not long after, nine sheep were killed on a small hill opposite Livingstone's house. Greatly exasperated, the people started out to kill the lions, and, hoping to inspire them with courage , Livingstone went with them. After a time, finding his assistance not needed, he started home, but, in passing around the hill, discovered a lion sitting on a piece of rock behind a small bush. Taking deliberate aim, he fired both barrels into the bush, wounding the lion, but not killing it. What transpired as he proceeded to reload can best be told in his own words, as recorded in Missionary Travels: "When in the act of ramming down the bullets, I heard a shout. Starting, and looking half-round, I saw the lion just in the act of springing upon me. I was upon a little height j he caught my shoulder as he sprang, and we both came to the ground below together. Growling horribly close to my ear, he shook me as a terrier dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor similar to that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake of the cat. It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though quite conscious of all that waa happening. This peculiar state is probably produced in all animals killed by the carnivora, and if ao, ia a merciful provision by
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The Lutheran Pioneer. our benevolent Creator for lessening the pain of death. Turning around to relieve myself of the weight, as he bad one paw on the back of my head, I saw his eyes directed to Mebalwe (a native assistant), who was trying to shoot him at a distance of ten or fifteen yards. His gun, a flint one, missed fire in both barrels; the lion immediately left me, and, attacking Mebalwe, bit his thigh. Another man, whose life I had saved after he had been tossed by a buffalo, attempted to spear the lion while he was biting Mebalwe. He left M:ebalwe and caught this man by the shoulder, but at that moment the bullets he had received took effect, and he fell down dead. The whole was the work of a few moments, and must have been his paroxysms of dying rage. In order to take the 'charm' out of him, .the Bakatla on the following day made a huge bonfire over the carcass, which was declared to be that of the largest lion they had ever seen. Besides crunching the bone into splinters, he left eleven teeth wounds on the upper part of my arm." MiHionary Revieto of lhe JVorld.
The Boasting Infidel. "I tell you," said a bragging infidel, "the idea that there is a God never comes into my head." "Ah, precisely like my dog," was the reply. "But there is this difference-my ~og does not go around bowling about it." OUR BOOK TABLE. SECOND READER. Illustrated. Stanclarcl America,, S eries. Concordia Publishing House, St. :r,ouls, l\'lo. Price, 26 cts. •. The Second Reader of this new serles·of English Readers ls ln paper, print, and lllustratlons equal to the best. Its excellent, well-gro.decl reading lessons, pure in tone and spirit, give this Reader Its true excellence and place lt above other Reaclers. LEDRBUCD DER DEUTSCBEN Sl'RAC11E fuer hoehere Schulen von A 11yuat Crull, Professor am Concordia College zu Fort Wnyne, I nd. Zwelte, umgenrbeltete Auflage. Concordia.Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. Price, 85 cts. This German grammar for higher schools was very favorably noticed In journals of education when its first edition appeared. This second, t horoughly revisecl edition will make it still more valuable as n. very practical nnd helpful text-book for tbe class-room, for private study, and for reference.
What Enthused Her. Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop, the great traveler, who died last fall in Edinburgh, was a most enthusiastic friend of missions. Her travels, through Japan, China, Korea, India, Persia, Arabia, and various other lands, afforded her abundant opportunity to observe the conditions of those nations, who were living without Christ in the darkness of heathenism. In her earlier years she had regarded all mission work with distrust. Personal observation, however, had completely changed her opinion, . and she became a moat earnest advocate of the blessed work in all its phases. With her graphic pen she most vividly portrayed the misery of the benighted souls in heathen lands. Her impressions of the work of missionaries she. gave as follows: "Those faithful missionaries, whose life, character, and w:ork I have personally observed, have so manifestly changed my opinion and have enthused me so, that I cannot ~o otherwise than, wherever I go, to work and enlist sympathy for the . glodoua work in which they are engaged, especially among those whose hearts are cold ~d care' len, as mine was before I had learned the pitiable conditions which exist in these heathen lands." Mrs. Bishop was especially interested in medical minions. She has founded five Mission Hospitals and one Orphans' Home in the Orient.
Acknowledgment. Received for colored missions from Grace °Church in Greensboro, N. C., 812.00; from l'ifount Zion Church in New Orleans, La., 26.00; from St. Paul's Church in New Orleans, Lo.., 35.00; from Bethlehem Church in New Orleans, La., 26.00; from St. Paul's Church in l'ifausurn, La., 10.00; from Grace Mission In St. Louis, Mo., S.00; from congregation in Monroe, N. C., 2.10; from congregation In Southern Pines, N. C., 6.00; from Grace Church In Concord, N. C., 10.00. St. Louis, May 16, 1906. A. C:.,DURGDORF, 7reaa.
Evangelical Luthe1·an Color~d Churches. NEW ORLEANS, LA. St. Paul'• C11apd, 16"..5 Annette St., near N. Claiborne St. ; F. J. Lnnkcnau, Pastor. DITlncServlcos: Sunda7, 11 A,:11. and 7.30 P. :11.; Wcdneadny, 'i,SOP.K,
Mount Zion C1111rch, Franklin and Thalia Su.; K.Kretuchmar,l'utor. Divine Services: Sunday, 11 A, :11. and 7.30 P. 11.; Thn.r sdny, 7,30P.:ll,
Bdhlchcm Chapd, Wnahlngton An. nnd D17adea St.; J. W. F. KOH· mann Pastor. Dlvlne Scrvlcos: Sund1171 10 A, x. nnd 7.30 P. u.; Thnrsda7, 7,301'.
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SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Holy TrinUy C11urch; L. E. Thallc7, Pastor. Divine Services: Sunda7, 10.30A, lll, nnd 8 P, :u.
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Vol. XXVU.
St. Louis, Mo., July, 1905. No Other Name.
There Is no Saviour but my Lord, There Is no Go!'ptl but His Word; Upon that Word I stay my soul Till earth and heaven away sball roll. '!'here Is none other than His name To save from guilt and death and shame; And In that name my heart shall trustYea, when this frame shall sink to clust. There's no atonement but His cross, All earthly means are death and loss: And tbrough that cross my soul shall stand Among the just, at God's right band. There Is no refuge but In Him, Secure, when sun and stars arc dim; 'Tis there this guilty soul shall bide And through eternal years abide. No other name to man ls given, No name beneath the vault of heavenThat name upon the cro■s engravedBy which the gullty must be saved. Stlcctcd.
None Other Name.
The commencement speaker has again been heard in the land. From papers sent to us we see that in an address to the graduating class of a colored school the speaker admonished the graduates to lead an industrious and virtuous life. That was all right. But then the speaker also said: "Industry and .v irtue will not only open the door to success in this world, but also the door to everlasting bliss in the other world." And that was all wrong. Christ has opened to sinners the door of heaven, and only by faith in Him we come to everlasting bliaa. Christ says: "I am the door; Dy me if any man enter-in, he shall be saved," John 10, 9.
No. 7.
Another speaker, addressing the graduates of a Young Ladies' Seminary, pointed out to them how much good they might do by avoiding idleness and by leading a life of labor in this world. That was all right. But the speaker was all wrong when he said that "by hard labor we might even gain the favor of God in the world to come." He told the story of a young girl who, when only fourteen years old, was left alone with four younger brothers and sisters to care for. By scrubbing and washing and other hard labor she proved faithful to her trust. At last she broke down and could work no longer. On her dying bed she complained to a friend that she "never had time enough or clothes good enough to go to Sunday school;" and she wondered whether God would receive her in heaven. "Show Him your bands," her friend said, "just show Him your hands." Thus she was pointed, not to Christ's work, but to her work as entitling her to God's favor. And yet the speaker who ·related the silly story is said to have made "a great hit with the touching story which called forth tears from the eyes of the pretty graduates." Another speaker, addressing a number of graduating nurses in a Western hospital, spoke "very eloquently of the beauties of mercy and charity." That was all right. But the speaker was all wrong when be said: "If you practice mercy and charity, every minister of the Gospel will be willing to sign your bond for etei:nity." There are still, thank God, ministers of the Gospel who know what Gospel is, • and who would not sign such a bond. Not all are like that Baptist minister who, at a recent meeting of the Universalist Church Society in New England, said: "What difference does it make what our doctrine is? The kingdom of heaven has many roads leading out in all directions. What matters it which
60
The Lutheran Pioneer.
road we take? Some of them are more attractive to certain people than others, but they all bring out at the same place." No. There are still ministers of the Gospel who are loyal to God's truth, and who, like the apostle Paul, preach Christ and Him crucified as the only Saviour from sin. Those who preacl:l another Gospel pour contempt on the Word of God, rob .Christ of His glory, and bring ruin on the souls of men. The apostle therefore says: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed," Gal. 1, 8. 9. It does make a difference what our doctrine is. There is only one true, pure Bible doctrine of salvation, and every other doctrine is wrong and rotten. It does matter which road we take. There is but one Way, one Truth, and one Life, and that is Jesus. By-Him alone we enter heaven, and any attempt to reach heaven by any other road, no matter how "attractive" it is, will end in death, darkness, and destruction. Christ Himself plainly says, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one cometh unto the Father, but by me," John 14, 6. And His apostle clearly testifies: "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved," Acts 4, 12. In Christ alone there is salvation for sinners. In Christ alone God's love and mercy came down from heaven to earth. Christ's blood alone can cleanse us. Christ's righteousness alone can clothe us. Christ's merit alone can give us a title to heaven. Jews and Gentiles, - learned and unlearned, -white and colored, - kings and beggars, - rich and poor, - all alike must either be saved by Jesus, or lost forever. "There is none other name"-mark well,-"none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," says the Bible.
How the Holy Ghost Brings Us to Christ. We cannot come to Christ by our own reason or s~ngth, but the Holy Ghost is able and willing to bring 111 to Him. While, on the one hand, we must confess, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Cbriat, my Lord, or come to Him," we may, on the other-hand, joyfully add, "But the Holy Ghoat has called me by theiGospel, enlightened me with His gifts, aanctified and kept me in the tru'9 faith."
But these words do not only tell us that the Holy Ghost brings us to Christ, they likewise inform us how He performs His gracious work in us. The Holy Ghost pursues a certain order in performing His work. This order we call the order of salvation, since it is in this order that the Holy Ghost brings us to salvation. The order of salvation embraces four parts ; for, as our Catechism tells us, the Holy Ghost calls us, enlightens us, sanctifies us, and keeps us in true faith. It is in this order that the Holy Ghost leads men to Christ and keeps them with Christ. Thie is the way, the only way , to Christ and eternal salvation. This order, or way, has been appointeq by God, and whoever refuses to make use of this way can never come to Christ, or whoever, having come to Christ, refuses to continue on this way, cannot stay with Christ. That God has appointed such a way of salvation is most comforting and assuring, for now we need not grope in darkness or guess how we may come to 9 hrist, neither need we be in doubt as to where He is to be found; now we may with all boldness and con fidence take hold of Christ and appropriate Him and His merits. ' But in bringing us to Christ and salvation, the Holy Ghost does not work upon us without certain means, and these means are the Gospel and the holy Sacraments. Luther, indeed, only mentions the Gospel, but in its broad sense; as used here, the word Gospel also includes the ~acraments. At first sight we might think that our Catechism says that t.be Holy Ghost only calls us by the Gospel, but a closer examination of the words will soon show us that the words "by the Gospel" belong to all four parts. Our Catechism would say: "The Holy Ghost calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us by the Gospel, sanctifies us in the true faith by the Gospel, and keeps us in true faith by the Gospel." By the Gospel did the Holy Ghost bring us to Christ, and by the same Gospel the Holy Ghost keeps us with Christ. This Gospel is the glad tidings of salvation in Christ Jesus; it brings us the good news that the heavenly Father is reconciled to His disobedient children, that the King of kings bas pardoned His rebellious subjects. But not only does the Gospel bring these glad tidings, it does far more; for in and through this Gollpel the Holy Ghost works upon the hearts of men and brings them to Christ and salvation. Thus the Go!lpel is the blessed means that offers and gives us the grace of God which Christ has gained for all men; it is the means of grace. The Gospel, including holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, is the means by which the Holy Ghost works i.n us, and it is the only me1LJ1s. In him,
The Lutheran Pioneer.
ol
therefore, who does not use the m eans of grace the .If all in the Church who refuse to give because Holy Ghost will not perform His gracious work; be they can give only a little, would give that little, that despises the means of grace cannot become or there would not be an empty mission trea11ury, our remain a partaker of grace. God grant us grace dil- sorely needed college could soon be built, and much igently to use the appointed means unto our soul's could be done for the spread of the Gospel which, salvation. F. J. L. for lack of means, cannot now be done. There is a wonderful power in small gifts, especially when laid on God's altar. The Lord Will Provide. We read of a minister who sent out 237 envelIn the summer of 1851, great scarcity prevailed opes for the mission cause. Of these, 100 containin many parts of Wuertemberg. Among others who ing a noble offering were returned. Suppose that suffered, a poor widow was in deep distress. She each of the 137 not returned had come back with an had already spent her last penny for food for her- average of ten cents in each. This would have added self and her children, and had nothing left to pay a $13.70. And who could not have given the ten cents, small debt that lay heavy on her mind. There was especially when it was asked for Him who gave all nothing to do but to sell her cow ; with the cow, for us? The pastor knew that a number to whom however, her chief means of support would go. Full these envelopes were sent were able to give dollars of care and anxiety on this account, she sat alone instead of cents. Put the average at 25 cents, and in her little room, pondering over her position, and the total swells to $34.50; put it at 50 cents, and praying to God for help in her time of need. we have $69.00. Realize the same result from ten While she was thus occupied, her little boy came congregations, and we have the sum of $690.00. running in from the garden, exclaiming, "See these, That would have been more than "a little." The mother; what are they? I found them in the gar- small gifts would have become one large gift. den, in a mole-bill." Oh, that Christians would give from principle, What he had found were several ducats of very because they love Christ and His cause, and would old coinage. They bad doubtless, at some time of not refuse to give because they love the world more, war, been hidden in the ground at the foot of a tree, or because they can give only a little I in the widow's garden, by some one who had hoped "Give, though thy glfts be small, thus to preserve the buried treasure till the war Still be a glver; and the fear of plundering hands were over, but Out of the lltt}e founts who had not lived to dig up his gold. Thus it bad Proceeds the rlver. Out of the rlver's glfts lain hidden till, just at the right time, by means of Gulfs soon will be the mole, the treasure was brought to light. Pouring their waters out, The poor ,vidow's distress and want were reMaking a sea. lieved by the gold, and she was able to praise God "Out of the sea again, who, according to His promise, ever helps His Heaven draws Its showers, people in time of need, in answer to their cry. And to the fount Imparts From the German.
The Power of Small Gifts. It is a great mistake, a wrong, not to give to the cause of Christ because one can give only a little. He that makes this his excuse for not giving when appealed to must be very indifferent to the cause of_ Christ. God's children should know that Christian giving is to be a thing of love, of obedience to God's Word, and not a thing of quantity. Give as God has blessed and prospered you. That is the rule. If God has so blessed and prospered you that you can give only a little, should it not be a gla~ duty to give that little? Give that little cheerfully, out of love to Christ and His kingdom. "God loveth a cheerful giver."
All Its new powers. Thus In a cycle borne; Gifts roll around, And In the bleHlng given BleHlng Is found."
Comfort from the Bible. Lockhart, the son-in-law and biographer of Walter Scott~ when speaking of the last hours of the great poet, novelist, and historian, writes: "He expressed a wish that I should read to him., and when I asked from what book, he said: 'Need you ask? There is but one.' I chose the 14th chapter of St. John's Gospel; he listened with mild devotion, and said when I had done: 1 Well, thi1 i1 a great comfort.' "
52
The Lutheran Pioneer. What Must I Do?
An aged Christian, worn out by sickness, was traveling to the sea coast with the hope of regaining hie health. Behind him in the car eat an elderly lady and her daughter. The mother, observing the pale face of the man, expressed her concern for him in language he could overhear, and then said she would like to know if the man was a Christian. She was for a moment confused when the man turned and thanked her for her sympathy and at once confessed that he felt the deepest interest in his soul's eternal welfare. "Since you have been so kind," be said, 11 to speak of the subject, will y~u be kind enough also to tell me what I must do to be saved?" "Oh, yes," was her reply, "I will gladly teB you : you must pray to God." "But," asked the sick man, "how long must I pray before God will be merciful to me, and how can I know when I am forgiven?" The lady seemed a little perplexed, and then said, "WeB, you must become a better man." "Again allow me to ask," he gently answered, "How good must I become before God will have pity on me?" Of course she was silent, and after a pause the man said, "Have you no book that can show a poor man, drawing near to the grave, bow be can be saved?" She at once drew from her bag a tract, which ahe placed in bis bands. It was carefully read, and he turned once more with the remark : "This does not contain one word about the way of salvl},tion for a lost ainner. Have you no Bible?" She had none, and he drew forth his own precious Bible, and, handing it to her, earnestly said, "Will you be so good as to show me where we are told to pray and to make ourselves better in order to be saved?" The lady took the book of God, and having turned over th·e leaves for a while, she impatiently said, "I cannot find the place now, but when you reach the city, call on the Rev. Dr. - - and he will tell you where to find it." "No," the man solemnlf! replied, "the ~v. Dr. - - cannot tell me, nor can any other Rev. Dr. - - tell me; for there is no such place in the . · Bible. But this I find: 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever belineth in Him should not perish, but have everluting life' (John 3, 16); 'To Him give all the propheta witness, that through His name whosoever belineth in mm shall receive remiaaion of.sins' (Acta
10, 43); 'By Him al] that believe are justified from all things' (Acts 13, 39); 'BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved' (Acts 16, 31); 'To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifietb the ungodly , bis faith is counted for righteousness' (Rom. 4, 5). " Many other passages were read, and with a joyful heart the lady, who did not know the Gospel way of salvation, though she had been a church member for many years, listened to the aged Christian, as he unfolded to her from the Bible the blessed truth of salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ Jesus, the Saviour of sinners.
"Who Cares for Me?" A poor, lone woman sat one evening thinking how sad was her condition. She was old and almost helpless, with little of this world's goods which she could call her own. "Who cares for me?" thought she. Suddenly this verse of the Bible came to her mind: "For we have not a High P riest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." It was like a flood of golden sunshine. Her doubt and fears were all gone. What need of earthly . friends to cheer her declining years? Jesus knew her every care and sorrow, and He, the ascended Saviour, "the Lord of Glory," was touched with the weakness of her infirmities. How precious is the thought that we can all have such a friend in every hour of trial and distress I "I will not leave you comfortless," are the Saviour's gracious words. "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
A Picture Card in Africa. Three years ago a Mohammedan merchant from Timbuktu went for trade to the English settlement of Bathurst, on the Gambi River. Some one gave him a text card in Arabic. The next year he traded again in Bathurst, and asked for the book from which that wonderful text was taken. When the Bible was shown him, he bought it and went away. The third year the merchant came to Bathurst and bought eighteen Bibles for friends who wanted the book. Now the British and Foreign Bible Society is arranging to open a Bible depot in Timbuktu-the synonym in all the Sahara for Mohammedan exclusiveneaa and fanaticism. -Indian Witness.
The Lut heran Pioneer. Conference at New Orleans.
53
summed up as "The two reasons for error in doctrine." The first reason, or cause, from which Our three stations at New Orleans, La., held error rises is this : men will not accept the Bible, their annual conference at Bethlehem Chapel on t he whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible as the May 14, 15, and 16. T he conference sermon was foundation of doctrine. F rom this comes the secpreach ed by th e Rev. F. J . Lan ken au on Sunday ond great cause of error: men wiJI not accept the night. I n his sermon h e gave a graphic descrip- great central truth of the Bible, namely: " By grace tion of the Gosp el and its power to save sinners. are ye saved through faith . " 'fhe united congregations sang our dear old LuOn or about this day of the conference the Protheran hymns with a power and deep devotion NEER arrived bearing the sad news that our breththat could not fail in awakening the interest of r en in Salisbury, N. C., had sustained the lose of everyone present . Beththeir chapel, which had lehem choir, under the been swept away by a direction of Mr. George storm. One of the memWolf, rendered very well bers of the conference a selection suited to t})e therefore moved that occasion. The collection the evening's collection, raised on this evening, $9.50, be devoted · to our amounting to $5.40, wall stricken brethren. The devoted to Lu t her Colmotion was carried in lege, New Orleans. But heartfelt sympathy. one thing rem ains to be After this, conference resaid , and that is, it rained elected Mr. Rob. Dixon almos t continually ,nil chairman, and Mr. F. that day and, of course, Thompsoneecretary. The . . ,.· the attendance was, in a attendance exceeded that measure, a sufferer for it. of the preceding evenings. However, it must be said Bethlehem choir sang at · that the attendance far both Monday's and Tueeexceeded our expectaday 's sessions. tion. About SOadults and These conferences are 20 children were present. of great benefit to our staOn Monday evening tions in more ways than the conference proper was one, and are highly appreciated byourmembersand opened, the chairman, their friends, as the inMr. Robert Dixon, calling creased attendances from upon Rev. Lankenau to offer the opening prayer. year to year abundantly Colored Lutheran-Chapel at Sandy Ridge, N. C, . . prove. J. KossMANN. After some routine busiD cdlcntcd Nov. 27, 1904. ness had been dispatched, a paper "On Christian Burial" was read by the True Strength of the Church. undersigned. By recommend11tion of the confer• ence committee, the meeting resolved to devote "Free forgiveness through faith in Christ. Thie the evening's collection, amouniing to $6.00, to is the doctrine which is the true strength of any Immanuel College in North Carolina. Rain also church. It is not orders, or endowments, or liturinterfered at this session, yet there were some gies, or learning, or grand cathedrals that will keep twenty people more than on the preceding eveniµg. a church alive. Let free forgiveness through Christ On Tuesday evening Rev. IC Kretzschmar was be faithfully proclaimed in her pulpits, and the to have lectured "On Marriage and Divorce." Ow- gates of bell shall not prevail against her. Let it be ing to circumstances, however, we were, for the buried or keP.t back, and her candlestick shall be · present, deprived of the pleasure of hearing ·his taken away." lecture on this timely subject. In his place Rev. "IF we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign Lankenau hastily prepared what turned out to be with Him." a very instructive talk. His subjec·t may be briefly
64:
The Lutheran Pioneer. Our Mission. In life we each have a mission, There's something we all can do To lighten the cares of others, And cheer the faint-hearted too. If we find nlonJ? life's journl!y A suft"-srer burdened with care, And can cheer or give him comfort, Oh I then our ml!l!llon Is there. • If we meet a fellow creature, One who has fallen lo,v, To lift him up ls our mission, Before we farther go.
How oft will a kind word spoken, Though 'tis a little thing, Give strength to the heart that ls troubled, And remove a bitter sting. We need not gold or sliver To perform our mission here, But a heart that Is full of sunshine, And a willingness to cheer. Li':::fe BUu Phillip•.
tears. Clinging fast to his wife's hand, ns if to assure himself of being really in the wor~d, he said: "Love, this frightens me; I do not know what to make of it." . · "To mnke of what?" said Mrs. Judson. "Why," said the missionary, "what you just have been reading; I never was deeply interested in any object, I never prayed sincerely and earnestly for anything, but it came, at some time-no matter how distant the day-somehow, in some shape, probably the last I should have desired, it came I Thank God, it camel" . Such was the testimony of the dying missionary. "The desire of the righteous shall be granted," Prov. 10, 24. "The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man avo.ileth much," James 5, 16. Pray and wait. The answer will come. In Judson's case the news of ·the answer came before he died, but hi~ prayer wns answered long before. So we may know of the results of prayers and toils even while we sojourn here; but if not, what sweet surprises await us in our Father's house I
A Sweet Surprise.
Mission Berries.
It is related that Dr. Judson, while laboring as a missionary to the heathen, felt a strong desire to do something also for the salvation of the J ewe. But it seemed as if his desire was not to be gratified. During a long course of years, even to the closing weeks of his life, in bis lastsickness, Dr. Judson lamented that all his efforts in behalf of the J ewe had been a failure. He was departing from the world saddened with that thought. Then, at last, there c·a me a sweet surprise which filled his heart with joy. Mrs. Judson was sitting by his side while he was in a state of great languor, with a copy .of the. Watchman and Reflector in her hand. She read to her huab11,nd one of Dr. Hague's letters from Constantinople. That letter contained some it~ms of information which filled the aged missionary with wonder. At a meeting of missionaries at Constantinople, Mr. Schauffler had stated that a little book had been publiahe4 in Germany giving an account of Dr. Judson's life and labors; that it had fallen into the hands of some Jews, and had been the means of their conversion; that a Jew had translated it for a community of Jews on the borders of the Euxine, and that a meBBage had come to Constantinople asking that a teacher might be sent to show them the way of life. When Dr. Judson heard this, his eyes filled with
A small and poor village in the Westerwald, in West Germany, between the rivers Rhine·, Lahn, and Sieg, is well known in the committee rooms and the offices of the Rhenish Missionary Society for its liberal gifts to the Lo.rd 's cause of Foreign Missions. The great event in that village is the yearly "Children's Mission Festival." Missionaries returned from South Africa, the Dutch Indies, or China are present and tell the children and their older friends of the work for the Fnh-ntion of' the heathen in those far-off countries. The children listen for hours with rapt attention and look very happy. TheiT beaming faces seem to say, ''We, too, are helping in this work for the Lord Jesus." In which way do these poor children help? In summer-time, when the blackberries are ripe, they roam over the hills and dells and gather the berries, leaving all the bushes bare and empty. All the berries the children pick are sold to parties who pay well for them, and all the money received is sent to Barmen, where the treasurer of the Rhenish Society lives; it often amounts to twenty dollars. The oldest woman of the yillage- she has eighty-four years "on her back"-totters along into the forest to pick berries for the mission, although her fingers are stiff and crooked from .rheumatism. What do these poor children say to you well-todo children?- Selected.
The Lutheran Pioneer. NOTES AND ITEMS.
66
So:\lETHING SAVED.-A rich man in New York gave $25,000 for the building of a church. A few years later he lost all he bad by reverses in businees. An acquaintance meeting him some days afterward, remarked: "It's too bad, if you had only not given those 825,000 to the church, you could now make good use of them." "Indeed not," he answered, "that is the only money I have saved. If I had not given it to the church, it would now also be lost."
PnESENT WITH THE Lono.-On the 29th of May the venerable and widely beloved Rev. H.C. Schwan, D. D., departed this life at Cleveland, 0., aged 86 years. In the departure of this thoroughly evangelical, faithful witness and highly gifted and consecrated worker for Christ and His Church our Colored Mission also lost a devoted friend and warm advocate. Whenever in former years his.duties as General President of the Missouri Synod brought THE BmLE IN CatNA.-The British and Foreign him to New Orleans, he there visited our mission Bible Society reports that in China last year the stations, attended services in one of our mission total number of copies circulated was 1,086,670 chapels, and with voice and pen informed the church copies. Of these, 34,873 were free grants made for of the progress made with God's blessing resting special purposes, which leaves the actual sales well upon the labors of our missionaries in church and over a million copies. This far outstrips all previous school. After one of his first visits he wrote: "Our records. mission is doing well. It is also moving forward. Not in a gallop, but with a firm step. And that is NATIVE MISSION WonKERS. -Native Christiana sufficient. A good beginning has been made. May of the Cannibal Islands-for the Solomon Islands God keep the mission in the right paths. Let us in Melanesia surely deserve that name-are active diligently pray for it, and then patiently await God's in foreign mission work. Fourteen men from Flohour. He has at all times done all things well." rida Island are missionaries in Guadalcanar, Mala, Yes, God hath done all things well, also with His and Raga. The people of Savo Island have now departed servant.' Absent from the body, he is now asked for teachers, and four more volunteers from present with the Lord, whom he so dearly .loved Florida are to go to that field. and so faithfuily served. Our loss is his gain; for he could say with the apostle: "For me to live is New Orleans Notes. Christ, and to die is gain." CITY MISSIONS IN MILWAUKEE. -'l'he annual report of our city missions in Milwaukee has been kindly sent to us, and we read it with great pleasure. God has richly blessed the labors of our Lutheran city missionary, the Rev. E. Duemling. In public preaching in the diffei:ent institutions of the city and in attending to the sick and the dying he made known the Gospel of Jesus to the salvation of souls. In the House of Correction the missionary met also a young colored man, who asked him, "Pastor, is it true that we colored people cannot get to heaven?" "No," said the missionary, "that is not true; for we read John 3, 16: 'God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' To this world of sinners not only the white people belong, but also the colored people." The young man has been instructed in the way of life and has been baptized. After his baptism he said to the missionary, "I cannot find words enough to thank you f~r instructing me in God's Word." May he be among those who prove faithful unto death and receive the crown of life, and may God continue to prosper the blessed work of our city missions.
BETHLEHEM Station has renovated the interior of its chapel. Each member cheerfully made an extra contribution to defray the expenses. DunING the present year MoQnt Zion Station has attained what is easily its high water mark in . day school enrollment.
---
Mn. E. HEINTZEN of St. Paul's School, we learn, bas accepted a call to the English Lutheran Church of this city. BETHLEHEM Sunday School is keeping up splendidly, considering the time of the year. Those connected with the school ascribe the interest taken by the children in no small degree to the use of the Buffalo Sunday School Lesson introduced about six months ago. Its "day school numbe~ 162, a number not reached for many years. LUTHER COLLEGE will be able, even this early in its career, to graduate a teacher, there being one graduate from the Normal Department. Four will graduate from the Preparatory Department.
56
The Lutheran Pioneer.
SCHOOL closing days are upon ue, and the heat has been telling on teachers and pupils for months past, yet the attendance must be termed a good one. WE note with sorrow the death of the Rev. H. C. Schwan, D. n: H~ ";BB a good . friend of our ' missions, and never faile·d to visit 9ne or more etntions ~s often as he came. to New Orlenne on his itinerary as president of the Missouri synod.
"THE Industrious Willing Workers," composed of members of Bethlehem Chape], ·are still hnrd at work, and they succeed admirably in assisting the station in taking care of its indigent members.
there ma.y be drawn from It all other sermons Intended to Instruct the simple :incl to strengthen their faith, the pastors are to make the preaching of tbe Catechlsm•thelr chief care, In order that the congregation, pnrticularly the young people, may the better learn to understand it, and to understand at all times whnt Is being preached." Aud Dr. Uudelbach, the great Lutheran thcologlnu, says: "It Is Incredible to bear what great good, sermons on the Catechis m have clone. Let It not be said that they arc rarely listened to · by the highly educated. F or it must be remembered that, gauged by present stai;idnrds, these arc not tbe rcnl churchgoers. But wherever n. true Christian education has taken the place·of the so-called education of the unbeliever, there learned men too wlll be gathered In great numbers t o hear the Word . And they wlll be found In just those places in whlcb the Word Is preached most simply and yet most profoundly, as it cnn be done In sermons on the Catechism. Their taste, formerly spoiled and depraved by all manner of unwholesome food, wlll flnd here true life-giving nourlsl1ment, n nourishment which, on account of Its charming slmpllcity, never produces loathing nor satiety."
A.ckuowledgments. ON June 25th, the day on which, now 375 years ago, the Augsburg Confeesion of the Lutheran church Received for Colore<l Missions from Holy Trinity Church was delivered before the Diet (Congress) at Augs- In Springfield, Ill., SG.80; from Grace Church In Gt·eeusboro, N . C., 12.00; from M:ount Zion Church in Ne,w Orleans, La., burg, the confirmed members of Betµlehem Chapel _25.00; from St. Paul's Church in New Orleans , La., 35.00; will hold a reunion. Invitations will go out as far from Bethlehem Church In New Orlean!I, La., 26.00; from as California, where several of her members have St. Paul's Church In Mansura, La., 10.00; from Grnre l\1ls!llon In St. Louis, Mo., 8.00: from Concordia Church In Rockwell, gone to li~e who still attend to the Lutheran church · N. C., 5.00; from· Zion Church In Gold Hill, N. C., ,i.oo; from . Grace Church In Concord, N C., 10 00, anrl collection during in their distant homes. J. Koss111ANN. the conference, 10.00 ; of Prof. N. J. Bakke from Mrs. Rho-
Constantine and the Miser.
·dle Norwood, Charlotte, N. C., 1.00. For Chapel i n Salisbury, N. C.: Of Rev. J. Kossmann, New Orleans, La., collection cluring tl1e conference, !1 .50; -from Grace Church In Greensboro, N. C., 5.00; from Trinity .Church in Elon Collt'g!l, N. C., 1.51. For Immanuel College : Of Rev. J. Kossmann, New Orleans, La., collection during the conference, 6 00. St. Louis, June 17, 1~05. A. C. BURGDORF, Treas.
Constantine the Great, in order to rec]aim a miser, took a lance and marked out a space of ground the size of I!- human bo~y, and said to him: "Add heap to heap, accumulate ri~hes upon riches, Received of Ml!ls A. S. Overn, Salt Lake City, Utah, for extend the bounds of your posseseion·e, conquer the Colored l\llsslons 82.00. Many thanks! R. A. B. whole world, and in ·a few days such a s~ot ae this. E,·1111gellcal Luthernn Colorccl Churches. will be all that you will have.,, NEW ORLEANS, LA.
St. Paul'• Chapel, 16"..5 Annette St., near N. Claiborne St.; F. J. Lan-
OUR BOOK TABLE. HTXNAL >'OR EV.ANGELICAL LUTHERAN :l\f1ssIONS. Concordia Pobllshlng House, St. Lools, Mo. Price, . . so c.t s. · . Th~ ·well-printed and handsomely bound Hymnal contains 199 of oar best church hymn11, many of them being tran11latlons of oor well-kno,vn Gi:rman Lotheran hymns. The book may also well be used as a 11chool hymnal In English Lutheran Parochial Schools. KATBClll8lllU8PRll:DIGTBN UBBBR DAB BRSTB UND ZWBlT.E
BAUPT8TUBCK VOD C. C. Schmidt, Pastor.an der ev.luth. Gemelnde zom helllgen Krenz In St. Louis, Mo. Concordia Pobllshlng Boose, St-. Louis, Mo.. Price, $1.215. . ,,. Thia ftnt'volume..of sermons· OD the Catechism sopplles a long-felt want, and ,upplles It well. In simple and direct style It sets forth and applies the Bible truths contained In the first two principal parts of our Catechism. May the co~panlon volu~e soon follow 1: Sermons on the Catechism hao,e always been recommended in the Lutheran church. ln"the Saxon Articles of 1580 we read: "Since there Is JIQ· p~lag more necessary than that on the Catechism, which contains the sum and substance of the whole Bible, of the. 01a· u well as of the New Testament, and since '
l:cnau, Pu&tor. Divluo Senlces: Sunday, 1111.. 11. a nd '7.30 P.11. ; Wednesday, '7.30 P. ll. Mount Zion Church, Franklin and Thalia St&. ; K. I.retzschmar, Pastor. D ivine Service,: Sunday, 1111..111. and 'i.30' P , 111 . ; Thur&day, '7.30 l'. 11. , Bethlehem Chapel, Washington Ave. and Dryades St.; J . w. F. KOH• mann Pastor. , . • n{vlno Service,: Sunday, 10 11.: H. and 7.30 P. 11. ; Thur&dai, ?.SO p ; II. SPRINGFIELD, ILL. . . Roly· Trinity Churc1•; LE. Thalley, l'astor. Divine Services: Sunday, 10.30.A.. 11. and 8 P. M.
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Vol. XXVII.
St. Louis, Mo., .Aug ust, 1905.
'Tis Jesus Makes Me Whole.
that hath pleasure in wickedness; neither shall evil dwell \Vith Thee." There is only one righteousness which is acceptable unto God and in which we can stand before Him. It is the righteousness which God's own Son procured for us by His life, sufferings, and death. He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. This righieousness which Christ procured for us is perfectly pure, without the least spot or stain. Clothed by faith in this righteousness, we are- acceptable unto God, and can stand before Him as His beloved children; for He sees us clothed in the righteousness of His own Son with whom He is well pleased.
Lord, at Thy feet I now lie down, And pour out all my soul; For there I find relief, and own 'Tis Jesus makes me whole. This wayward, wlllful, sinning heart, Beyond my own control, Is q uieted ns faith beholds, 'Tis Jesus makes me whole. Thy blood I own-Thy precious blood, And love so free and fnll, Have met my need, and made me cry, 'Tis Jesus makes me whole. Lord, I adore Thy blessed grace, Which gave me faith to roll The bnrden of my sins on Thee : 'Tis Jesus makes me whole.
No. S.
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Trust In Christ's Rlght~ousness. How c.an a man trust in his own righteousness? It is like seeking shelter under one's own shadow. A man may stoop to the very ground , and the lower he bends he still finds that his shadow is be• neath him. But if a man flees to tbe shadow of a great rock or of a wide-spreading tree, he will find shelter from the hot summer sun. So human merits cannot give salvation, human righteousness cannot shelter us from the wrath of God. Do you know what the Bible says of our own righteousness? The prophet says, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righieousnesses are as filthy rags." We surely cannot expect to stand before God clothed in a lot of dirty rags. His wrath would hurl us with our dirty rags into everlasting damnation; for He is pure and holy, and hates and punishes all impurity. Of Him the psalmist says, 11 T~ou art not a God
"Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress; 'Midst flaming worlds, In these arrayed, . With joy shall I lift up my head."
. Trust in Christ's righteousness only. How can a man trust partly in Christ's righteousness and partly in his own? It is like trying to cross a river by walking partly on a sound plank and partly on a rotten plank. He that does this will as surely fall into the water as if he walked on the rotten plank only. He cannot cross the water with one .foot on the sound plank and the other on the rotten plank. He will fall through and perish. So he that trusts partly in the righteousness of Christ and partly in his own righteousness will surely fail of eternal life. It is not the work of Christ and something added that saves us, but the work of Christ alone, apart from anything and everything we can do or feel. Christ's righteousness is the only sound plank on which sinners can cross the dark river of death and enter everlasting life. Don't try to walk at the same time on the rotten plank of your own righteousness, lest you fall through and perish for-
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
ever. Christ's righteousnees is the only pure drees invitation? Are we not dead in trespasses and sins? in which we can stand before God. Do not add to Is it not utterly imposs.ible for us to come to Obrist, that beautiful dress the dirty rags of your own right- or to believe in H im? True, by our own reason or eousness, lest God in His wrath hurl you from His strength we could never come. Left to ourselves, presence into e,•erlasting dnmnation. Trust only in we could do bu t one thing; namely, reject the inthe righteousness of Christ and you shall be saved. vitation. But remember, the Gospel is no empty, merely fo rmal invitation ; for it comes from God, "My hope is built on nothing less Than J esus' blood a11d ri9liteo11s11ess ; is God's Word, and is therefore the power of God. 'Midst all the bell I feel within, In this call of the Gospel the Holy Spirit Himself On His completed work I lean ; comes to man and pleads with him to accept the On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, invitation. Yes, even more, in calling us to come, A.JI other ground is sinking saud." He also gives us the power to come. As the call of Jesus, " Maiden, arise I " brought life into the boay of Jairus' daughter; as the Saviour's, "Young man, The Holy Ghost Calls Me. arise I" gave power to obey to the young man of The Bible often speaks of this gracious work of Nain; as Jesus' command, "Lazarus, come forth I " the Holy Spirit. In several of the parables partic- quickened the dead bones and sent the stagnant ular attention is called to it. In the parable of the blood coursing through the veins of Lazarus, - so Great Supper we are given an especially fine picture also the gracious call of the Holy Spirit" in the Gosof the call of the Holy Ghost by the Gospel. God pel awakens us who are spiritually dead, and gives has prepared a great supper for the starving souls us the power to come to Jesus and appropriate the of men. This supper is Christ and His merits. The riches of His grace. supper is ready, all things are prepared, and God God is earnestly desirous that we accept His call. sends out His servants to invite the guests. "Come, Wherever the Goepel is preached the Holy Ghost is for all things are now ready," such js the gracious active. God does not want only some to come. invitation, Luke 14, 16-24. No, no; God wants all men to be saved, and thereThis parable makes two things plain: 1. All fore He would have all to come to Christ, since He things are ready, and noth'ing is required of us but is the only way of salvation. Wherever the Goepel to sit down, eat and drink. 2. No one can come, is preached the Holy Ghost is sincerely and earexcept he be bidden. No one could even know of nestly active, knocking at the heart of every hearer. this supper, if God did not invite and call men. And while, on the one hand, it is only the Holy "Come, for all things are now ready," such is the Ghost that can awaken the sinner from the sleep of gracious,invitation which coqies to us by the voice sin, make him willing, and give him the strength of the Gospel. . to come to Jesus, it, oi;i the other band, is man's By the Gospel the Holy Spirit calls poor, hungry, fault, and his f~ult alone, if he heeds not the instarving souls to come to the Great Supper prepared vitation, "Come, for all things are now ready." . for their soul's salvation in Christ Jesus. Man's One more thing let us not forget. In the above soul is of divine origin, it is heavenly and spiritual, I have several ti mes spoken of the .call to Christ as and things earthly and temporal cannot satisfy it. a gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Such it is inThe only source of food for the soul is in God. By deed, for St. Paul writes 2 Tim . 1, 9: "God hath nature, however, man since the fall is no longer in saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not communion with God; wherefore, being separate according to our works, but according to His own from God, his poor soul is cut off from all supply purpose and grace, which w~s given us in Christ of food and left to starve. From this state of sepa- Jesus before the world began." Not our works inration from God and of starvation the Holy Ghost duced God to call us, for we were then yet dead in calls man by the Gospel to the riches of God's grace sin and· had no good works to show, but His grace, in Christ Jesus. Christ fulfilled the demands of grace free and boundless, prompted God to call us God's holy Law, and on the cursed wood of the to Christ and His salvafion. cross atoned for our sins; and by such active and €omc, ye sinners, one and all, Come, ye all ba~e h1vltatlon; paasive obedience Christ prepared all things needCome, obey His gracious call, ful for our soul's salvation. All things are now Come and take His free salvation! ready, we need but follow the gracious call, and by Firmly In these words believe : means of faith eat and drink what God sets before us. "Jesus sinners doth receive I" But how can we come, how accept the gracious F. J. L.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. Mission Work. Mission work is not a work of man's own choosing, but rests on the command of God. God commands us to do mission work . Christ plainly says to His Christians : "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," Mark 16, 15. Mission work is the grentest of all works, for its direct object is the salvation of immortal souls, for which Christ, the Son of God, shed His own precious blood. "He who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death," James 5, 20. Man's soul is of far greater worth than all the world. "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" says Christ. Mission work is the most necessary work, for through the preaching of the Gospel it brings to man the one thing needful which man cannot obtain without God's Word. Mission work is not done in vain. It bears glorious fruits, even if we do not always see these fruits in this world. Christ, who gave the missionary command, added the promise: "Lo, I am with you alway. " Since He is with us we cannot fail. Success is certain. God will take care of the results of our labor. He bas given us the sure promise: "As the rain cometh· down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my Word be that goetb forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I "p lease, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it," Is. 55,. 10. 11. Mission work especially has the promise of a reward of grace. ''They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever,'' Dan. 12, 3. Let us, then, not grow weary in mission work. "In due season we shall reap, if we faint not," Gal. 6, 9.
Work for All. During one of the great battles of the Civil War a recruit, who had lost his company in the tumult of strife, approached General Sheridan and timidly asked where he should "step in." "Step in?" thundered the General. "Step in anywhere; there's fighting all along the line." The Church, in extending the kingdom of ChrisJ, is at war with the kingdom of sin and Satan, and
69
every Christian must be found in the ranks of Christ's soldiers marching to battle and to victory under the banner of the cross. Are you looking for an extra place? "Step in anywhere; there's fighting all along the line." A heavy piece of machinery was being moved into a building by means of a block and tackle. Suddenly one of the ropes parted, and the machine began to slide backward. The two men who bad charge of the work sprang to stay its progress. "Give us a lift I" one of them shouted to a bystander. "Where shall I take hold?" cried he. "Grab hold anywhere I" yelled the mover. The Church in its mission work needs help from all its members. There is much to be done, and there is work for all. In our Colored Mission we need help for our treasury; we need help for the building of a college in North Carolina for the training of missionaries for the colored people; we need help for the building of mission chapels, especially for the rebuilding of a chapel in Salisbury, where our colored congregation mourns the loss of its beautiful chapel, which was recently destroyed by a violent storm. "Give us a lift!" Do you ask, "Where shall I take hold?" "Take hold anywhere!" You need not wait for some special work. There is work enough for all, work for you. Take hold anywhere I Give us a lift I "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,'.' Ec~l. 9, 10.
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Uncle Abe's Question.
Th"ree young gentlemen were descending from the seventh story of one of Cincinnati's largest buildings i~ an elevator controlled by an old colored man. They were discussing the question of what the result would be if the elevator should fall, and one of them said, "I don't care for myself, but I am anxious for my old friend here," alluding to the colored man, and turning to him said: "Uncle, where do you think you would alight?" Old Uncle Abe replied promptly: "I would 'light in the arms of Jesus, Massa I Where would you 'light?" The young man was silenced, and left the elevator without another word. We hope he profited by Uncle Abe's question. TnE employer who prays the fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer will pay his employees what they . earn, and the employee who prays it will earn what he is paid.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. A Useful Life Ended.
On the 3d of June the Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, the veteran missionary and founder of the famous "China Inland Mission," departed this life in China,
eyes he told us of the day when he left England, his native land, on his voyage to China. His mother, who from his birth had prayed that he might consecrate his life to the service of God, went with him to Liverpool to see her boy sail.
A Native Evangelist in China Preaching to Hie People. the land for whose spiritual welfare he had labored for forty years. Many years ago we had the pleasure of meeting and hearing the beloved missionary during his humea visit to our country. All that met him could not but be deeply impressed with the earnest zeal and great love for mission work that filled his soul, especially for mission work among the dark mill~ons of China. With beaming
They bowed together in prayer in his room on the vessel, each bearing up bravely and cheerfully for the sake of the other, until the weighing of the anchor announced that she must go ashore. She stood upon the pier smiling through her tears, and waving him a farewell, but when the ship turned her prow to the sea, a wail of anguish ascended from her heart that reached hie ears. "At that
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The Lutheran Pioneer~ moment," said the missionary, "I thought of the deep meaning of the words, 'God so loved the world that He gave his only-begotten Son.' I commended my dear mother to the care of our heavenly Father, and joyfully sped on my way to bring to the poor people of China the glad news of God's great love for sinners." He landed at Shanghai, China, in 1854, and adopting the native costume, at once set to work. He declined any salary, and gave up butter and milk as "luxuries," living chiefly on rice and oatmeal, thus reducing his living expenses to as little as possible. After several years of hard work he returned to his home in England to recuperate. His bad health compelled him to stay at home for some years. But these years of weak~ess were not wasted ; for during them he planned the China Inland Mission, which was founded in 1865. His heart yearned over the millions and hundreds of millions in the distant provinces of the vast country of China, who were passing into eternity without God and without hope, at the rate of thirty-three thousand every day. He founded a society whose aim it is to spread abroad the Gospel among the large inland provinces of China, where the foot of a Gospel missionary never trod before. From the beginning the plan of this society was to offer no salary to the workers, take no collections, beg no money, but, making the needs known, pray for the funds to carry on the work. And the society has prospered, and is increasingly prosperous. There is no lack of money, although "there is no begging for money." When we met ~ev. Taylor, he told us the voluntary contributions in that year amounted to $170,000. "God hears the prayers of His·children," added the devoted missionary. The mission has penetrated to the farthest parts of China, and has secured an increasing number of workers, some of them from "the best families of Great Britain." It now operates 200 central stations, 520 out-stations, and its staff includes 825 missionaries and their wives. In the China: Inland Mission Hudson Taylor will be greatly missed. At the age of 73 years he has been taken home from his beloved mission field . in Chinn. "The workmen are called to rest, but" God's work will go on."
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The Indian Boy's Friend.
The Nature of Faith.
A missionary among the Indians rel.ates the following: I found the Indian boy dying of consumption, and in a state of the most awful poverty and destitution, in a small birch-rind covered hut, with nothing but a few fern leaves under him, and an old blanket over him. . After recovering from my surprise I said, "My poor boy, I am sorry to see you in this state; had you let me know, you should not have been lying here." He replied, "It is very little I want now, and these poor people get it for me; but I should like something softer to lie upon as my bones are very sore." I spoke with him about his soul, and he told me that he was very happy; that Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, had died to save him, and that he ~rmly believed in Him who hath taken away the sins of the world. Observing a small Bible under the corner of his blanket I said, "Jack, you have a friend there; I am gl~d to see that; I hope you find ~omething good there.'' Weak as he was, he raised himself on his elbow, held the Bible in· his thin hand, while a smile played on his face, and slowly spoke in precisely the following words: "This, sir, is my dear friend. You gave it to me. For a long time I read it much, and often thought of what it told. Last· year I went to see my sister at Lake Winnipeg (about. two hundred miles off), where I remained about two months. When I was half way back through the lake, I remembered that I had left my Bible behind me. I directly turned round, and was nine days by myself, tossing to and fro, before I could -reach the house; but I found my friend, and determined I would not part with it again·, and ever since it has been near my breast, and I thought I should have it buried with me; but I have thought sine~, I had better give it to you when I am gone, and 1t may do some one else good." Soon after, the dear boy fell asleep, repeating with his weak voice the words of the twenty-third Psalm : "Though I walk through ~e valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."
It is the nature of faith that it feels nothing at all but only follows the Word, which it hears, and de~ends upon it. Whoever believes it, has it; whoever does not believe it, does not have it.-Luther.
I no not envy a clergyman's life as an easy life, nor do I envy the clergyman who makes it an easy life. - Samuel Jolimon.
The Lutheran Pioneer.
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Barley Loaves. Only five barley loaves I Only two fishes small I And shall I olfer these poor gifts To Christ, the Lord of all? To Him whose mighty word Can stl11 the angry .sea, Can cleanse the lepers, raise the dead? Be hath no need of me. Yes, He hael, need of thee; Then bring thy loaves of bread; Behold, with them, when Jesus 11peaks, The multitudes are fed. "Two hundred pennyworth," Saith one,. "h:id not sumced. 11 .A.h, true! what is abundance worth, Unless 'tis blessed by Christ? Only one talent small, Scarce worthy to be named; Truly, He hath no need of this; 0 soul, art thou ashamed? He gave that t11lent first; ':,• Then use It In His strength; . Thereby-thou know'it not-He may work A miracle at le~gth. Many the starving souls Now waiting to be fed. Needing, though knowing not their need, Of ChtJ,st, the living Bread. Oh, hast thou known His love? .To others make It known; Receiving bleBBlngs, others bless; . No seed abides alone. And- when thine eyes shall ae9 The holy, ransomed throng, heavenly fields, by 11.vlng streams, By Jesus led along, Unspeakable thy joy shall be, And. glorlOU(! thy rel'f'&rd, If; by thy barlev loatJe,, one soul Has been brought home to God.
In
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The Lord's Prayer as a Peace Maker.
band replied that he, too, did not care to continue such 11 miserable life. "All right," said the wife, "to-morrow we will part." "Very well," said the man, "I have nothing against it. But before we separate let us pray together; for that is something we have never yet done." Before the wife had time to reply he knelt down. He could think of nothing but the Lord's Prayer. He began repeating it aloud and with so much earnestness that he himself was surprised. When he came to the fifth petition his wife sobbed aloud, and when he repeated the seventh petition the wife was entirely overcome. She threw her arms around bis neck, and asked his forgiveness. They did not part. They never after forgot that evening, and tbetr first family prayer, and many a quarrel was avoided by calling it to mind. Bad Company.
A·young lady of sixteen, who had been piously brought up, was invited to a party at which certain persons of infidel sentiments and evil habits were expected to be present. Her father objected to her going. "I know, papa," she said, "that they speak against the Bible and against Jesus, but you may be quite sure they will do me no harm. I shall not allow them to affect me in the least." "My child," said her father, inventing an excuse for the sudden request, "my work can't be interrupted; I have need of a coal; will you be kind enough to fetch me one?" "Do you want a live coal, papa?" "No, one that is dead-burnt out." The coal was brought. The young lady had brought it in her hand. "Didn't it burn you, my child?" asked the father. "Why, no, papa. How could it? It's dead!" "Of course, it •couldn't; but look at your hand, Florence." "Oh, how black my fingers are I I must go and wash them." "Wait a moment, Flossie; here is a lesson for you while you are washing them. It is this: 'Companionship with the wicked and the world will certainly soil you.' Remember all your lifetime what the apostle eaya: 'Evil commu.nicatione corrupt good manners.'"
: There was once a husband and wife who could not, it seemed, live together in peace. They were continually quarreling and jangling together. One day the man went to hie pastor and told him all about the unhappy life he was leading. · He said that he had tried very hard to keep peaoe, but did not succeed. The pastor asked, "Well, h:ave you _and your wife ever prayed together?" The huibanci ahook hia head aadly, and added that he did not think hia wife·would join in prayer with him. . · Qne evening, after thia conversation with the LUTHER says, "The slanderer has the devil on pastor, the wife aaid, ·"I cannot live with you any his tongue, and he who listens to him has the devil longer, I intend to ~y to get a divorce.'-~ The .hue- .in hie ear. There is ·very little difference."
The Lutheran Pioneer. NOTES AND ITEMS. CONOVER, N. C.-The Rev. Lash, our miesionary at Salisbury, comes to Conover once every month to preach the Gospel to the colored people of this "Lutheran village." The people hear him gladly, and the services are well attended. On a recent Sunday evening a colored woman was received as a member of the Lutheran church by confirmation, after having been instructed in the Catechism. · LUTHERAN CITY M1ssIONS IN ST. Louis. -The report of our city missions in St. Louis must 611 every Christian heart with joy and gratitude. The labors of our missionaries, the Revs. Herzberger and Dreyer and Teachflr Koelling, have been richly blessed during the past year. The Gospel has been preached, not only in the Mission Chapel, but also in the hospitals and other institutions of the city. The way of salvation has been made known to the sick and the dying. Ch)ldren attending the mission school have been pointed to Jesus, the true Friend in all our need. Most of the fruit of this work will be seen ori the great harvest d_ay. But already here our missionaries often see the fruit of their patient labors. Again and again they have received joyful thanks from such as, through their service, were brought to a. saving knowledge of their Saviour. Parents have thankfully acknowleged that they and their cliildren have been greatly blessed by the work done in · the mission school. From the report we see that also many of the colored people are blessed by this Mission. . One of the missionaries writes that whenever he preaches to a number of con-. sumptives in a room of one of the hospitals, poor colored women assemble in the next room and listen attentively to the message of the loving Saviour. May God continue to bless the labors of our city missionaries.
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so busily that the eye could hardly follow the rapid movements of her needle. She stopped a moment, threw a hasty glance upon the diminishing candle, and then continued to sew with redoubled zeal. 'I must make baste,' I heard her say, 'for my light is going out,-and I have no other.' These words fell upon me like a voice from heaven, arousing my soul from its depression and lethargy. God .had spoken to my heart and given me a lesson through this bard -working young woman. I roused my spirits.and said to myself: I, too, must work while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work." Who among us knows how long the light of our life will continue burning? Let us work "while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work." MISSION ScaooLs IN CHINA.-The Chinese Governmeµt has recently op_ened 180 element;ry·i,ch9ols in the province of Shantung. They are free to all, but v~ry many of them are empty. Mission schools in the same province. are well atten~ed, although they charge tuition. The ,:eason of the contrast is distrust of government officials, and knowledge that missionary schools really educate.
THE WoRK OF TWENTY YEARs.-The following from the Missionary Herald speaks well for the results of missions in Africa : ''In many parts of the world marvelous changes have occurred within the last two decades, but we doubt if one more marvelous can be named than that which has occurred in the heart of Africa, in the kingdom of Uganda. Twenty years ago to-day there were only three missionaries in that country, and there were but eightyseven baptized native Baganda. Bishop Hanning-· ton had not then started upon his inland journey, upon which he was to beco!De ii. martyr.- But _according to the Church .MissionanJ Intelligencer the present statistics show that there are now eightyeight missionaries and nearly 44,000 baptized Christians and over 2500 native evangelists and teachers·, MY LIGHT Is GoING OuT.-"One evening, dur- thirty-:,two of them ordained." ing wet and stormy weather," relates a. London city missionary, "I was going about my duties in . Closing Exercises my ·district. Depressed both by the vehemence of . ., at Luther College. the weather and ·the unfriendliness of men, tired On June 29th, Luther College of New Orlea1;1a, and chilled in body and soul, I felt indisposed to usually of very business-like appearance and full of go further on my mission to perishing souls, and I bustling activity, threw off its work-day clothes for gave way to a fit of despondency. I turned into a once and put on holiday garb, for .it wu to 1be the ~ou~e to rest. As I passed one of the rooms I noticed, through the half-open door, a poor seam- scene of special .exercises incident to the close of its stress working at a small table by th~ light of a first scliool-year. A large number of specially inthin candle. I observed her a while, as she sewed vited guests from our local colored congregations,
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The Lutheran. Pioneer. OUR BOOK TABLE.
together with quite a few of .our white friends,
crowded into the spacious hall and appreciated the execution of a very generous program composed of orations, original essays, and instrumental as well as vocal music rendered by the students, assisted by a choir made up of young people from our local congregations. A report covering the work of the last year was given by Pastor Lankenau, the Director of the institution. Thirty-three students attended lessons given in three departments - preparatory, highschool, and normal. The Normal Department has one graduate this ·y ear, Mr. Napoleon Seeberry, from Bethlehem Congregation of this city, who began his studies at our Addison Seminary and is now a candidate for a position in one of our mission schools. The progress of the institution is very encouraging, but a good professor is needed to assist in the instruction and relieve Rev. Lankenau, who is overburdened with work. The annual report was followed by a· short address by Rev. J. Kossmann, who dwelt on a few things that are necessary to make the work of our institution successful. Thereupon Mr. Seeberry received his diploma, and a number of other students were given certificates indicative of having finished the preparatory course. The exeroises were brought to a close by the singing of the common Doxology by the whole assembly. May God continue to bless Luther College. May it continue to be instrumental in fitting out enthusiastic messengers of the Gospel of Qhrist to old and young, and may it impress upon all that gather within its walla the importance of the truth q!at the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. K. KRETZSCHMAR.
IN MEl\lORIAlll.
Drelszlg Lelchenreden, dargeboten von Pastor C. Gross sen, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, M:o. Price, 75 cts., postpaid. Many wlll thank the venerable Pastor Gross (or complyIng with the request of n number of friends in publlshlng these thirty funeral addresses delivered on various occasions In the course of a long and faithful ministry. The sermons are eminently textual. They are true and faith(ul expositions of the Word of God i.n clear and precise language. They are full oI ins truction, nnd especially full of consolation for the children of God in their day of sorrow. The charmln~ little book cnu be comipended In every respect, and will no doubt carry a blessing to Its readers. SYN0DALBERICHT DES SUEDLlCHEN DISTRICTS. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, l\Io. Price, 25 cts. This pamphlet contains an Instructive and edifying doctrinal paper on the Fifth Petition of the Lord's Prayer, au interesting report of missions carried on witbin the boundary of the Southern District of the Missouri Synod, also a brief abstract of a sermon on Colored Missions delivered during the meeting o( Synod by Rev. J{ossmann, one of our missionaries in New Orleans.
Acknowledgment. Received for Colored Missions from M:ount Zion Church, New Orleans, La., $25.00; from St. Paul's Church, New Orleans, La., 35.00; from Bethlehem Church, New Orleans, La., 25.00; from St. Paul's Church, Mansura, La., 10.00; from Grace Church, Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; from Mission in Rudd, N. C., 5.00; from Grace Mission In St. Louis, Mo., 3.00; from Grace Church In Concord, N. C., 10.00. For Chapel in Salisbnry: From Bethlehem Sunday School in New Orleans, La., 3.90; from Grace Chnrch In Greensboro, N. C., .50. For Immanuel College: From Bethlehem Church In New Orleans, La., 3.10. For Luther College: Collection of the Joint Conference in Bethlehem Cburch, Ne,v Orleans, La., 5.40; from Beth. lehem Church In New Orleans, La., 3.80, and from Bethlehem Sunday School, 8.15; from St. Paul's Church In New Orleans, La., 20.50. St. Louis, July 12, 1905. A. c. BURGD0RII', 7reas.
Evangelical Lutheran Colored. Churcl1es. NEW ORLEANS, LA•.
s,. Paul'• Chapel, 16".JI Annette St., near N. Olalborne St.; F. J. Lnnkcnau, Pastor.
Divine Services: Sunday, 11 J., 11. and 7.30 P. 11.; Wednesday, 7.30 P, II,
An Example of the Success of Missions.
Moun, Zion Church, Franklln and Thalia St&.; K. Rretzschmar,Pa&lor. Divine Service&: Sunday, 11 .1.. 111. and 7.30
P, lll,;
Thursday,
7.S0P,lll, Bcthlcl&em Chapel, ,vaahington Ave. and Dryades St.; J . W. F. KoH•
mann, Pastor. In 1833 three white men from France appeared Divine Servlco&: Sunday, 10 J.. 111. and 7.30 P, 11.; Thursday, 7,30P, >I, before the great chief Moshesh in Basutoland with SPRINGFIELD, ILL, a message. They proclaimed Christ the Saviou.r Holy TrinieJI Church; L. E. Tballoy, Pastor. Divine Services: Sunday, 10.30 J., 111, and IP, lll, and the Gospel of aalvation. The chief compared their mesaage to an egg and aaid he would wait for TERMS: it to hatch before forming an opinion. The egg has TnB LUTHBRJ.N PIONEER Is published monthly, payable hatched. After 70 years there are in connection In advance at the following rates, postage Included, to-wit: 1 Copy .. . ... : .. . ...... . .... . .. . .. t .25 with the Paris mission in Basutoland 27 mission10 Copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 25 u ••••..••.••••••.••••.•.•• 5.00 aries and 425 native workers, with 22,356 professed 50 u •.•..•• • •..•.••. ••• •••. • • 9.00 Christians, of whom 14,950 are communicants. In Club rates only allowed If all copies are to be sent to one the year 1903/04 these Basuto Christians gave nearly address.-In St. Louis by mall or carrier, 85 cents. All business communicatlona to be addressed to Con$20,000 for home and foreign missions. That is to cordia Publlshlng House, Jefferson Ave. and Miami St., say, they supported all of the 197 out-stations of St. Louis, Mo. · All communications concerning the editorial departthe Paris Basuto mission, and besides this they sent ment to be addressed to Prof. R. A. B1scnol'F, Conover, '400 to the mission in Barotsiland on the Zambeai. Catawba Co., N. C.
+ ·
Qf;ht Juthtran tonrr~. A
1'1.[rssrONARY
MONTHLY.
P unu s r-IED BY THE EVANGE LICAL L UTHERAN SYNODICAL Co~"FERENCE or
NoRTH
Al\mRICA.
R. A. DISCJIOFF, Etlitor. l ~nlcrcd a l lho P ost Office nt Sl. Louis, lllo., ns sccond-clnss mnltcr.
Vol. XXVII.
St. Louis, ·Mo., September, 1905.
No. 9.
Prayer.
joice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." He does not merely say, "Rejoice," but Are you weary and discouraged, he says, "Rejoice with 1ne." He himself rejoices. Does the cross seem bard to bear? This is a picture of the Saviour's joy over the Take it to the loving Saviour lost one that is found, over the sinner that reIn a word of earnest prayer. pents. Jesus is the good Shepherd, He came into When the clouds bang low and heavy the world to seek and to save that which is lost, He And you sec no sunshine t.here; laid down His life for the sheep and bought them Through the dreary mists and shadows with His own precious blood. The sheep are His. Goel will surely bear your prayer. In the Gospel He goes after His sheep which is lost, Go to God with all your troubles, and when He finds it He rejoices. The sinner that He knows every _fret and care. repents fills the Saviour's heart with joy. Such a Brother, do not be discouraged, You will find relief in prayer. one that was lost and is found is the fruit of His hard labors and bitter sufferings, the reward of His God is full of sweet compassion, He wlll all your sorrows share. pains, and agony, and anguish, a jewel in the crown Just kneel down in meek submissionof His redeeming love. Therefore the Saviour reLift your heart to God in prayer. joices over the lost one that is found, over the sinThere's no need to fret and worry ner that comes to repentance. Though the cross seems bard to bear. What an encouragement this is .for sinners to You will find sweet peace and comfort trust in Jesus! This man receiveth ~inners, yea, If you go to God In prayer. He has His own especial joy in receiving to His Do"not let your heart be burdened bosom of love the poor lost wanderer-a joy so When there's trouble anywhere. peculiar that He can say, "Rejoice with me." God will answer your pet.lt.lon Many fear that Jesus may not be gracious to Wafted on the wings of prayer. Eathcr Peter,011. such as they are. But fear not I The faithful Shep- -- -•-- -herd seeks the lost, no matter how far they have strayed and how much they are. bruised and wounded The Saviour's Joy. by the briars of sin. To find such a lost one is His In the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15) we are highest pleasure, His chief delight, His greatest joy. "Hallel uj ah I what a Saviour I" told that the shepherd went after the sheep w~ich was lost until he found it. And when he found it, he did not strike it and punish it in anger. No; in Fal th. loving kindness he laid it on his shoulders "rejoicThere are many who want to feel that they are ing." The shepherd was glad he got back his lost . believers before they have believed the truth, and one. Tenderly he bore it home on his shoulders, to feel that they are safe before they trust in J eaua. and then called together his friends and neighbors But we are saved •b y faith, not by feeling. And to share his overflowing joy. He said to.them, "Re.
I
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
faith never refers to self, but always to the Word of God. Faith rests not on what our heart says, but on what God says in His true and everlasting Word. Faith looks not on that which is within us, but on that which is without us, on the finished work of Christ done for us and offered to us in the Gospel.
Christ's Witnesses. "Ye shall be witnesses unto me," said the risen Jesus to His aisciples, who were to be His witnesses in an eminent sense, they having been with Him, St;'eing His works and hearing His words. When promising them the Spirit of truth who should testify of Him, Christ said to · them : "Ye also shall • bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning." But the Saviour's words apply to all Christians, though not in the same eminent sense. All Christians are Christ's witnesses, witnesses of the salvation which is in Jesus, and which they enjoy by faith in Him. They know that they were blind, and that they now see. They know that they were without God and without hope in this world, and that they now are the children of God, and rejoice in the hope of everlasting glory. They have been with Jesus, and are still ,vith Jesus, and can bear witness to His saving grace and redeeming love. By word and action they testify of Him whose own they are. By spreading the Gospel they bring to others the peace which they have found by believing in Him who ma.d e peace for us by the blood of the cross. This, surely, is the great business of the Christian's life. He is to be a witness of Jesus. If Christians be dumb, there is no other voice on earth to take up the cause of the crucified Son of God. If Christians will not do mission work and tell others of the salvation which is in Jesus, tb,ere is none other to do it, and souls must perish in their sins. The blue vault of heaven above us, the glorious sun shining forth in daily brightness, the gentle moon, and the glittering stars spreading their soft beauty over mountains and valleys-all the works of nature speak aloud of the wonder-working power of the great Creator. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork," says the psalmist. But the glory of God's redeeming love is not declared by the heavens; and the Saviour's work of redemption through His own precious blood is not shown by the firmament. It is revealed in the Gospel, and is to be made known by tho~e who by faith in that Gospel have tasted in
their own souls that the Lord is gracious. They, the Christians, are Christ's witnesses, Christ's missionaries. Christ's witnesses I What n great honor this is I Men consider it no small honor to be an ambassndor of an earthly prince. How much more should God's children feel the incomparable dignity and honor of being witnesses to the majesty and glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Son of God and the Saviour of men I "My Sheep Hear My Voice."
A traveler in Syria relates that he cnme to a well where three shepherds were watering their sheep. The sheep were clustering around the well and seemed to form one flock, and it was impossible to tell which of them belonged to each of the three shepherds. He says that after a time one of the . shepherds rose and called, 11 1l'Ienah!" that is, "Follow me I" About thirty sheep separated themselves from the rest and went after him. In a short time one of the remaining two shepherds rose and called out sharply, ''.Jltlenah, mcnahl'' A large number of the sheep separated themselves from the others and followed him. The traveler says be asked the third shepherd how the sheep were able thus, at once, to separate themselves, and he replied, "They know the voice of their own shepherd. 11 "But," said the traveler, "could I not induce the sheep to follow me? Lend me your cloak and crook and I will try.'' The shepherd not only gave him his crook and cloak, but also bound on his head his turban. Then the traveler called .out as the other shepherds had done, "Menah, menah I" but not a sheep· stirred, all remained as they were. "Do they never follow anyone but you?" he asked. "Oh, yes," replied the shepherd, "when they are weak and sickly, they will follow anyone; when they are well, they will follow no one but their own shepherd." This may well illustrate our Saviour's words: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John 10, 27. Jesus is the Shepherd, the believers are His sheep. He knows them as His sheep, and they know Him as their Shepherd. In the Gospel He speaks to them, and they know His voice, they follow Him. "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him ; for they know not the voice of strangers," John 10, 6.
The Lutheran Pioneer. The Holy Ghost Has Enlightened Me with His Gifts. "All our knowledge, sense, nnd sight Lie In deepest darkness shrouded, 'Till Thy Spirit brenks the night With the benms of truth unclouded."
'
This we sing in the well-known hymn. And these words are based upon Holy Scripture, which tells us that we are by nature blind in spiritual things and can know nothing of them unless our eyes be opened by the Holy Spirit. We are by nature dead, spiritually dead. ow we know that a man physically dead is unable to hear or see anything; equally unable ie a man spiritually dead to see or understand spiritual things. For this reason the Bible often refers to the natural condition of man as a state of darkness. This spiritual darkness the Holy Ghost dispels by the beams of Hie light. He opens our eyes and gives us power to see and understand something of divine things. 2 Cor. 4, 6 the apostle writes: "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, bath shined in our hearts, lo give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Gen. 1, 2 we read that "darkness was upon the face of the deep, "-not a vestige of light, no twilight, no dawn, but deepest darkness, impenetrable darkness covered, as a black pall, the face of the deep. Then God said, "Let there be light," and there wae light. By His almighty Word God "commanded the light to shine out of darkness." Even so has the Holy Ghost shined into our hearts and enlightened them with the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. Had God not spoken His omnipotent "Let there be light," darkness would have continued upon the face of .the deep; and so, likewise, man is and remains dead and blind in sin, unless he be enlightened by the Holy Ghost. By nature man bas no true knowledge of sin and grace, he knows nothing of his Saviour, has no desire to come to Him, and sees not the way to life and salvation. Even when he hears the Word of God, he grasps not its meaning; having eyes to see he sees not, and having ears to hear he hears not. The things of which he hears told in the Word are foolishness unto him, and he cannot discern them, until the Holy Ghost gives him the power to understand. Little children may see that they are dirty, but though they see this, they.are by no means worried about it, since they do not understand the nature of dirt. So with the natural man; he may see his 1in, but he knows not its true hideousness, till he
67
is enlightened by the Holy Ghost. And because children are not convinced of the filthiness of dirt, they have no desire to be cleaned and cry when their mothers would wash them. So the natural man, not having a true knowledge of sin, has no desire to get rid of it, but refuses to be washed in the fountain filled with blood flowing from the Saviour's veins, - objects to being plunged beneath this flood to lose bis guilty stains,-until the Holy Ghost opens his eyes to eee the sinfulness of sin and gives him the true knowledge of Jesus as bis Saviour. Also this blessed work of enlightening the Holy Ghost performs by means of the Word of the Gospel, for He calls us out of darkness into Hie marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2, 9. The Gospel, which calls ue to Christ, is also the powerful means which enlightens our darkened understanding and gives us the power to see and understand God's Word and i,. the things of the Spirit of God. Through the preaching of the Word the light of the knowledge of Jesus Christ is given unto men, 2 Cor. 4, 6. When God, on the first day of Creation, said, "Let there be light," this almighty Word created the light and caused it to shine out of darkness. So, likewise, when the Gospel-call, "Let there be light," is heard, this divine call opens the eyes of the blind and gives him power to understand what before was only fooliehneee unto him. The almighty power of God is as much in the Word to-day as it was on the first day of Creation. When the Holy Ghost comes to us and in His Word says to us, "Repent I" then this Word awakens to repentance, gives repentance, works repentance. And so it is with every wo,d of God. The whole Gospel is full of life and strength, giving life to the dead, strength to the impotent, and comfort to the sorrowful i it quickens and refreshes and fills our hearts with joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Our Catechism says that the Holy Ghost has enlightened us with His gifts. These gifts of the Holy Ghost are the k·nowledge of Jesus as our Saviour, confidence and faith, joy and comfort in Him. Having brought me to a knowledge of my natural wretchedness and my need of a Saviour, the Holy Ghoet has led me to the cross of Jesus, has taught me to know Him as my Lord and Saviour, and filled my heart with trust and confidence in Him and His merits. And this blessed knowledge of Christ, for whose sake God has accepted me as His dear child, forgiven me all my sins, and made me an heir of His heavenly kingdom, fills my heart with lasting joy and sweetest comfort. These are the blessed gifts the Holy'Ghost gave me when He enlightened me by the Gospel.-
68
The Lutheran Pioneer.
The work of illumination the Bible also calls Regeneration . Those who have learned to know Jesus
God is Everywhere.
as their Saviour, who trust and believe in Him , the Bible calls rcgenctate persons. They have been born again of the Holy Spirit and are now new creatures. A new life has been enkindled in them by the gracious working of the Gospel, and they now bear new fruits of the Spirit. Conversion is another name applied to this work of the Spirit. It is called so because by working faith in our hearts the Holy Ghost has turned us away from sin to Christ, from the devil to God. When the prophet (Jer. 31, 18) says, "Turn T hou me, and I shall be turned ; for Thou art the Lord, my God," he speaks of our illumination by the Holy Ghost as a conversion. May the Holy Spirit, who has dispelled spiritual darkness from our eyes, created n new life within us, and turned us from the way of damnation to the way that lendeth to salvation, continue and bring to perfection the gracious work He has begun in us.
That is strange. Just think ; there is no place where God is not. If you h ad swift wings and would fly to the loneliest spot on earth , you would not be alone. God would be there with you. When you go to your heel of an evening, and repent your prayer, God is wi th you and bears what y,ou say. When you get awake at night, nn d nil is dark and quiet in the house, God is still there, and is watch ing over you while you sleep. When you are at work, when you go to school, when you play, all the time God is with you . He is everywhere. And since God is everywhere, it is not a hard matter for H im to know what you do and say . He sees bow you behave yourself. If you are cross and fretful , if you disobey pour parents , if you say bad words, you may be sure that God knows all about it. How careful you should be, then, that you never net or speak in such n way as to offend God. When you are tempted to do wrong, always bear in mind that God sees you-that God is everywhere.-Mcsscnger.
-
F. J. L.
Comfort for Pious Ministers.
Christ Our Guide.
"And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from A pastor in England was once staying with a henceforth thou shalt catch men , " Luke 5, 10. lady, whose coachman had given up drinking, but This is a word of special comfort for pious minisafterwards gave way to drunkenness again . Thie ters who fear that their preaching might be in vain, lady said to her guest as be was departing: "Now, that the world was too wicked, and would not be this coachman will drive you to the station ; say a converted. Christ says, Where my Word bas free word to him if you can." course, and I command it to be preached, there it Whilst driving along, the pastor was waiting for shall prosper, as Peter succeeded with hie draught the opportunity, when, all at once, the horses w~re of fishes, by my order. Let the devil rage or laugh, frightened; but the driver had them well in hand. the Word shall prevail and bring forth fruit, that The carriage swayed to and fro, but the man piloted many shall believe in the Son of God, receive the the horses well to the station. It was hard work, forgiveness of sins, be justified and saved to the inand the coachman, lifting his hat and wiping the heritance of eternal· life. As a sure pledge and sign perspiration, said, "I say, that was a close shave. He has given us His Word, Baptism, the Supper, It might have be·en a smash-up." · and Absolution, which are Hie nets to gather in "Well," inquired the pastor, " how was it it did His own from the world in which the devil rules as not happen?" prince and god, thus saving them from the tyranny "Why," replied the man, "because I knew how of the world and the snares of Satan, preserving and to manage the horses. 11 strengthening them in the faith, that they should 11 "Now, said the pastor, "look here, my friend, not be condemned with the world.-Luthe-r, I'll give you a bit of advice-here's my train coming-I hear you have begun drinking again. Throw Dead or Alive? the reins of your life into the liands of Christ. There is no strength in you. to overcome sin, but there is As dead flab swim along with the current, but all strength in Him.'' the living fish againet it, in like manner dead ChrisThe train pulled in, and as the pastor boarded tians go with the etream of the sinful world, but liv- it, he again said to the coachman, "Now don't forget, my friend. Throw the reins of your life into ing Christians against it. · Which way are you swimming in this stream? tpe hands of Christ."
9
The Lutheran Pioneer.
69
A Lost Sheep Found.
..
A pastor one day received a short note urgently requesting him to visit a dying man in one of the large tenement houses of the city. The pastor went to the house, but ns the man's room was not mentioned in the note, he Jong searched in vain. At last he came to a rickety old stairs. He went up the stairs, and in an empty room near the roof he found a poor sick man lying on a miserable couch. The pastor asked the man whether he had sent for him. There was no reply. The sick man did not seem to take any not.ice of the pastor's presence. The pastor then looked around the room whether he could see any book or anything else from which be could learn something as to the man's religion. He found not.bing. Neither could be receive any answer to his questions. He then took from his pocket his :rew Testament, opened it, and slo,vly and distinctly read from the 14th chapter of the Gospel of St. John: "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." To the pastor's surprise the dying man opened bis eyes, and fixing them on him, asked, "Who said that?" The past.or replied, "Jesus," 1md continued reading. When he read the sixth verse: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the .F-ather but by me," the poor man again opened his eyes and said, "Is that your Jesus?" "Yes," was the reply, "and I hope be is also your Jesus." And then the pastor went on reading up to the 27th verse: "Peace I leave with you, my pence I give unto you; not as the wprld giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." · · With a weak voice, but in great earnestness the dying man asked, "Does your Jesus really say that?" "Yes, that is what He says," was the reply. The sick man then gathered all his strength and said with a firm voice, "Then I love Him; I take Him as my Saviour. 11 With this confession he departed this life. Later on the pastor learned that the man was a Jew. Thus Jesus, the good Shepherd, found a lost sheep !)f the house of Israel.
The Good Shepherd. "Jesus my Shepherd Is, 'Twas He that loved my soul, 'Twu He that washed me In Bis blood, 'Twas He that made me whole. 'Twas He that ■ought the lost, That found the wandering sheep; 'Twas He that brought me to the fold, 'Tis He that 1tlll d!)th keep."
God is All in All. ''There is no position or circumstance a child of God may be in, but God's grace, wisdom, and power can meet it-no difficulty from which He is unable to deliver, no wound that He is not all-sufficient to bind up and heal. Blessed it is for us when the Lord is the object of our affection, the spring of our joy, our treasure, our righteousness, our wi1dom, our strength."
70
The Lutheran Pioneer. Hammer and Anvil. Last eve I paused beside a bl11cksmltb's door, And beard the anvil ring the vesper chime; Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor Old hammers worn with beating years of time.
"Bow many am•lls have yo u had ?" said I, 11To wear and batter an these hammers so ?" "Just one," s aid he; then said, with twinkling eye, "The anvil wears the hammers out, you know." And so, I thought, the anvil of God's Wo1·d For ages skeptic blows have· bent upon; Yet, though the noise of falllng blows was heard, The anvil Is unharmed-the hammers gone. Sd,
The Foretaste of Everlasting Life. In the year 1622, a fierce persecution arose_in the Empire of Japan against the Christian religion and its confessors. In the town of Firando, thirtyseven were executed, among whom was a little boy between six and seven years of age, who hastened to death with such manifestations of heart joy, and singing Christian psalms in the Japanese language as to cause unbounded w.onder at this firmness in one so tender in years. In the year 1627, on the 8th of February, in a hamlet near the city of Nagasaki, twelve persons were seized and violently martyred, having been burned in different parts of their bodies with redhot iron, and afterwards beaten to death. What was most remarkable in this execution, was that a six-year old child stood these teats of faith with unwavering firmness. ' In 1651, in the town of Diarbekr, in Mesopotamia, an Armenian Christian child of ten or twelve years, on an unjust charge, was flayed alive by the Turks. On the first day the skin was removed from half of the back, and he was permitted in this condition to pass the night, that they might resume the work on the following day, and continue the poor child's torture the longer. In the meantime, the Mohammedans endeavored to persuade the boy that, by the acceptance of their faith, he might escape martyrdom. His mother also came to her poor son, and besought him, with many tears, by means of the confession of the doctrine of the Turks, to save his life. Yet no entreaties could cause his firmness to waver, but he said with great boldness that thus far he had willingly suffered all this pain, that he was ready also to suffer more, and that. this did not give him so much trouble, as that his ~wn mother should tempt him to deny his Saviour. All that followed he suffered with great patience, until
the pasha of the place, moved with pity, cut off his head, and thus freed him from all suffering. I maintain that no one can deny that the firmness of such weak and tender children, under such fearful ordeals, and the sweet joy which they found in bitter death, cannot be explained otherwise than by a power from on high , and a supernatural confid ence, which is properly called a foretaste of everlasting life. - Oh?-istian Scriver.
Longing for Home. " I once listened, " said a doctor, " to a sermon delivered from the sickbed of a very old man, al~ most a centenarian. It was on my last visit. I was preparing to leave, when lhe aged sufferer turned his face toward the wall, sighing heavily. His eon asked, 'What is the matter? Do you want anything, father?' ' Yes, yes,' he whispered, 'want to go home.' 'But you are at home, father, ' the son said. 'I know j but I want to go to my heavenly home,' the old man answered, with something like a sob, reminding me of a homesick child pining among strangers for dear ones far away. "I was a careless fellow at that time," the doctor pursued, "Qut that one sentence from the trembling lips of a dying saint went straight to my heart. I could not shake off the impression. I found no rest until I, too, could know that I was entitled to a home in the city made without hands. "-Sel.
'Not In Vain. . . . · It 1s said that the late Isaac Errett, when speak,ing in the interest of the American Christian Missionary Society, w:ent to a country church in the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. It was harvest time, and the weather was warm. The "audience" which had assembled consisted of five or six rich farmers-no ladies being present. "We won't try to have a meeting," said the good brother with whom Dr. Errett bad been staying. "Ah, but," said Dr. E ! rett, with gentle firmness, "I always keep my appointments, I shall hold a meeting." He held a meeting. He told of the needs of the missionaries and of the heroic work they were doing, and at the end of the service each one of his hearers contributed five hundred dollars to the cause for which he had pleaded. 11he effectiveness of a message does not depend on the number of its hearers.
The Lutheran Pioneer. NOTES AND ITEMS. "HARD H rrs. "-That is what some papers called the statements recently made in a sermon by a colored preacher in Atlanta, Ga. The sermon was delivered by the Rev. J . Davis, presiding elder of the African Methodist E piscopal Church of the Atlanta District, before an audience of 2000 colored people. Speaking of the colored people that have grown up since the war, the speaker said : "The tactics and procedure of the new n egro is destroying him. H is reckless disregard for moral purity, a disposition to ignore the church ancl the Gospel, a love for a life of ease and pleasure, an ignorant and malicious disregard for the laws of God and the rights of men that is daily being practiced by the majority of the race, convince me that the negro is a lawless being; and he is a liar if he says he is not. The negro is a lawless character without rule in the home. 'rherefore he can h ave but little in his church and society. He does right only from fear of punishment or hope of reward." The speaker added : " I need not' say there are exceptions ; I need not say there are good men and women in the race; but they are in the hopeless minority." No wonder the 2000 colored hearers "eat as if stunned by the hard hits," especially when the preacher declared at the close : "It is not the white man's prejudice, lynchings, or mistreatment of the negro that. will destroy him half as fast as his bad conduct and habit and love of immorality."
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make an easy living. " No doubt I What the colored people need are such Christian day schools as are taught by our missionaries wherever the Lutheran church has begun mission work, and welleducated, pious, God-fearing preachers and teachers, such as our church intends to t rain in our colleges at New Orleans and at Greensboro, N. C. Our Lut heran mission work has been a blessing to the colored people in th e past, and we hope it will be a still greater blessing in the future. A CHRISTIAN SOLDIER. -Among the Japanese that met their death in the naval battle at Port Arthur, May 3, 1905, there was an officer by the name of Kagejama. H e was known among hie comrades as the Christian soldier. When his body was taken from the water a little book saturated with blood and water was found in his breast-pocket. It was the Gospel of St. John, which be had received as a present from a missionary some years before, and which be always carried with him. Hie favorite text were the words of Jesus: "If a man keep my saying, be shall never see death," John 8, 51. "This is my comfort in the face of death," he often said to "bis comrades, "he that believes in the Gospel of Jesus bas everlasting life." "In this firm belief," writes one _of his friends, "lie ent,ired death and ·departed in peace with his dear little book upon his heart."
BIBLE Womc-Tbe report of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the past year has been COLORED PREACHERS IN THE SEcTs .-Speaking published. This is the oldest and greatest of the of the colored sectarian preachers, the same presid- Bible Societies. Last year, it issued a total of ing elder of the'African Methodist Episcopal Church, 5,857,645 copies of the Scriptures. The grand total who ought to know what he is talking about, said: since the foundation of the Society reaches the mag"Fully one half of the negro preachers s~ould be nificent figure of 192,537,746. Of this total, over out upon the farms where they can best serve the 77,000,000 copies have been issued in English. The people. The church is ruined with drunkards and entir~ Bible is issued in 100 languages, the New Testament in 94 more, and single books in 196 addebased characters." ditional tongues, making some 390 versions in all. WHOSE FAULT Is IT? -That is the question Additions to the versions are constantly being made, asked by one of the papers after giving the above and during the past year the Scriptures and portions statements of the Methodist preacher regarding the· of them have been translated into the languages of condition of the colored people that have grown up peoples living in Morocco, Equatorial Africa, New since the war. The editor points to the fact that Guinea, the New Hebrides, Kashmir, Baluchistan, the Methodist as well as the Baptist church has and Matabeleland. The people dwelling on the been working '' among the colored people in the east of the Paraguay River have had the Gospel of South all these years and must bear some of the St. Luke translated for them into Guarani and Spanblame." "The Christian education of the cbil- ish, printed in parallel columns. The society has 4ren," says the writer, "has been neglected by the been caring also for the needs of the Russian and church, and the preachers appointed among the Japanese soldiers, and has distributed over 350,000 colored people were to a great extent ignorant, un- copies among the troops on their way to the field educated men, who entered the ministry onl~ to and among the sick i,.nd wounded in the hospitals.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
THE \VoRK OF A TESTAMENT.-Forty years ago, says Bible Record, some kindly Christian gave a New Testament to a wounded soldier in a hospital at Vicksburg, Miss. That soldier has just written to the American Bible Society that he found the New Testament precious when he was in the hospital. Therefore he sends three hundred dollars to be used as speedily as possible for putting the Gospel into the hands of wounded soldiers in Japanese hospitals.-The gift of one New Testament long ago has reached to the other end of the world and multiplied manifold. News from -New Orleans.
THE Lord's work in Mount Zion congregation, New Orleans, shows very encouraging progress. On Easter Sunday four adults were admitted, and two weeks later seven children were confirmed. Three more adults were added on June 4th, and two are now attending instructions. All members take pride in seeing their church grow and prosper, and many are constf!-npy engaged in bringing strangers to the services. THE other day each one of the mission schools of ;New OrleanR received one of those large, beautiful government maps.of th& United States through the courtesy of the Hon. R. Bartboldt, member of Congress from Missouri. TBE existence of yellow fever in New Orleans may prevent the opening of our schools in September. Though the situation as yet presents no reason for serious uneasiness, all possible measures of precaution are being taken by the health authorities to prevent the fever from becoming an epidemic. No case of fever has yet been reported from our congregations. May the Lord continue to hold His protecting hand over us! K. KRETZSCHMAR. News from Salisbury, N. C.
Sunday, July 30, 1905, was a day which kindled a flame of hope in the friends and, especially, the m~mbera of the Grace Ev. Lutheran Church at Salisbury, N. C., who lost their chapel by a terrific storm in the spring. -That day was set apart for the members and friends to bring their mites together for the rebuilding of the chapel. In the forenoon Rev. J. Ph. Schmidt, of Concord, N. C., preached. Rev. Prof. N . . J. Bakke, Preaident of Immanuel College, Concord, N. C., p,eaohed in the afternoon. At night the undersigned preached.
The total collection·on that day for the rebuilding of the chapel ,vas $94.10. The members of that station are few, but they are not discouraged by their loss. On that day they showed that they love the cause of Christ by giving a handsome sum of money individually. They also showed that where there is a will there is a way. They furthermore showed that, by the help of Goel , they m ean to have another chapel of their own where they can hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed in all its truth and purity. May they have the hearty support and the effectual fervent prayers of many Christians in their great work of rebuilding the house of the Lord . "God loveth a cheerful giver." JAs. H. D.
Our Catechism. Pearle strung are easily carried, unstrung they are easily lost- the Catechism is a string of Bible pearls. - Dr. Krauth. A.cknowledgment. Received for Colored Missions from Mount Zion Church lo New Orleans, La., S25.00; from St. Paul's Church In New Orleau::1, La., 36.00 ; from Bethlehem Church in New Orleans, La., 25.00; from St. Paul's Church In Mansura, Ln., 10.00; from Grace Church In Greensboro, N. C., 12.00 ; .from St. Matthew's Church In l\·[ eherrln, Va., 8.00; from Grace Church In Concord, N. C., 10.00; from Zion Church in Gold Rill, N. C., 3.50; from Concordia Church In Rockwell, N. C., 3.75; from St. Paul's Church In Charlotte, N. C., 5.00; from Mount Zion Church in Myersville, N . C., 5.00. For Immanuel College: From St Paul's Church In Charlotte, N. C., 2.11. St. Louis, August 16, 1905. A. C. BunGDORF, Treas.
· Evn11gellcal Lutheran Colored Churches. 1'"EW
ORLEANS, LA.
SI. Poul'• Chapel, l&'UI Annette St., near N. Olniborn• St.; F. J. Lnn • kenau. Pastor. Vlvlne Service& : Sundny, U A.. u. and 7.30 P . ll. ; Wcdneadny, 7.S0P.U. Mount Zion Church, Franklin nod Thalia St&.; K.Kretzschmar,Pn1tor. Divine Service&: Sunday, 11 A..11. and 7.30 P.11. ; Thursday, 'i.30 1•.11. Buh/chem Chapel, Washington Ave. and Dryades St. ; J. W . F. Kosamann Pastor. o?vlne Services : Snndny, 10 A.. x . and 7.30 P . 11. ; Thursday. 7.SO P. ll.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Holy Trinil11 Church; J,. E . Thnlley, Pastor. Divine Services: Sonday, 10.30 A.. u . and IP. M.
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atht Juthtran A
lVIISS IONARY
♦
tOUtt~.
l\tfONTI-ILY.
P unLI m m DY THE EVANGELICAL L UTJIBRAN SYNODIC,\L CoKFEREXCE OF NonTH A.11ERICA.
n. A. JUSCllOFF, Editor. Entered :it the l'o! t omcc nt St. Louis, llo., ns second-class mnttcr.
Vol. XX.VU.
St. Louis, ;:M:o., October, 1905.
Battle Song of the Church. Fenr not t he foe, t hou Flock of God, Fenr not t he s word, the s pear, the rod, l!'ear not tbe Coe I He fights in vain who fights with thee; Soon shnlt thou see his armies flee, l:limsclf laid low. Come, cheer thee to t he toil nnd ilgbt; 'Tis God, thy God, defends the right; He lead11 t hee on. His sword shall scatter every foe, His shield shall ward off every blow; The crown la won. Ria is the battle, His the power, His Is the triumph In that hour; In Him be strong. So round thy brow the wreath shall t wine, So shall the victory be thine And thine the song. Sd.
Salvation By Grace,. Not Works. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is by grace, not by works. The Apostle Paul says: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us," Tit. 3, 5. Again he says: "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast," Eph. 2, 8. 9. · · So long as the Church was loyal to the Bible this doctrine of salvation by grace was proclaimed for the comfort and salvation of sinners. But there came a time when the Bible was hidden from the people, and when man's word was put in the place of God's Word. It was the time when the pope at Rome made himself the supreme ruler in the temple of God, "exalting himself above all that is called
No. 10.
God." For centuries the darkness of error and superstition covered the church, and in this darkneBB men groped about, seeking in vain the true way of salvation. In the way pointed out to them in the Romish church their souls could never find comfort and peace. They were not told of God's grace in Christ Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, but were told that they must earn salvation by their own works. A writer who had been brought up in the Romish church, but who later in life came to the knowledge of the Gospel, says: " In the papacy we were taught to trust in our works for salvation, and charity was said to be the only guide into heaven. And since we were never sure whether we had done enough wor:ks, we could never rejoice in the assurance of salvation; yea, we were taught that no one could be sure of his salvation. Thus our souls were tormented by doubts and fears." Here and there a voice was raised against the corruption in doctrine and life which prevailed in the church, but such a voice was soon silenced in death by the Romisb church, which became "drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." But when God's time of deliverance came, a voice was heard which the pope and all the enemies of the Gospel could not silence. It was the voice of Dr. Martin Luther, God's faithful messenger, "having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell ·on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Luther bad been brought up in the Romish cliurch, and becoming anxious for his soul's salvation, he went the way the Romish church taught him to go. He sought salvation by his own works. But it was all in vain. He could find no rest, no peace for his troubled soul. He himself says: "If
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
these things had continued, I would have tortured myself to death. The more I sought to support my doubting, weak, and troubled conscience by human ordinances, the more its doubts and weakness and trouble increased from day to day.,, When Luther struggled with despair, God opened to him the Bible, in which book he found the Gospel. He learned that salvation is not by works, but by grace through faith in Jesus, "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." In this Gospel he found peace and salvation, and his soul was filled with joy. He says, "I felt as if I were new-born; I had· found the gates of paradise wide open." This Gospel he proclaimed and defended against the pope and all its enemies. In his sermons, in his lectures, in his hymns, in all his writings his aim was to make known the Gospel of God's grace in Christ for the salvation of sinners. He himself says: "In my heart reigns, and shall ever reign, this one article alone - faith in my Lord Jesus Christ, which is the beginning, middle, and end of all my religious thoughts, by day and by night." Thousands greeted the pure Gospel light with joy and praised God for the great blessing they received through the service of Dr. Luther. We still have the Gospel of God's grace in Christ, which is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. " Well may we every year celebrate the Reformation Festival with joy and thanksgiving. The more we prize the great treasure restored to the Church by Dr. Luther, the more anxious we will be to make others partakers of its wealth. Reformation Day should stir us up to greater zeal in our mission work, by which we make known the Gospel of salvation, not by works, but by grace. This Gospel is the sinner's only hope.
On Praying to the Saints.
of us, and Israel acknowledge us not; Thou , 0 Lord, . art our Father, our Redeemer," Is. 63, 16. The preacher spoke of the great privilege and sweet comfort which God's Word gives us by assuring us that God's children may in all their t roubles and trials go direct to their heavenly Father in prayer and may with all boldness and confidence ask H im for help, as dear children ask their dear fat her. After services the woman was nr:ked how she liked the sermon. " Quite well," she replied; " I shall never in all my life forget it. I poor sinner have been taught by my parents and the priests that we are too unworthy to speak to God in p rayer, and that we must ask the saints in heaven to pray for us. But now I know from God's Word that we ourselves have the right to pray to God for help in the time of trouble and need. What a great comfort that is I The saints cannot bring all my need before God. Oh, how often have I in days of sorrow wished that I myself could go to God in prayer and pour out my heart before Him I Now I rejoice · that I can trustingly go to my heavenly F ather as dear children go to their dear father."
Luther's Writings. Luther made known the pure doctrines of God's Word, not only in his lectures and sermons, but also by many powerful writings that came from hie able and prolific pen. Of the time after 1522 it is said : "The writings of Luther were now spread far and wide. Three presses were fully at work printing them. Hie books. passed from hand to hand; they were carried into quiet valleys and over some of the highest mountains. They were read in the palaces of princes, in places of learning, and in the homes of the poor. Ships carried them over wide seas, and they were reprinted in England, France, Switzerland, and other countries, until thousands of people were made to rejoice in the good news of salvation."
A Roman Catholic woman in Germany one SunLuther's Brief Confession of Faith. day went with her Lutheran neighbor to hear a LuIn the year 1537 Luther was taken very sick in theran sermon. The subject of the sermon was prayer, and the preacher showed from God 'e Word the city of Smalcald. He · thought hie end bad that we should pray to God alone, and not to the come, and on leaving the city for home, be comVirgin Mary and other saints, as the people are mended himself to the prayers of the Church and taught to do tn the Romish church contrary to the made this brief confession of faith: "I cling to the plain words of the Bible: "Thou shalt worship the Lord Jesus and Hie Word, and in my heart know Lord thy God, and Him alone shalt thou serve," of no other rigbteousneee than the precious blood of Matt. 4, 10; 11 0 Thou that hearest prayer, unto Christ, which graciously cleanses me, _and all'wbo Thee shall all flesh come," Pe. 65, 2; "Doubtless believe, from every sin, as this is freely, confessed Thou art oqr Father, though Abraham be ignorant in my books and in the Augsburg Confession."
The Lutheran Pioneer. The Holy Ghost Has Sanctified Me in the True Faith. The Holy Ghost in calling and enlightening me has brought me to Christ and made me a partaker of H is righteousness and salvation. But here the work of the H oly-Ghost did not yet come to an end, for I further confess that He has " sanctified me in the trne faith. 11 The word sanctify is here used in a narrower sense than we have used it heretofore. Sanctification, namely, may be used to designate the whole work of the Holy Ghost, or it may be employed to name a part only of His work . In the wider sense, the work of sanctification comprises all that the Holy Ghost bas done, does , or will do in us, from the first call until H e has brought us to glory in henven; but in the narrower sense the work of sanctification is that which the Holy Spirit does in us when He has brought us to Christ, or, what is the same, wrought faith in us. In this latter sense we use the word when we say, "The Holy Ghost bas sancti fiecl me in the true faith. " He that is enlightened by the Holy Ghost has become a child of God; he has been born again and become a new creature. Having learned to pince his confidence in Christ as his Saviour from sin, and having experienced the blessed comfort of justification, and heard the precious assurance, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee," man becomes wholly changed in heart. Through fai'th he has been brought into communion with Christ, and the' apostle says, 2 Cor. 5, 17: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 11 The old things are passed away; the fear of God's wrath has been displaced by love and gratitude to Him, my Saviour and my Lord. The old things are passed away, all things are become new. Faith hllS renewed our hearjs. What we once hated we now love, and what we loved we now hate. An entire renewal, a radical change, and not a mere reformation has-taken place. It is not cutting off the limbs of a 'tree, nor shifting it to another place, that will change a briar into a rose; the sap must be changed. The heart must be renewed ; the inner man must be made completely new; the prayer of David must be heard, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me." A .marvelous · change I The Bible, what a dry old book it used to be; but now it abounds in fatness and marrow I Prayer, before a wearisome work, has now become a delightful exercise. Going to church, once an irksome duty, is now a bleBBed
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privilege. Thus all things are altered; all things are become new. But let us remember, though we are made new creatures in Christ Jesus, and though the life that is in us, the ruling life, is new, and holy, and heavenly, yet the old nature still survives. Though crucified, it is long in dying and struggles bard. Sin dwells in us , so th at we see to our sorrow that, t hough we are new men, we are yet men; and t hough the grace of God reigns within us, yet there is a struggle for the kingdom, and sin that. dwells within us, and its allies, Satan and the world without, stri ve with might and main after the mastery. We must daily experience that, though we are renewed sinners, we are sinners still. Our Christian life must therefor~ be a constanL battle against this powerful triumvirate, Satan, world, and flesh. And were we left to ourselves, the outcome would not long be doubtful, for we would soon be vanquished. But. the Holy Ghost comes to our rescue and gives us power to fight· and overcome our enemies. The Holy Ghost, however, does not only give us the power successfully to fight against evil, He has also given strength "to walk in godliness and good works." Our hearts have been renewed not only to hate evil, but to love that which is good. As God's children we will be desirous to do what pleases Him. St. Paul writes: "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them," Eph. 2, 10. The Holy°Ghost has newly created us that we should do good works. Holy labors await us, good works are expected of us; we are created in Christ Jesus for the very purpose that we might be zealous in them. He who died for us calls us to do works like His own. The Holy Spirit within us prompts us and gives us strength to consecrate ourselves to a life of godly service. How ungrateful, if we ,vere not to use the power given us by God I Christ. says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matt. 5, 16. A light must shine, and faith must show itself by good works. These good works, however, shall not be done to glorify ourselves, but. to the glory of God, that men may praise our Father in heaven. F. J. L.
• Sin and Grace., The error of not knowing nor understanding what sin is usually brings with itself another error, that of not knowing nor understanding what grace is. Luther.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. All Things Work Together for Good.
He Knew His Bible.
Mary, the Catholic queen of England,· known in history as "Bloody Mary," tried every mean a to suppress the Evangelical faith in her country. During her reign fire and sword were used to root out the Bible doctrine. Many faithful witnesses of the Gospel chose death rather than the favor of the queen. One day the pious Evangelical preacher Bernard Gilpin was informed that he was accused of heresy before the Bishop of London. Knowing full well what that meant, he answered, "May God forgive them their wickedness and grant me strength to endure the trial!" When the officers came to get him, he received them with the words of the Apostle Paul: "All things work together for good to them that love God," Rom. 8, 28. On his way to London he was treated very roughly, so that he broke one of his legs. This gave one of the officers an occasion, to ask him mockingly, "Does this also work for your good?'' "Why should I doubt it?" replied Gilpin. And he was right. The sick·man could not appear in court, and the enemies of the Gospel could not put him to death without a trial, if they would preserve the appearance of justice. He was, therefore, brought to an inn. While he was confined there, Queen Mary died, an'd one of the first official acts of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth, the succesaor to the throne, waa to set free all those who had been imprisoned on account of their faith.
The Elector John Frederick of Saxony was a warm friend of Dr. Luther and the Reformation. His love of the Gospel made him a diligent student of the Bible. Thus he gained a good knowledge of God's Word, which even theologians admired. At one time some Romish priests argued with him concerning the Lord's Supper, maintaining that the bread only should be given to the laymen, and that the wine is for the priest only. The Elector declared that to be false doctrine and referred to the words of the institution : "Drink ye all of it." The priests, however, said the ,vord "all" did not mean the common people, but only the priests. "I cannot see," said the E lector, "how the word 'all' can mean the priests only. " And as the priests insisted upon their interpretation, he drew from his pocket his New Testament and opened it at John 13, 10, where Christ says: "Ye are clean, but not all." To these words he pointed the priests, saying, 11 According to your explanation these words would mean : 'Ye laymen are clean and pious, but not the priests.' " His, opponents soon left him, not willing to argue with one who knew his Bible so well.
"Not Barabbas, but Jesus."
A Christi~n lady visited an old Jew in Boston, who lay on his dying bed. He listened attentively as she spoke of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. Then she asked a Christian friend to visit the Jew. He did visit the dying man, and read to him from the An Unexpe~ted Reply. Bible many passages proving that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of Israel. At last, by God 1s grace, A Romish priest, wafohing the children coming light broke into the darkened soul of that Jew, and from a Protestant mission school, at last discovered he accepted Jesus of Nazareth. As the old man a boy from his parish. Calling the boy to him, he was dying he raised his palsied hand, and in falteruked where he had been. ing accents cried with his dying voice, "Oh, my "To the Sunday school," was the prompt reply. God, not" Barabbas, but this man; not Barabbas, "Sunday school?" said the priest. "What is but Jesus, I take to my heart." that?" "A place where they teach the Gospel," was the boy's quick explanation. A Rich God. "Ohl" muttered the priest, "but do you know what Christ said to Peter?" Luther did not desire earthly riches. In this The priest most probably expected, as a reply, world's goods he was always poor. But he trusted a reference to what Christ said to Peter about build- in a rich God. Once, when one of his children ing His Church on the Rock. But the_boy's quick came to him to say good night, he bade his darling. and unexpected reply was: "Yes, He said, 'Get good night, and then added: "Go, be a good child; thee behind me, Satan. 177 , I shall.not leave you any money, but I shall leave The priest at once departed. you a rich God."
The Lut h eran Pioneer. Cornerstone Laying of Immanuel College at Greensboro, N. C. Sunday, September 17, 1905, was a most joyful day for the congregation at Greensboro, fo r the Lutheran Colored Mission in NorLh Carolina and, in fact, for the entire Synodical Conference. On this day t he cornerstone of Immanuel L utheran College, which is being erected at Greensboro, N. C., was laid with appropr iate ceremonies. At 3 P . M. the service was begun on the college site. After hymns of praise, the reading of the 122d Psalm, and a prayer the history of this institution was read by the undersigned , showing bow the Synodical Conference bad come to erect this colored Lutheran College in the South. Then this history was deposited
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exposed sides, bea1-ing the inscription in front in conspicuous letters : "Immanuel Lutheran College, 1905; " and on the side : " E ben Ezer. Hitherto bath the Lord helped ·us." After the ceremony of setting the stone was fi nished, P rof. N. J . Bakke delivered an educational address, in which he spoke at great length on the difference between parochial and public schools. A large concourse of white and colored people rejoiced with us on this festive occasion, and wished Immanuel College God speed. J. C: S.
A Point Settled. A Scottish minister being one day engaged in visiting some members of his flock, came to the
Front View of Immanuel College, Greensboro, ~. C. in the cornerstone, together with the following articles : a Bible, the Synodical Catechism, the students' roll, all the copies of the .Jltlissions - 'l'aube (24 in all) that ever contained references to Immanuel College, and therefore shed light on its history, copies of the LUTHERAN PIONEER, the Luthe,·an Witness, the Ohurch Record, Der Lutheraner, Zeuge und Anzeiger, containing the first printed appeal for a colored Lutheran college under •the auspices of the Synodical Conference, the last four Reports of the Synodical Conference, from which the history of Immanuel College can be traced, copies of the Greensboro R ecord and Telegra,n, the Charlotte Observer, a picture of Dr. M. Luther, the photographs of the professors of Immanuel College, clippings and statistics of all Protestant denomina• tions, and various coins. The cornerstone is a beautiful dark granite block, 24 inches wide, and long and thick, polished on: the
door of a house where his gentle tapping could not be heard on account of the noise of a quarrel and contention within. After waiting awhile, he opened the door and walked in, saying, with an authoritative voice: "I should like to know who is the head of this house.'' "Well, sir," said the husband and father, "if ye sit down a time, parson, we may be able to tell ye, for we're just trying to settle that point." · The parson did sit down a time, but not to see them settle a point settled already for every Christian family, but to read to them from the Bible about ·the office and duties of husband, and wife, and parents, and children. WHERE there is true faith, the Spirit gives you no rest, you must break out and speak to others. (Ps. 116, 10.)---Luther.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. Life's Path~ay. Though t he path through life mny have some brlnrs And thorns, I find there are roses too, And each cinrk cloud has n slh,er liningI llud the rose where a thorn once grew. Sometimes my feet become worn and weary As I try to wnlk life's narrow wny. l\ly eyes nre fixed on the golden city That I bope to gnlu some future day. The walk may lend along nmld troubles, The burdens mny seem too hnrd t o bear ; On my path is a radinnce fallingThe Shepherd leads me through pastures fair. And now the path leads through choicest blossoms, · A fountain is sparkling pure and bright; On yonder tract is Calvary's mountain, Olf in the dlstnnce the city of light. Tenderly, safely the Shepherd leads me Over the places so roug h nnd steep, Leading me gently over the mountains, And on through the nlleys dnrk and deep. Softly I tread the way with rejoicing, Thnnkful I hnve such a loving Friend. Through the vale of tenrs I henr Hlm calling, "I will go with thee unto the end." Quickly He lends me o'er vnlleys of danger, Into gardens of joy and delight. With such a kind and loving compnnlon If I but follow, all will be right. When I stray In paths rough and thorny, The Shepherd points to the narrow way That Is bedecked with llowers nnd garlands, The path that leads to eternal day. And now my feet no longer are weary As I walk through this beautiful pince.
For beyond ls the heavenly city Fllled with radiance, benuty, and grace. Onward I wander while time ls fleeting, Close by the side of my faithful Friend, Lovingly, sweetly I hear Him whisper, . "I wlll be with thee unto the end." Either Pt ter1011.
Harvest Home and Mission Festival at Gold Hill, N. C. Among the first invitations I received since coming South was the one to preach at the Harvest Home and Mission Festival at Gold Hill on August. 20th. I left Charlotte on Saturday morning, and went to Concord, where I was met by Rev. S. Doswell, going with him in a buggy to Mount Pleasant. He introduced me to quite a number of bis members, and showed me the meef.ing-house. This is the worst building we have in North Carolina, with the exception of the old dining ball of Immanuel College. The people, however, are collecting money with which to build a new church. I passed the night at Mount Pleasant, and early next morning we began our drive of fifteen miles to Gold Hill. The rolling country of Rowan _County with ita wooded
hills, fertile valleys, and fine orchards is the most picturesque I ever saw. We arrived in Gold Hill at 9 A. M. At 10 o'clock, the congregation began to assemble. The church is a modest frame building. It has a seating capacity of 150 persons. The members made preparations for a large crowd, and they· were not disappointed. The weather was ideal. Half an hour before services commenced, the visitors began to arrive from Concord, Mount Pleasant, Rock Hill, Salisbury, and other stations. The church was soon filled, and all the seats outside near the windows were taken. The church had been beautifully decorated, as is customary, with all kinds of vegetables and fruits. Looking down -the aisle, one would imagine it was a corn row. On each aide of the aisle a corn stalk was tied to each bench. The altar was banked with fruits of all descriptions. 'f here were peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and apples. On the floor around the reading-stand were watermelons, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, onions, stalks of okra, bunches of sage, long strings of red pepper, baskets of string beans, field peas, tomatoes, and cabbage-a veritable fair. At 11 o'clock, the morning service began. Rev. Phil. Schmidt, of Concord, preached the Harvest Home sermon from Luke 12, 16-21. After showing his hearers how richly God had blessed them, he admonished them to use these gifts to the glory of God and the furtherance of His kingdom among men. The singing at this and also the other services was grand. After services, the visitors did not go home, but were the guests of the congregation. There was a long table made of rough boards in front of the church; cloths were spread on it, and it was soon laden with food. Every visitor came up and was served gratis. Three o'clock soon came, the church again filled up, and the people listened to a mission sermon based on 1 Pet. 2, 9, by the undersigned. Rev. James Doswell then baptized two children. At the ·conclusion of this service, most of the visitors returned home. Those who remained found entertainment in the rural homes of the hospitable members. A good-sized audience was present at the evening service, which began at 8 o'clock. Rev. Stewart Doswell preached an able and edifying sermon on "Individual Mission Work," baaed on John 1, 40. 41.-The congregation returned home edified and instructed. They were liberal in their contributions. The collections taken during the three services amounted to $24.50. The congregation at Gold Hill is prospering~ and is among our strongest in North Carolina. May our heavenly Father continue to bless them with all spiritual and ·temporal gifts_. JouN McDAVID.
The L utheran Pioneer. Harvest Home and Mission Festival at Concord, N. C. On the last Sunday in August Grace Ev. Luth. congregat ion celebrated its annual Harvest Home and Mission Festival. It was largely attended. Three services were held. In the morning the sacred desk was occupied by the Rev. J ohn McDavid, of Charlotte, who preached from the Gospel lesson . In the afternoon the Rev. Lash, of Salisbury, broke the Brend of Life to a large audience. H e had for his text 1 Pet. 2, 11. 12. T he evening service was conducted by the undersigned , who bad for t~e basis of bis discourse L uke 12, 15-21. The collection at each service was good . The exact figures are unknown to the writer, so suffice it to say that the congregation gave the morning's collection to Immanuel College, the afternoon's to the Board of Colored Missions, and the proceeds of the evening service to the congregation at. Salisbury. Mention may be made of the excellent music rendered by the choir under the leadership of Prof. Persson, anQ many thanks are due to the ladies of the congregation , ,vbo looked after our temporal welfare.
S. D.
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." The Rev. C. G. Lewis, of the China Inland Mission, writes: "A little company of missionaries in Southwest China, during the Boxer outrages of the summer of 1900, found themselves in circumstances which led to a fuller and deeper appreciation of Luther's noble hymn than they had ever had before. Situated two thousand miles inland, and seven days' journey from our nearest neighbors, we found ourselves cut off from all communication. After waiting for light and guidance, we attempted flight through the Southern provinces, but only to discover, after journeying several days, that all roads in that direction were closed. Returning to our station, we determined to await the uncertainties of the situation rather than attempt further traveling. Knowing something of the fate of many of our brethren elsewhere, we realized full well what might be ours also. To flee seemed to run into certain danger; to sit still seemed as certain to invite it. What to do was no easy thing to settle. It was during these days that Luther's hymn, 'A Mighty Fortress is our God,' took on new meaning to us, and our hearts received fresh strength and courage as we recalled, as never before, how the Lord's people in other days found in our God 'a mighty fortress' from every danger. JI
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NOTES AND ITEMS. J UST CONCEIVE. - New York's ' 'famous orator, JI in an address on Romish mission work, recently said to the students of a Roman Catholic seminary : "Just conceive, gentlemen, what the conversion of t he United States to the Catholic faith would imply . Conceive of the importance of such a conversion to the welfnre and prosperity of the people. n That is a horrible thing to conceive! What that would mean, Catholic countries like I reland, Spain, Italy, and the Philippine I lands can tell us. I t would mean the loss of all liberty, the loss of the Bible, t he reign of superstition and corruption, the return of the world to the dark and cruel days of the Inquisition . J ust conceive! God in mercy protect our dear country from such a calamity ! CATHOLIC ROME. - Dense ignorance and great wickedne~s are fou_n d in I taly, and especially in Rome. According to late statistics there are 190,000 grown people in Rome -who can neither read nor write. That city also has within its limits the largest number of lawbreakers-,-83'to 1000 citizens. A traveler in Italy recently wrote: "The nearer Rome, the more of ignorance, poverty, violence, degradation and impurity of life I This was the discovery that shocked Martin Luther. This is what led a distinguished priest of.America to say, a few days ago, to a Protestant minister: 'I have been to Rome, and would to God that I had never seen it.' JI • It is well known that at Luther's time corruption and wickedness in Rome were so great that the Romans themselves had this proverb: "If there is a hell, Rome is right over it. JI THE Caunca OF ROME IN RoME.-A Japanese professor, in · a public lecture on "'J'he Church of Rome in Rome, JI said: "As we visited some of the numerous (250) churches in this 'holy city, 1 we had to ask ourselves whether we had not been suddenly transported to Japan, because we found ourselves nt home, and not in a far-away country. The socalled 'Christian' churches in Rome look exactly Iilie the Buddhist temples in our home country. As it is here, so there: statues without number; burning candles, smoking incense, and fat, richlygowned priests. ,i\7hen, several years ago, I was in the United States, I was surprised to hear speaking of the necessity of sending missionaries to Italy, for I took Italy, the pope's native country, to be a Christian land- but no,v I know that Italy as much.in need of Christianity aa our Japan is."
is
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
RoMISH H ATRED.- A Lutheran missionary, writing from Montreal, Can. , to the Philadelphia Lutheran, says: " Calling on a Lutheran lately she said to me: 'I happened to fall on the icy pavement, when a man hurried to my assistance and with much politeness neeisted me to my feet. He walked with me and offered to do anything possible for me. Later he asked me whether I was a Catholic. 'When I told him I was a Lutheran, he spit in my face and abruptly left me.' " F oxY PoPE. - Saye an exchange : The P ope's professed fondness for Americans reminds us very forcibly of the fable of the fox and the rooster. "I am eo very fond of poultry," said the cunning fox to the rooster; "I want all your hens to think well of me. They may all be sure that I hnv.e a very deep and ardent affection for them. Just let me into the poultry yard, and I will prove my fondness for them. Why will they harbor such base suspicions of me? · I am so fond of them that I would do almost anything to induce them to permit me to take up my abode in their mich1t." "So, so," said the watchful guardian of the yard, "you are fond of us, are you? Are you not the fellow that stole into the coop the other week and· carried off the plumpest hen? Is that your fondness for us?" Raising his warning cry, he called the farm er, .who soon had the sly robber driven away. Thus the pope professe1;1 great tenderness for Americans, "Protestants and all." And yet, is this not the one whose predecessors (of whose principles he is the present exponent) caused the land to be dyed with the blood of the Lord's saints? Is he not the man who annually curses all Protestants with a solemn curse? Was it not Leo XIII who but a short time ago declared, through one of his servants, that if he had the power, he would transport the Inquisition to this country? The Lord graciously be wit,h us, and protect us from all machinations of the Antichrist I As a disciple of Jesus Christ, we plea~ that He may help us to "continue i_n His w ·ord." "Continuing in His Word"-we shall be His disciples indeed. "Continuing in His Word," we shall know the truth. "Continuing in His Word," the truth shall make us free, John 8, 81. 32. THEY who read the Scriptures again and again will always find in it something new. T,r,ullian.
OUR IlOOK TABLE. CATECHISM. Germa11-E11glish edition. P r ice, 30 cts. Concordia P ublishing House, St. Louis, l\10. A very convenient edition of our Catechism for pastors and teachers who give cntechetlcnl instruction In both the Germnn nud the I~ogllsh language. The well-printed and neatly bonnd book contains, lu Ger man nud English, Luther's Small Catechism, together with the favorably known Exposition of the s ame from t ile able peu of t he late Rev. Dr. Schwan. S'\"N0DALDERICBT DE Wl~S'l'I.ICIIEN D ISTRICTS. Concordia P ublishing Hou e, St. Loui:1 1 i\lo. Price, 25 cts. This pamphlet of 128 pages presents nu instructive and edifying doctrinal treatise on The Spiritual Life of the Christian and n full report of the extensive missions carried on within the bounds of the West ern District of the Missouri Synod. S0PPLE?>IENTAR'\" EX,UIPLES to Book II a nd to Book Ill Standard American Arithmetic. Compiled by G. H. R 1111ye. Concordia. P ublishing House, St. Louis, Mo. P rice, 5 cts. each.
..l.ckuowletlgmcut . Received for Oolorecl Missions from Mount Zion Church In New Orleans, La., $ 25.00; from St. Paul's Church In Mansura, La., 10.00; from Bethlehem Church in New Orleans , La., 25.00; from Grace Church In Greens boro, N. C., 12.00; from Mission In Rudd, N. C., 5.00 ; from St. Paul's Church in New Orleans, La., 35.00 ; from Grace Church In Concord, N. C., 17.Gl; from Zion Church In Gold Hill, N. C., 19.00; from Concordia Church in Rockwell, N. C., 15.00; from Bethlehem Church In Monroe, N. C., 4.00; fro m Grace 1\llsslou In St. Louis, Mo., 3.00. For 01,apel i 11 Salisbury: F rom cong regation In Salisbury, N. C., 88.47; from Grace Church lu Concord, N. C., G.8G .
For Immanuel Oolleue: From Grace Church lu Concord, N.C., 7.50. St. Louis, September 151 1905. A. C. BUR0D0R1< 7)•eaa. 0
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Evnugellcnl Lutheran Colore<l Churches.
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NEW ORLEANS, LA. Se. Paul'• Chapd, 16".5 Annette St., near N. Claiborne St.; F. J . Lan• kenan, Pastor. Divine Services : Sunday, 11 A. 11. nnd 7.30 P. 11. ; Wednesday, 7.30 P. lll.
MounlZion Church, Frnnkllnnnd ThllllllSts.; K.Kretuchmllr,P a &tor. Divine Services : Snnday, 11 ..i.. 111. and 7.30 P. lit . ; Thurs day, 7,30 P. ll.
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Bdhlchcm Chapel, Washington Ave. nnd Dryades St.; J. F . R'.011• mann, Pastor. Divine Services : Sunday, 10 ..i.. H. and 7.30 P. u . ; Thnrsday, 7.SOP. :II.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Holy Trinit11 Church; L. E . Tballoy, Pastor. Dlvfne Services : Sunday, 10,SO ..i.. u. nnd 8 P. 11.
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Vol. XX.VII.
St. Louis, Mo., November, 1905. After Life-Rest.
"There romnincth n 1·ost Lo th o people or God," Jicbr. 4, 9.
Rest for Christ's weary pilgrim, After life's toil is o'er; No more of paln or weeping, Rest on the golden shore. Joy in the home of glory, After the _clay 111 done. Safe with the loving Master, Peace for the ransomed one. Sweet is the rest that cometh, After this life Is past. Off In the golden cityRest to the soul at Inst. ESTIIEll PETE RSON.
A Little While. The end of the church year reminds us of the end of all things at the coming of Christ with power and great glory. We know not the day or the hour of His coming, but we do know from the Bible that He may come at any moment, and that His coming is near at hand. "A little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry,'' Hebr. 10, 37. "A little while. ,,. What an earnest warning to those who put off their repentance and heed not the Gospel invitation I Every church year is a year of grace, during which Christ comes to us in the Gospel as the Saviour with pardon and salvation. But as the church year comes to an end, so the time of grace will also come to an end when Christ will come to judge the quick and the dead. His coming will be a terror to all that rejected Him in the time of grace. To them He will come only as the stern Judge from whose lips they must hear the a'!'ful sentence: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into
No. 11.
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," Matt. 25, 41; for "be that believeth not shall be damned," Mark 16, 16. And · this coming of Christ as the Judge of the world is near at hand. " Behold, the Judge standeth before the door, 11 James 5, 9. "A little while, and He that shall come will come. 11 He may come at any moment. Are you by faith in Him as your Saviour ready for His coming? The words of warning come to you: "Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh," Matt. 24, 44. "Delay not, delay not, the hour Is at hand; The earth shall cllssolve, and the heavens shall fade; The dead, small and great, In the judgment shall stand; What power then, 0 sinner, shall lend thee Its aid?"
"A little while." What sweet comfort for the children of God who pass through much tribulation on their pilgrim journey I Their sufferings will soon end, and all their sorrow shall soon be turned into everlasting joy. 11 A little while, and He that shall come will come." They will then see the fulfillment of His promise: "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am ye may be also," John 14, 2. 3. Then the struggle with sin, the hardships of poverty, the infirmities of old age, the lingering sickness of the body, the shadows upon darkened homes, the tears of sorrow -they shall all be no more; for it is written: "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away," Rev; 21, 4. Cheer up, then, tried children of God, oppressed by sadneBB, weakened by sickness, wounded by unkindness and neglect, burdened with sorrow, wom
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
with suffering I It is but for a little while. "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry."
'"A. little whlle'-'twlll soon be past! Why should we shun the shame and cross? Ob! let us in His footsteps baste, Counting for Him all else but loss. Oh I how will recompense His smile The sufferings of this 'llttle while.•"
"A little while." What a loud call to work for Christ and His kingdom I "Preach the Gospel to every creature.'' That was Christ's last commission to Hie Church. The Goepel "shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." To the Church the Goepel is given. It is the Church that preaches the Gospel in all the world, and every member of the Church, every Christian, must be a helper in this mission work. The time is short, and the devil is very active in destroying the souls of men; "having great wrath, bec(luse be knowetb that he bath but a short time," Rev.12, 12. How much more active should Christians be in the winning of souls for Christ and His kingdom I "A little wbile I" This call to work grows louder and louder as the days pass by and the coming of Christ draws nearer. "A little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Let us, then, make good use of the "little while" in the Master's service, becoming more and more zealous in our mission work. "Work, for the day is coming When Jesus shall return: At the thought of His appearing Our hearts within us burn; For we shall see His beauty, And share His loving smile, Then let us not grow weary, 'Tis bnt •a little while.' "Work, for the day ls coming; Work, children of the light; See thonsands round you lying In sin and darkest night. Up I rouse them from their slumber I Tell them there yet ls room, That Jesus still ls waiting, And longs to see them come."
Count Your Blessings. If we would count the many blessings God bestows upon us, we would find much to be thankful for, not only on Thanksgiving Day, but on all the days of our life. There are too many that do not count the blessings they themselves enjoy, but look
nt the good things which others have. This makes them discontented and unthankful. Said old Uncle Silas to his complaining wife: "When we begin to look at the things our neighbors have and we haven't, we always pick out just the things we want. They live in a nice house, we say, and we have only a little one. They have money, and we need to count every, penny. They have an easy time, and we have to work. We never say: 'They have the typhoid fever, but it did not come near us. They have a son in the insane asylum, but our brains are sound. Staggering feet go into their grand door, but nothing worse than tired ones come home to ours at night.' Count your blessings, my dear, and be thankful. 11 Saadi, the Persian poet, as quoted by Luther, says that be never complained of bis condition but once, and that w.as when bis feet were bnreJ and he bad no money to buy shoes; but meeting with a man without feet, be instantly became contented with his lot and thankful for the blessings and mercies he was enjoying. No matter what our condition is, we shall find many reasons for thanksgiving, if we only count our blessings. The late Pastor Krummacber, of Elberfeld, ·Germany, in making the rounds of hie visits to the sick of hie congregation, came across one of· hie parishioners who bad been unwell for some time, and who complained bitterly of the heavy cross be had to bear in being confined for such a. long time in hie bed, and thought God was dealing harshly with him. After listening patiently for some time to hie lamentations, Krummacher cut him short by eay.ipg: "I will pray for you," and, suiting the action to the word, said: "Dear heavenly Father, Thou knoweet how many poor ·sufferers are lying upon miserable beds of straw and rage, and have no one to care for them, or f~irnieh them medicines to mitigate their sufferings which in many instances are of the .most distressing kind, whilst I lie on a good, comfortable bed, am carefully attended by my own kin, and treated by a skillful physician; nor do I suffer any notable pain. Thou hast had patience with me, a murmuring Jonah, till now""Hold on I hold on I" cried the murmurer excitedly; "I promise you, dear pastor, never to murmur or complain again." Whether he kept his promise or not is not known, but it is probable that the murmuring spirit was driven out for some time. There are murmuring Jonahs, even among Christians, who might be cured and made thankful by counting their bleBBings. "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all Hi■ benefits," Pa. 103, 2.
The Lutheran Pioneer.
or Good Works. We have heard that the Holy Ghost gives us power to walk in good works. We Christiane are· to let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works. Such being the case, it is necessary to know what good works are in God's sight. Not every deed praised by men is a good work in God's eyes. Men can judge the deed only by its outward appearance, but God judges the heart out of which it proceeds. Only such works can please God as are the fruit of faith; therefore only the true Christian can do a good work. The natural man is a child of wrath, and all be does is displeasing to God. Whether be be working or resting, waking or sleeping, walking or sitting, he cannot please God. All that he does is displeasing to God. On the other hand, whatever the Christian does in faith is God's delight. For Christ's sake the person of the believer is acceptable to God, and therefore all he does in Christ is also acceptable. Whatever imperfections his works may have are covered up by Jesus' righteousness. Christ says, John 15, 5: "He that abideth in me, and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Christ is the vine and the believers are the branches. As long as the branch is on the vine, it draws from it life and strength and brings forth fruit j but when it is cut off, it soon withers and bears no fruit. So we, as long as we remain in Christ by faith, draw life from Him and bring forth the fruit of good works; but he that is not in Christ is dead and can bring forth nothing that is pleasing to God. Without Christ we can do nothing good. From the story of the poor woman who gave her mite in the temple and was praised by the Lord for her deed (Mark 12, 41-44) we learn that all we do in faith is well-pleasing to God. The most ineig~ nificant deed calls forth ~od'e praise if it proceeds out of faith. We are apt to think only such works to be worthy of being called good works as have a apecia\ halo of holiness about them j as for example, going to church, praying, preaching, and the like. But this is a great mistake; washing dishes, scrubbing, plowing, even eating, drinking, and sleeping, are good works if they be done for Christ's sake in true faith. In this connection I would call your attention to another mistake people frequently make. It is often thought that good works can be done only by doing. Thia, however, is not true. We have learned that every transgression of the Law of God in thought, word, and deed is sin. Not only the evil deed, but
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also the evil word or thought is sin. So it is likewise true that not only every deed we do, but every thought we think and every word we speak in · Christ's name is a good work. We have also heard of sins of omission and sine of com:rniesion. In like manner, good works can be done by omission as well as by commission. Leaving an evil thing undone or unsaid is as much a good work as doing or. saying what is good. "Speech is ail ver, but silence is golden," says the proverb., Good works are works done in faith according to the Ten Commandments. In the Ten Commandments God, our Lord, has told us, His servants, what He wants us to do. It is not left for a servant to decide what he wants to do, but it is bis duty to do what bis master wants done. So, also, it is for God to decide and say what works He wants us to do, and this He has done in His holy Commandments. It is wrong, therefore, for us to suppose that we are pleasing God when we do things which we think have special merit, but which are not commanded by God. Christ says, Matt. 15, 9: "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men." If we in childlike faith faithfully perform the ordinary works of our e·a rthly calling, wash clothes, scrub, plow, and the like, we are doing good ·works. But when certain people fast, count their prayer-beads, become monks and nuns, _and so forth, they are not doing good works, since these are all works of which God's !,,aw knows nothing. Finally, it is necessary particularly to call your attention to the purpose for which good works are to be done. We are not to do good works to e&rn heaven, for Christ bas already gained heaven for us; neither are we to do good works in order that people may see how good we are, for this is just what the Pharisees did whom Christ so severely condemned. Paul tells us, 1 Cor.10, 31: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." He exhorts us Christians to do what we do to God's glory. Christ tells us the same: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matt. 5, 16. Christiana are to do good works, not in order to be praised, but to the end that all the glory be given to God. Peter writes, 1 Pet. 4, 19: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." We are to regard ourselves as servants of our fellowmen. We are not to think that we are here in this world to get all the good we can out of it
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
the children. The broken furniture, the uncnrpeted floor, the dilapidated surroundings were in keeping with the appearance of the inmates. 0 grant me, Lord, to do, The book-seller looked around the room and With ready heart and wllllng, then said, "Friends, you have a treasure in the Whate'er Thou shalt command: house which would make you happy." Having My calling here fulfilling; said this he went away. To do it when I ought, With all my strength, and bless The man and woman kept those words in mind. The work I thus have wrought, They often spoke of the lost treasure, and wondered For Thou must ~Ive success. what it was, and where it might be. Many an hour F. J. L. they spent in searching for it. One Sunday the man thought of a shelf in "the Serving God. house on which they had not yet looked. He got What does it mean to serve God? Simply this, on a chair and took down all that was on the shelf. that we should do what He comm.ands. But what Among other things he found an old dusty book. is it that God commands? First of all, that we He dusted it and opened it. It opened at the fifteenth chapter of St. Luke; for should bear Christ and 1 it was a Bible. He read accept His Gospel. After there the story of the this, God commands that prodigal who went into children honorfatber and a far country and wasted mother, that parents all he had. He looked up should provide for their and said, "Wife, that's children and train them ; i' me." He read further on that the wife should love about the prodigal's misher husband and take ery in that strange land, care of her household, nnd about the husks, and and that the husband should protect her and again he said, "Wife, that's me." He read on make provision for her. about the prodigal's sor.With monks and nuns row, and about his return the rule bas been to pass by the commandments of to the father, and his conGod and take up other fession of hfs sins, and Baaement and Fir■t Story of new College Building things which He had not then he felt very uncomat Green■boro, N. C. commanded. It has been fortable. He knelt down considered a very small matter that a servant girl and said just what the prodigal said: "Father, should cook and clean and attend to her house- I have sinned against heaven apd in Thy sight, hold duties. But inasmuch as she does it under and am no more worthy to be called Thy son." God's commandment, even those common works The drunkard became a different man. He and must be exalted as a true service of God, far above his wife both saw their sins and found their Saviour. the sanctity and hardships of all monks and nuns. They continued to read their Bible. Then they There can be no greater joy and satisfaction than began to go to church. They also became more to know that our whole life with its daily work is a industr~ous and more cleanly. When the bookservice of God.-Luther. seller visited that·bome the next year the first words be said were : "You have found the treasure." "Yes," said the husband and wife, "God's Word The Lost Treasure. is the treasure. Our home is Iiow a palace, and we One day a man who sells Bibles and good books are happy.'.' for ourselves, for that would be selfish. Nay, rather should it be our desire to serve one another according to the ability God bas given us.
was making his rounds through one of the villages on his route, and entered a house that was anything but. I WELL know that no human life can appear in good order. The father was a drunkard. He otherwise than weak and filthy in the eye of God; sat by the fire in a sullen stupor, the very picture but I rely on the merits and intercession of our of wretchedneBB. His wife was in rags, and so were Redeemer.-Walter Scott.
The Lutheran Pioneer. A Little Girl Missionary.
Twenty-five Years in the Mission Service.
An Englishman with his family once went into Twenty-five years ago, on November 7, 1880, the the country soine distance from Bombay, in India, Rev. N. J. Bakke, our oldest missionary among the for the sake of his health. His little girl, accom- colored people, was ordained for the ministry at panied by an old native servant, often went into St. Louis, Mo., and soon after entered the mission the forest, where there was a small temple with a field. Ever since that time he bas been laboring faithfully among the colored people, during the first small stone image, or idol. As often as they came near the temple, the old years in New Orleans and later in North Carolina. servant worshiped the idol. Onoe when he had He is at present visitor of all the misslon stations· done this, the child asked him in her innocent way: in North Carolina and president of Immanuel Col"Soamy, why did you do that?" He answered, lege at Greensboro, our institution in which colored preachers and teachers "Oh, Miss, that is my are to be trained for the god." "Your god, your mission field. God has god, Soamy?" said the graciously been with His little girl; "your god cannot even see or hear; your servant in days of joy and god is a stone. My God of sorrow, and has richly blessed his labors in sees and hears everychurch and school. thing." But as often as they Twenty-five years in came to that place, Soamy the mission service I This never failed to worship, is cause for congratulaand the child never fail ed tions, and these we and, to rebuke him for his no doubt, all our readers most heartily tender to idolatry. Nevertheless he our beloved mission11,ry. loved the girl very dearly, With him we thankfully and when he heard that she was going back to acknowledge God's blessing upon his work in the Europe, he said to her, past and pray for con"What will poor Soamy tinued blessing in the do when Miss goes to future. England? Soamy has no "Praise ye the Lord. father nor mother any0 give thanks unto the more." She replied imLord; for He is good; for mediately, "O Soamy, if His mercy endureth foryou would love my God, ever," Pe. 106, 1. He would be father and mother to you. He will Rev. Prof. N. :r. Bakke. care for you." Shine as _Lights. Phil. 2, 15. The old man promised with tears in his eyes that be would love her God. Then said she, "You A traveler visiting the lighthouse of Calais said must learn my prayers. II And she really taught to the keeper, "But what if one of your lights should him the Lord's Prayer, the Three Articles of Faith, go out at night?" and her morning and evening prayers. Once when "Never I impossible I" he cried. "Sir, yonder the family was holding its morning devotions, Soamy are ships sailing to all parts of the world. If toof his own accord walked quietly into the room, renight one of my burners were out, in six months I moved his turban from his head, and repeated the should hear from America or India, saying that on Lord's Prayer after the master. From this time on such a night the lights of the Calais lighthouse gave there was a visible change in his manner. He was no warning, and some vessel had been wrecked. 11 very anxious to learn English, so he could read the Would that all Christians felt as deeply the reBible. He soon became a firm Christian, lived a sponsibility that rests upon them as lights in the good life, and never again stood before a stone idol, world. saying, "That is my god."
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The Lutheran Pioneer. The Mercies of God. The mercies of God Are the theme of my song; Like beneficent rivers Life's pathways among, They flow full of blessing Through valley and plain, As free as the sunshine, As rich as the rain. The mercies of God Are as sure as the light; They wait for our waking, They guard us at night; They fall us not ever, But as day follows day They come from our Father · To prosper our way. Oh, mercies most wonderful! Who can declare God's tender compassion And infinite care P Bis love forgets nothing; He, Shepherd and Friend, Is our joy through life's living, Our rest at its end. Oh, corn that ls golden, Oh, forests of green, Oh, seas of blue beauty With white waves between, You tell of His mercies, But I shall proclaim Through ages eternal How great ls His name. Marianne Famingham.
"Jesus Sinners Doth Receive." In the summer of 1869 a Jewish doctor at Kishinew, in Soutliern Russia, treated a poor Lutheran widow, who was suffering from a painful di!Jease. The doctor admired the Christian patience and calm subD!l.ission with which she bore her sufferings. As she grew weaker and weaker, she one day asked the doctor, "How long will it be before the end comes, doctor?" The doctor told her that she might have but a few hours to live yet. Her face brightened, and she joyfully looked at him as if she were going to a wedding. The doctor was surprised, but the widow said to him: "Doctor, you have been so kind to me, and I should like to leave you a small token of my thankfolnesa. You are a Jew, but you are also a sinner. You cannot be saved without the Saviour of 1innen. 0 seek Him I Seek Him here in this book!" Sa.ying thi1, she banded him her Bible.
To please the woman, the doctor accepted the book. He took it along home, and laid it aside. When the doctor, the next morning, made his calls, he came also to the dwelling of the poor widow. At the door he stood still and listened as he heard some one singing. The adopted daughter of the dying woman was singing the verse : "I, a sinner, come .t o Thee, And acknowlcge my transgression; Tender mercy show to me, Grant me graciously r emission; Let these words my soul r elieve: •Jesus sinners doth receive.'"
The words of the singing child entered the heart of the Jewish doctor; his eyes were opened; he could not but confess to himself: " You, too, are a poor sinner; only the Saviour of sinners can save your soull" Two months later the old doctor also lay upon his dying bed. At midnight he sent for the pastor a~d wished to be baptized. As the pastor was told all that had occurred during. the last weeks, he was deeply moved and joyfully granted the doctor's request, baptizing him in the n!lme of the Triune God. The next day the old Jewish doctor fell asleep in Jesus. His last words were : "Jesus sinners doth receive I" Me, too, bath received the Saviour, Opening heaven, that I mn.y Uve With my Lord in bliss forever; Gladly, then, this world I leave "Jesus sinners doth recelve_l"
What a Song Did.
A Scottish youth learned with his mother to sing the old P,salms that were then as household words. When he had grown up, he wandered away from his native country, was taken captive by the Turks, and made a slave in one of the Barbary states. But he never forgot the songs of Zion, although he sang them in a strange land and to heathen ears. One night he was solacing himself in this man. ner when the attention of some sailors on board of an English man-of-war was directed to the familiar tune of "Old Hundred" as it came floating over the moonlit waves. At once they surmised the truth, that one of their countrymen was languishing away his life as a captive. Quickly arming themselves, they manned a boat and lost no time in effecting his release. After eighteen long years in slavery, is it strange that he ever afterward cherished the glorious tune of "Old Hundred"?-Bible Reader.
The Lutheran Pioneer. Mission and Harvest Home Festival at Catawba, N. C. The fou rth Sunday in September proved to be quite an eventful day in the history of the little band of Lutherans nt Catawba Station. As the sun mounted in the heavens and shed his glorious light upon the earth, the members and fri ends of the congregation mounted their different conveyances and wended their way towards the chapel to celebrate their mission and first harvest home festival. They found the chapel tastefully decorated with the fruits and flowers. of the season. Indeed, this presented a true type of the gathered harvest. As the bell tolled the hour for the opening of the services, the chapel was filled to its utmost; and from every window pee1·ed eager, expectant faces. The pastor of the congregation, Rev. W. H. Lash, conducted the morning service, which was followed by a brief confessional address by the Rev. Jas. H. Doswell, of Gold Hill, N. C. After the administration of the Sacrament, a brief recess for dinner was given. The friends brought their viands which they generously spread, and all partook with seeming satisfaction. The afternoon service began with a much larger attendance than the morning service. Rev. Jae. Doswell opened it with a well-prepared sermon to the catechumens. A harvest home sermon was then delivered by ·Prof. Weiss, of Conover, after which three persons were confirmed by the pastor of the congregation. The afternoon service then closed and the congregation dispersed, to return for the evening service conducted by Rev. Jae. Doswell. The collection for the day amounted to $11.20. Indeed, the occasion was an encouraging one, and we are oon vinced that this is only a beginning of the successful meetings of this kind at Catawba,
N. C.
M. v. G.
LASH.
Installation of Prof. Martin Lochner at Greensboro, N. C. Saturday, September 30th, Rev. Prof. M. Lochner, a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. . Louis, Mo., arrived in Greensboro, N. 0., from an extended trip to Europe, and was inducted into his office as Professor of Immanuel Lutheran College on Tuesday morning, October '3d, at eight o'clock, in the presence of the students of the college, at their temporary home in this city, by Prof. N. J. Bakke. The
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President of the institution based his installation address on 2 Tim. 2, 24, and urged the new professor to follow Christ's example, and be 1. gentle unto all men, 2. apt to teach, and 3. patient, if he desired to conduct his office for the glory of God and the eternal welfare of the souls entrusted to his care. May the great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, richly bless the work of this young laborer and make him a chosen and faithful servant for teaching many souls the way of peace. J. C. S.
Letter from New Orleans. Under date of October 3, a friend of our Colored Missions in New Orleans informs us that during the yellow fever epidemy God was graciously with our congregations and proved their safe Refuge and their mighty Delivery "from the noisome pestilence." Our friend writes: "We have in New Orleans ten congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Missouri · Synod; of these three belong to the Colored Mission. These congregations aggregate about 5000 souls in all. I have taken pains to learn, as near correctly as possible, the number of cases of yellow fever which occurred in each congregation; but the figures for each are so small that it would be a waste of space to give them in detail; let it suffice if I say · that the total number of fever cases in these ten congregations is less than 50, and of these less than 10 were fatal. "As we pass along here in our daily vocation we seldom, very seldom, hear anything of the fever. If it were not for the daily papers, we would know but very little or nothing of it. No fear or terror affects the hearts of our Lutherans; none that the writer knows of have gone away for fear; all are here at their posts, fortressed, buckled, and shielded against terror by day or by night, against the destruction that wasteth at noonday, and against the pestilence that walketh at night, by the protecting powers of the Almighty. "I am writing you from the midst of the Bethlehem Mie,eion. We have-thank God fo:i; His protection I-not one fever case to record. So far we have all escaped and are all of good cheer. . The reader would be astoni1hed to see-how little worry and anxiety manifest themselves ; not that the gravity of God 'a visitation ia not appreciated, but I think because of the patient submisaion, which accepts the situation as coming from God for our best. I know of some who stand firm on this basis, and I doubt not that others of whom I do not know
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
also profess this, and I hope that all believe this with me. "The church services have been fairly well attended, especially on Sunday evening, which is our main service. During the present sad time Pastor Kossmann thought it appropriate to read the Litany with the congregation every Sunday. This is participated in by the entire congregation, apparently with a contrite and humble spirit. Last Sunday's attendance numbered about 60 adults. ''The school has had vacation since the close of July. The reopening in the beginning of September was postponed at the suggestion of the Board of Health until October 2d. Further postponement is not deemed advisable. '' During vacation Pastor Kossmann renovated the entire interior of the Bethlehem school building and built a division wall in the lower room to give accommodation to two classes, to enable him to transfer the first class to this room from the vestry, which was much too small. Our school now gives scant room for 190 children, with the first and second classes rather crowded. If school progresses this season in the same ratio as last year, more school room must necessarily be provided. God bless our mission and the schools of our mission with His richest blessing I"
Letting His Light Shine. A mission worker, who had been preaching at the Reform School, was accosted one day upon the street by a colored boy. "Howdy do, Mr. Wells?" "How do you do, sir?" "Don't you know me? I heard you preach at the Reform School." "Were there any other colored boys there?" "Yes, sah; 'bout two hundred and fifty." The missionary did not tell him that all colored boys looked alike to him, but said: "No, I don't remember you, but I am glad you remember me, and maybe you remember my text?" "Yes, aah, it was, 'What shall I do with Jesus, which is called Christ?'" "Well, what did you do with Him?" "I took Him, aah." "You did? .And you are a Christian?" "Ask my bo1&." "Who is your boss?" "Mr. Beale, up here on the avenue." The missionary found Mr. Beale's store and said to him: "Do you know a boy named Jim?" "Yea, sir, he works for me."
"What sort of a boy is he?" "The best I ever had in my employ." "He says be is a Christian." "Well, the way he acts, I believe he is." The missionary was glad to hear that Jim was not one of those who profess Christianity merely by talking, and jumping, and shouting, but that he proved his faith by his works. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matt. 5, 16. " Walk as children of light," Eph. 5, S. OUR BOOK TABLE. fuer deutsche Lutheraner auf das Jahr l OOG. Price, 10 cts. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. Besides the usual calendar ancl statistical matter, this welcome and useful annual contains 14 pages of well-written and instructive reading matter, the biography of tho late Rev. J.P. Beyer being of special Interest. It also brings a very beautiful colored picture representing Christ, the Good Shepherd, as our Gulde and lllustratlng Ps. 23, 8 : "He leadeth me In the paths of righteousness." Al\lERIKAN ISCDER !CALENDER
Acknowledgment. Received for colored miss ions from St. Paul's Church In Charlotte, N. C., 85.00; Mount Zion Church, Now Orleans, La., 25.00; St. Paul's Church, New Orleans, La., 35.00; St. Paul's Church, Mansura, La., 10.00; Grace Church, Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; Grace Mission, St. Louis, Mo., 3.00; Liza Smith, Charlotte, N. C., .86. St.Louis, Mo., October 17, 1905. A. c. BURGDORF, 7reas. Evangelical Lutlaeran Colored Churcltcs. NEW ORLEA.NS, LA.
s,. Paul'• C1tapd, 16".4 Annette St., near N. Claiborne St.; F. J. Lankenau, Pastor.
DITlnoServlces : Sundny, 11 .l, H. and 7.30 P. u .; Wcdneeday,
7,30P.H,
Moum Zion C1turc71, Franklin nnd ThallaSts.; K.Kretzschmar, Pastor." DITlne Services: Sunday, 11..&.. H , and 7.30 P, 11.; Thursday, 7,30 P . 11,
,v.
Bdhleltem C1tapd, Waablngton An. nnd Dryades St.; J . F. KOH• mann, Pastor. Divina Services: Sunday, IO .l, K, and 7.30 P. u.; Thursday, '1.30 I', I(, SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Holy 7WnU11 C1turc71; L. E. Tballoy, Pnstor. Dlvfne Service■: Sunday, 10.30..&.. H , and IP, lll,
TERMS: LUTBER.lNPIONBBR ls publlshed monthly, payable In ad't'ance at the following rates, postage included, to-wit: 1 Cop:, ..... . . . .. ... . ......... .. .. f .25 10 Coples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 TBB
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ar;ht Juthtran A
1\./frssroNARY MONTHLY.
P u uu U E D l3Y T H E EvANGE L IC,\.L L u TJCERAN SYNODICAL Cm,"FERENCE OF NoRTH 1UmmcA.
R. A. IHSCllOFF, Editor, li:ntercd 11t tho Pos Lo mce :iL St. Louis, Mo., :is sccond -cl:iss matter.
•
Vol. XXVII.
St. Louis, Mo., December, 1905. Good Tidings.
"Be hold, I bring you good Ullings of g reat joy, which slmll be to :ill people." L uke 2, 10.
"Good tidings!" ,vnke, 0 men, and hear What blessing to the world clraws near. The messengers of love, Sent from their home above, A. glimpse of heaven's glory bring, While to their golden harps they slng"Good tidings I" "Great joy I" The sorrowing sons of earth, Who sat tu darkness from their birth, Shall see this radiant light Pierce through their gloomy night, And shall rejoice that angels bore The heavenly message to earth's shore11Great joy!"
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"To all I" To all of every land · This message brings the angel band. Not the loved Jew alone, But all-yes, every one Shall hear this news, shall share this ·joy, Shall have this gift without alloy"Alll .nil!" "A Saviour!" Yea, from all their sin Bis people shall He save, and win Peace for His servants true Bis peace, forever new. Give us Thy peace, 0 Christ, our Klug, That we for aye with angels slng"Our Saviour I"
Good Tidings. The Christmas tidings are good tidings. They tell us that the Saviour is born. "Unto you is bom this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." It is just such a Saviour as sinners need. A mere man could not save us from sin
No.12 •
and its punishment. God's own power was necessary to bear the dreadful burden of sin and the heavy weight of its punishment. Our Saviour must be God and man in one person. And behold I God in His great mercy sent us· just such a· Saviour. "God so loved the world that He gave Hie onlybegotten Son." God's own Son became man, born of the Virgin Mary. The angel called the Child born at Bethlehem ''the Lord." That Child is true man, born of the Virgin Mary, but He is also true God, begotten of the Father from eternity. The Child wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger was the Lord, the great Jehovah, God over all, blessed forever. In that Child the Son of God became the Son of man. For what purpose? In order to be the_Saviour of sinful man. He, the God-man, took the sinners' place and bore the sinners' punishment, and thus redeemed man from sin and all its woe. "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour." A Saviour from sin and everlasting damnation I Indeed, these tidings are good tidings. What better tidings could there be for lost and condemned sinners? In the m~nger of Bethlehem we find redemption for the slaves of sin, peace for the restless, help for the helpless, salvation for the lost, heaven for the condemned I There can be no better tidings than the Christmas tidings: "Unto you is bom a Saviour." The Christmas tidings are good tidings. They are "unto all people," as the Saviour whose birth they make known is the Saviour of all sinners, even the chief of sinners. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ J'esus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief," 1 Tim.1, 15. The Saviour bom at Bethlehem is the Saviour of all men. If there were one exception, then each sinner might think himeelf that one, and
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the tidings would not be good tidings. But there is not one excepted. The Saviour born at Bethlehem "came to seek and to save that which is lost." All are lost. "There is none righteous, no, not one," says the, Bible. There is no exception: all are lost. So the Saviour came to save ·all. There is no exception: He is the Saviour of all. The Saviour born at Bethlehem "came into the world to save sinners." All men are sinners. " For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, " says the Bible. There is no exception. All have sinned. So the Saviour came to save all: There is no exception. Therefore the angel who brought the Christmas tidings plainly said: "I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.'' To all people-to the learned and the unlearned, to the high and the low, to the rich and the poor, to the young and the old, to every sinner the Christmas tidings bring the Saviour from sin and woe. "God so loved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, t}?at whosoever"-no matter who be is and what he is-"whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3, 16. The Christmas tidings are indeed good tidings. There are none better. They make known the birth of a Saviour who is the Saviour of all sinners. These ,good tidings are for you. Believe them, and your heart will be filled with true Christmas joy. The Saviour whose birth they make kno~n they at the same time offer to you as your Saviour. Receive Him in true faith, and you find in Him .all that your soul needs for time and eternity. These good tidings are for all people. Let us, then, as we have opportunity, spread the Christmas tidings for the salvation of sinners. Enjoying the peace and salvation which the good tidings bring, let us make known these tidings to others, that they also may find God's peace and good will in the Saviour born at Bethlehem for all sinners.
The Holy Christmas Night. Without the shining Christmas night of Bethlehem our whole life would be deep darkness. Without Christmas, no Good Friday; without Good .Friday, no Easter; without Easter, no Pentecost, no Gospel, no baptism, no salvation, no heaven, no happiness. Here we , would be lost, because we would have no God; there we would be condemned, because we would be without heaven. That. would be the fate of all of us, without the holy Christmas night at Bethlehem. Thought, dark u midnight, depart I '.Fhought, pale as death,
flee from us I Thought, terrible as the terrors of hell, leave us I- No, our fate is not to despair, for unto us the Saviour is born in the holy Christmas night. - TV. F. - -- - ••-+-- - -
Unto You is Born a Saviour. This little word, "you," ought lo cheer our hearts. li'or of whom and to whom does the an gel speak? Most assuredly not to wood or stones, but to men. And not to one man or two , but to all that are men, as he says this joy" shall be to all people." Whosoever is a man, himselI born of woman, may and ought to accept this new- born Saviour. Angels do not need Him. Devils do not want Him. But we need Him, and for our sake He bas become true man. Ours is this Christ, with body and soul, with everything He bas, so that we may trust in this and defy our enemie13 1 that Christ is our brother, our treasure, more fully ours than a husband belongs to his wife, or a son to bis father. And if He be ours, we are His. Wherever He is we also are to be, and whatever He has is to be ours . Lt1thc1·.
Christ Our Light. Pastor Fromme] relates the following: -
I was called one Christmas Eve to the bedside of an old man of eighty years, who lay dying. He was poor, very poor. As long as he was able, he had earned his daily bread by carpentering, but now he was old, blind, and sick. As long as he _could see, he had searched diligently in God's Word. As long as he could go, in spite of his blindness, he went Sunday after Sunday to church, a two hours' journey over the mountain, led by his little grandson; but he had fallen once and was now so lame that he could not leave his bed. I had often s.at by his side, yet in the twenty years that I had known him be never uttered a word of complaint. Deep peace rested upon his noble features, and his highest joy was to speak of the mystery of God's love, to my edification. As the end drew near that Christmas Eve, I asked him what text I should take for his funeral sermon. Raising himself up and · turning his sightless eyes upon me, he said, "My text is in the book of Micah and -reads: When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me." "Christ Is come to be thy light Shl11l11g through the darkest night; Be will make thy pilgrim way Shine unt o the perfect day. Take the message I Let It be Fall of Christmas joy to thee."
The Lutheran Pioneer. The Holy Ghost Has Kept Me in the True Faith. Thus Luther says in his explanation of the Third Article. And so every true Christian confesses. That I am still a Christian I owe to the gracious working of the Holy Ghost. He that bas brought me to Christ has also till ·now kept me with Christ in the true faith. And the latter is just as important and n ecessary as the former. It is absol utely necessary that I ·stay with Christ in true faith, if I would be saved. Only be that is faithful unto death will receive the crown of life, Rev. 2, 10. Only he that endures unto the end will be saved, Matt. 24, 13. I can, however, no more stay with Jesus by my own reason or strength than I can come to Him by myself. Let a man rely on himself and soon he is lost, for there are three mighty enemies who are busy day and night endeavoring to draw us away from Christ and His salvation. These enemies are the devil, the world, and our own flesh. The wo,·ld is always busy trying to induce us not to persevere. Sometimes she will try to bully us back to her, and at another time she will use· words sweet as honey. At one ti me she will try to gain her end by mockings nod persecutions, and then again she will try it with flattering and coaxing. So fierce are the world's onslaughts and so enticing her gentle beckonings that not one of us, if left to himself, could withstand her, and every one of us would soon cease being a pilgrim to the promised land. No less dangerous is our second enemy, the flesh. Its sole aim, too, is to have us give up our pilgrimage. It is an enemy that is ever with us. The Old Adam we can never rid ourselves of as long as we live this life in the flesh. Daily we must experience that in us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing. If we are prosperous, the .flesh tries to make prosperity a tool to bring us to fall; if adversities assail us, the flesh presses these into its service. When we are enjoying honor and good repute, we are in great danger because of our Old Adam; and when we are in shame and disrepute, the danger is no less. Yes, the flesh is a terrible assailant which is ever busy undermining our perseverance. Finally, there is also the devil, who is forever planning and plotting our overthrow. "Deep guile and great might are his dread arms in fight, on earth is not his equal." He knows our weak points better than we know them ourselves; he knows where and when and how to touch us; for every soul be has his temptation, and for every man he baa his trap. He knows how to take one this way,
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and the other the opposite way; he knows when to beat the big drum and cry in thunder tones, and be knows when to speak softly and sweetly to gain his end. He tries to stay our perseverance in service by calling our attention to our poor success; when sufferings come upon us, be uses them to persuade us to give up our faith in God. If you are zealous, he will try to turn you cold ; and if in simplicity of faith you continue steadfast in Jesus' words and the apostles' doctrine, he will try to make you believe that steadfastness in doctri.ne is wholly unnecessary. . Must it not be plain to us all, that "by might of ours naught could be done, soon were our loss effected"? Blessed are we that it is not our strength that must keep us, but that we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1, 5. God bas given us His promise, and so we may be confident of this very thing, that He which bath begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1, 6. The "good work" is the enkindling of faith in our hearts. Through this faith we were brought to Christ, and in this faith the Holy Ghost will keep us with Christ until the last day. He that has called us is faithful, and He will preserve us blameless unto the coming of . our Lord J eeue Christ. We have God's promise that Hie Holy Spirit will strengthen us in our warfare against Satan, world, and flesh, and obtain for us the victory. The means by which the Holy Ghost keeps us in the·true faith is the same which He uses in working faith in us, namely, the Gospel. By the Gospel the Holy Ghost teaches us and increases our knowledge of Jesus. By the Gospel He strengthens our faith, inflames our love, and increases our hope. By the Gospel He affords us enduring oomfort in all trials and tribulations, in all sorrows and sufferings. Let us, therefore, diligently and faithfully uee the Goepel; let us gladly hear and learn God's Word and .faithfuHy use the holy Sacraments, and thus be saved unto life everlasting. To neglect the use of the means of grace is soon to lose God's grace and be lost; but the diligent use of the Word and Sacraments, through which alone the Holy Ghost works, instlree us the crown of life. • C1Let me be Thine forever, Thou faithful God and Lord; Let me forsake Thee never, Nor wander from Thy Word. Keep me from enor's mazes, Lord, grant me constancy, And I will sing Thy praises In all eternity."
F. J. L.
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
JESUS, OUR IMMANUEL. "Ring out, ye bells of Christmas I Far out o'er sea and Jandl Let strains of joyful sweetness Reach earth's remotest strand I "For unto us la bom 0 wonderful to tel11 A King who saves from sin, Jesus, Immanuel. ' "Ring out, ye bells of Christmas I The work of death 11 done. Descends the Christ of glory,Hla reign la DOW begun I "0 King, I bring Thee homage; I worship and adore. My heart, my lips, my membera A.re Thine for evermore."
blessed Saviour once lay in a manger." He went t.o the barn and placed the Bible in a safe place. As he left, a prayer went up to God that He would incline the man to take it into hie house and bless its message to the conversion of hie soul. For several days, after the distributer had left, the thought of the rejection of the Bible followed the owner of the house wherever he went and in all he did. He could not get it off hie mind. "The man was very civil," thought he. "After all, the book won't hurt me; and to tell him to put it in the barn was folly I I dare say he left it there. I'll go and see." He went, and found the Bible, and in it the Christmas message; for as he turned over the leaves, he came to a place where it is written: "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes lying in a manger." The man wept because of hie guilt and pie folly. It was the Spirit's work in hie heart. By the grace of the Spirit he also found in that Christmas message hie Saviour and in Him Christmas joy and Christmas peace. He became a diligent reader of the Bible which he had once rejected, but which was now hie most precious book. Reader, it may be you have never rejected the Bible-I mean the book itself. Perhaps you possess one. Do you value it? Do you read it? Speaking of the Bible, Luther says: "Esteem this book as the precious fountain that can never be exhausted. In it you find the swaddling-clothes and the manger to which the angel directed the shepherds to find Christ; the words seem poor and mean, but dear and precious is the treasure that lies therein."
Ll'ttle George's Christmas Letter and Its Answer.
Little George had just knelt in prayer, and then, after saying good night to hie mother, had lain down in hie bed: The mother was busy with her sewing He Found the Christmas Message. and was deeply wrapt up in her thoughts. George • When the New York Bible Association was mak- had been in bed an hour already, and bis mother ing exertions, some years ago, to supply a copy of thought that he had gone to sleep long ago. But the Scriptures to every family that was without it, he was lying there with bis eyes wide open. one of its distributen called at a house where he Suddenly he said, "Mother, I must tell you met with1 an angry repulse. something before I can sleep." "Take it off to the bam," said the father of the His mother felt alarmed and said, "My child, family; "I'll not have it in the house. 11 I hope you have not been doing something wicked." "Very well," the distributer replied, "I do not He .answered, "Not that exactly, and yet I must mow ·that I could leave it in a better place. Our tell you of it before I go to sleep. 11 Then he pro-
I
The Lutheran Pioneer. ceeded: "You know, dear mother, that Christmas will soon be here, and I am very anxious to have a sword and a soldier cap. But whenever I tell you of it, you always say that I should tell the Saviour of it, and that you are poor and cannot buy them for me. And since I cannot speak to the Saviour, I wrote Him about it to-day." His mother asked : '' What did you do with the letter?" "I put it into the post office," was the answer. , "And did you write your name under it?" "Certainly I did; the Saviour must surely know what my name is and where I live." . Now he felt relieved, and fell back on his pillow and soon was asleep. The mother's heart was filled with earnest thoughts. She studied how she might get the letter back again. For the little boy had written his name, "George von R.," to the letter, and the · letter must not become public. She thought of the past. Her husband was a member of a noble family, and his relatives refused to consent to his marriage with her on account of her poverty. But, nevertheless, he married her, because she was pious, as was he also. Only a short time ago they had come to the city where they now lived. She did not expect her h~sband home for some time yet, but suddenly someone knocked, and Uncle Emil, her brother, who was stationed as a lieutenant in the same city, entered. She told him all that had happened, and he immediately went over to the post office and inquired whether there was a letter in the office addressed to the Saviour: He was informed that such was the case, but that it had already been sent to the postmaster as a curiosity, and that further inquiries would have to be made there. Although it was already late, yet the young man went there also. He asked the same question. The postmaster, who was a God-fearing man, greeted him pleasantly and said: "Your nephew is a splendid little fellow. Here, read the letter. But you will not get it back." It read thus: '"MY DEAR SAVIOUR: You are rich and have everything. Please have the kindness to present me with a sword and a soldier cap on Christmas. My father and my mother cannot give them to me, as they are too poor. As for the rest, you can send whatever you please; but do not forget these two things. Send something for father and mother also, so that they, too, may have a Christmas joy. "Yours, "GEORGE VON R. "No. 18 Bienen street, third story."
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The postmaster said: "You must permit me to take the place of the Saviour in this case. The child's faith shall not be put to shame. Do me the honor and celebrate Christmas · with me here at my house. I myself will go to George's parents to invite them to come with their boy and add to the joy of the occasion. I would like to become acquainted with parents who have brought their child to Christ so early in life. Of course, George must learn nothing of all this." On Christmas Eve George and his parents went, in company with Uncle Emil, to the house of the postmaster, who had already become a family friend, but George did -not know why they went. What a sight met his eyes I The Christmas tree was all ablaze; a number of beautiful presents for George lay on the table under it, and among them was also a sword and a soldier cap. The parents, too, were kindly remembered and made happy. The mother asked George if he was not astonished. "No," he answered, .."did I not write to the Saviour about it? I knew that I would get what I asked for." • After he had put on his sword and cap, the postmaster asked him whether be did not want to be-. come a lieutenant like hie uncle Emil. He stood still and said, "No, I want to become a captain." "But first you must become a lieutenant." He answered, "But I want to become a captain, because I have read in the Bible of pious captains only, but not of pious lieutenants, and for that reason I will beco~e nothing but a captain." "That is right," said the postmaster, "stick to that, ever remain faithful to your Saviour, and no matter what turn your life may take, you will never be in want." The postmaster further was enabled to secure a better paying situation for the father, a place in which he could ·apply his knowledge and abilities to a better advantage. Soon the circumstances of the family assumed a more favorable character. The friendly relations with ·the postmaster continued. But George became a respected man, who never had reason to hide his .noble descent on account of poverty, and the beet thing he retained, namely, the true nobility of heart, for he walked as became a true child of God.-From tlte German.
IF we truly believed, that all things come to us purely through God's grace and _me!cy, our hearts would leap with joy and would always be in heaven. Lutl&trr.
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The Lutheran Pioneer. Meeting of Immanuel Conference.
The semi-annual meeting of Immanuel Conference was held in the St. Matthew Lutheran Church at Meherrin, Va., from the 12th to the 15th of October. The pastoral conference was held on the 12th. Rev. D. H. Schoof£ read a paper on the question: "Can a Christian partake of the Lord's Supper unworthily?" Of course, the question was answered in the affirmative, both by the essayist and the brethren, in the discussion of the question. Many important matters came up in this private conference, the question of having an Old Folks' Home being probably the one that will interest the readers most. In all of our missions there are a number of old and, in many cases, infirm people, who have no one to see after them and care for them. Now, in Meherrin we have a large tract of land, and, at a small cost; a comfortable dwelling could be built that would be an asylum where our aged and forsaken ones could be cared for, and at little expense. Our congregations could support the home easily. Some of the churches have already subscribed money for the erection of the home:-Another interesting matter that came up for the consideration of conference was Rev. N. J. Bakke'e silver jubilee on the 7th of November. The matter was left in the hands of a committee. Thursday evening Rev. W. Lash , of Salisbury, N . C., preached a sermon on 2 These. 2, 13. 14. Conference proper began at 10 A. M., on Friday, the 13th. After deTotional exercises conference was organized. Rev. D. H. Schoof£ was elected chairman for the ensuing year. Prof. N. J. Bakke was chosen vice-president, and Prof. Wahlers reelected secretary. Prof. M. iochner and the underaigned were received as members of conference. Rev. C. Lauterbach, of Ridgeway, N. C., was given the privileges of the floor. Conference accepted the invitation to hold the next session at Immanuel College in Greensboro, N. C. The new building will then be finished and dedicated. In the afternoon session, Rev.J. H. Doswell read a timely and interesting paper on "Christian Giving. " Thie paper ought to be read in all of our churches. At the evening session the undersigned delivered a brief discourse on Luke 17, 11-19, and Rev. Doswell finished reading bis paper. On the 14th,. after some minor business had been transacted, Prof. Wablera read an essay on "Christian Suffering." He finished reading this paper in the afternoon aession. Rev. J. H. Doswell preached at the evening service on Matt. 16, 26. In divine service on Sunday morning, Rev. Scbooff preached·a confea-
eional address from 1 Cor. 11, 27- 29, and Rev. Lneh delivered a sermon on Acts 16, 30. 31, after which the brethren and the congregation partook of the Lord's Supper. In the afternoon , Rev. J .C. Schmidt, of Greensboro, N. C., preached a miss.ion sermon from Matt. 28, 19. In the evening, Rev. J. Ph. Schmidt, of Concord , N . C., delivered a sermon from Ps. 139, 1- 12, a fter which the undersigned, in the name of conference, thanked the members and the pastor of St. Matthew 's Church for their hospitality, and conference adjourned sine die by singing " God be with you till we meet again." Next morning the brethren left fo r their respective stations, strengthened and refreshed, to continue to win souls for Christ and spread God 's kingdom on earth. J. McD.
Christmas in the Himalayas. Swen Hedin, the famous Norse explorer, on his return journey, spent Christmas with the missionaries at Leh, a town in Little Tibet on the northern slopes of the mighty Himalayas. H e mentions this pleasant incident in his book, "In the Heart of Asia," as follows : "The days passed only too quickly . I was overwhelmed with kindness by Messrs. Ri bbach and Hettasch and their estimable wives. Miss Bass and Dr. Chawe treated the sick fellows in my caravan with tender care. I went to the missionaries daily and became acquainted with their work of faith nnd love and patience. "We celebrated Christmas together in the neat chapel of the mission. The room beamed with candle light, and the Christma~ tree with its fruits and its countless little candles awakened in me sweet memories of my childhood d ays in my dear old homeland. Mr. Ribbach preached in Ladaki, and the whole, audience, which filled the chapel completely, joined in the singing heartily. All the people had put on their best clothes. I hardly ever before attended such a soul - stirring, solemn worship. The soft radiance of the lights on the Christmas tree and the sweet tones of the organ enchanted me. I was moved to the depth of my soul, for I bad so much cause for thankfulness to God, as all our · hardships bad now come to an end and I had found good friends in the first Europeans I met with on . my return to civilization."
MY times are in Thy hand, 0 Lord I Go Thou . with me, and I am safe. And, above aU, make me useful in promoting Thy cause of peace and goodwill among men.-Da11id Livingstone.
The Lutheran Pioneer. NOTES AND ITEMS. CLOSE OF VOLUME. -This number closes another volume of our LUTllERAN PIONEER, and as a new volume begins with the new year, this is a suitable time to send in tbe names of new subscribers. 'If our friends will speak a kind word for our paper and get new subscribers for it, we should be very thankful. With th eir assistance the circulation of the PIONEER can be increased , which would also be a. help to our mission work since all the profits go into our mission treasury. The close of the year is an excellent time to get subscribers for the new volume, and we hope that the friends of the PIONEER will make use of their opportunities in this direction.
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minister, 11 how much land do you own?" 11 About 500 acres." "How far down do you own?" "Why, I never thought of it before, but I suppose I own half way through." "Exactly," said the clergyman. "I suppose you do, and I want the money for the New Zealanders- the men whose land joins yours at the bottom." Trrn TRUE MISSIONARY SPIRIT. - ·A friend once tried to dissuade a young man from going as a missionary to Africa, by telling him be would die there in a short time, as be could not stand the climate. His answer was, "I think it is with mission work as it is with building a temple. Some srones must be buried in the earth for a foundation. If Christ wants me to be one of the unseen stones lying in an Afric1_1n grave, I am content."
A PENNY A DAY. - Right after a missionary meeting, a poor woman called at the residence ANOTHErt. -A true missionary spirit was also where the missionary was staying, and told him manifested by a young missionary candidate whom she bad been prevented from attending, but hoped Bishop Hedding, of New York, was examining, in she was not too late to present a little contribution order to test his fitness for the work. Said the she wished to make to the Missionary Society. The bishop: "Have you considered that you will have poverty of her appearance induced the missionary to go away from home and friends, and be among to say, h e feared she could not afford to give anystrangers and enemies?" "I have," replied the thing; but the poor woman assured him that though young man. "Have you considered that you must she was a widow and had four children to support, leave your native land, with all its institutions and she bad contrived to save a little, · and that she . privileges, and. be a foreigner in a strange land, should be much grieved if be should refuse to take where everybody wil1 regl!,rd you with suspicion it. She then untied a bundle she had brought with and prejudice?" "I have com!idered it all," said her and produced three hundred and thirty cents. the preacher. 11 Have you considerj!d that in that She bad laid by one cent every day for the year land your health may fail, you may be prostrated past, excepting those days in which illness preby malarias and fevers, and you may die premavented her from working. turely by disease or violence?" "Yes," continued A THANK OFFERING. ..:....The British and Foreign the young man, "and if I had a thousand lives I ' Bible Society received from Rev. Mr. Casalis, of the would give them to Jesus. Bishop, please don't ask Paris Mission in Basutoland, South Africa, $826 as me any more question&, but send me, send met 11 an offering for its Century Fund from the Basuto EARNESTNESS OF NATIVE CoNVERTs.-The ear- . churches. About $40 of this amount is from a neatness of native converts is illustr,tted in a recent newly organized church under charge of a young report of a missionary from Fukien, China: "Some native pastor, which has very few men on its list of the Christians who worship here come from a of members. The most of the money came from great distance. Three women walked seven miles the sixty women of the church. These black women to-day to get here. One was an old lady of sixtyearned it, a fe,v cents at a time, and made it truly a .f our, with snow-white hair. Only a short time bethank offering. fore she walked the same distance to join the church. YOUR NEIGHBOR. -A minister was soliciting aid Another one, who is sixty-two, came with her little for foreign missions, and applied to a gentleman, nine-year-old grandson. After morning service they who refused him with the reply, "I don't believe in were in my room, and just before going out, she put foreign missions. I want what I give to benefit my her hand caressingly on the little fellow and said : neighbor." 11 Well," replied he, "whom do you re- 'Son, you must plead· with your mother to be a gard as your neighbor?'' ''Why, those around me.'' Christian. 1 He promised to do so, and his arm went "Do you mean those whose land adjoins yours?" up in a loving embrace to grandma's neck. That inquired the minister. "Yes." "Well," said the dear gran~ma had only just i:eached the place where
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The Lutheran Pioneer.
·rr~
she was willing to give up her Buddhist beads, and
Dr. Walther, whose praise as a souod theologian and as . . a master of the art of preachln~ Is lo all the churches. yet m the afternoon I heard her learning from one Of Waltber•as a preacher ooe o( Germany's divines wrote: of the older Christians how to pray and saying she "Walther Is as correct lo form as a University or Court • d h •' 1 f 11 : reacher, aud yet ns popular as Luther himself. If the was gomg to get her aug ter-m • aw to O ow Lutheran church wishes to brlog her doctrines agalo amoog Christ too." the people, she must be as falth(ul and firm lo doctrine and as touching aod timely lo form as Is the case ,vlth ,valther. Walther Is a model preacher in the Lutheran church." Aod FOLLY OF IDOLATRY. -A striking illustration was ao Americoo divine wrote of ,vaJther•e sermons: "They are used by a mission worker in India, to show the folly models of Christian sermons, full of Christ aocl of the way to God through Him. They are withal so simple, so transand shame of the idolatry of the Hindus. He said: parent, aod so direct that the common people can read them "Supposing that a woman should dress a dog in gladly, aod yet so thouirhtful, so comprehensive, and so that the educated cnnoot but be Instructed and men's clothes and tell people it was her husband, suggestive edified. What o. blessing for all um·e, that these sermons how would the husband like it? But you do worse: will be rend aod pondered over In teos of thonso.ocls of you dress up a stick or stone and tell people that it households, teaching bow to believe In Christ and to overcome by the blood of the r.am b I" is God I" The Bible says: They that make these This new volume of Walther's sermons also sets forth idols are like unto them : so is everyone that trust- Christ as the Light of the world, In whom all that believe ftnd the ll:?ht of everlasting life. May the precious book eth in them. be blessed for the salvation of sinners, for the perfecting of the so.lots, and for the edl(ylog of the body of Christ.
·1 nstallatlon of
Mr. Napoleon
Seaberry.
Mr. Seeberry is a former pupil of Bethlehem school, New Orleans. After Confirmation he entered our Teachers' Seminary at Addison, Ill., where he remained four years, and finished his studies in the newly opened Luther College, under the direction of the Rev. F. J. Lankenau. Graduating last June, he was soon after called to take charge of the third class of St. Paul's School, thus remaining ·under the supervision of his former instructor. On the 17th Sunday after Trinity he was installed in his office with appropriate ceremonies conducted by Rev. Lankenau, who preached from Matt. 18, 10. 11. May God abundantly bless the efforts of this young laborer in His vineyard, and may the work be is doing bear fruit in a rich h.arvest of souls. K. KRETZSCHl\IAR.
Acknowletlgment. Received for Colored Missio11s from l\Iouot Calvary Church In Mount Pleasant, N. C., SS.00; Immanuel Church In Relmerstowo, N. C., 5.00; Grace Church, Concord, N. C., 10.00; Mount Calvary Church, Sandy Rldt:e, N. C., 23 00; Mount Zion Church, Meyer!ivllle, N. C., 5.50; Holy Trinity Church, Sprlol?fleld, Ill., 4.00; Grace Church, Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; Mount Zion Church, New Orleans, La., 25.00; St. Paul's Church, Ne,v Orleans, La., 35.00; St. Paul's Church, Man!lura, Lo.., 10.00; St. Paul's Church, Charlotte, N. C., 5.00; Immanuel Church, Greensboro, N . C., 5.00; St. Matthew's Church, Meherrln, Va., 24 30. For Chapel in Salisbury, N. C., from Mouot Calvary Church, Sandy Ridge, N. C., 4.27. . For Immanuel College from Mount Calvary Church, Sandy Ridge, N. C., 2.,0; St. Matthew's Church, Meherrln, Va., 15.70.
St. Louis, Mo.j NoYember 15, 1905. A. C. BURGDORF, Treas. EvangeUenl Lutheran Colored Churches. NEW ORLEANS, LA. Bl. Pm,l'• Chapel, 16'211 Annette St., near N. Olalborne Bt.; F. J. Lan-
konao, Pallor. Divine Senlce&: Sonday, 11.a.. 11. and 'i.30 P. 11. ; Wednesday,
Not a Friend of Noisy Meetings. Aunt Judy was not a friend of noisy meetings, in which people jump and shout. To one of her shouting colored sisters she said: "'Tain't de true grace,. honey; 'tain't de sure glory. You hollers too loud. When you gets de love in your heart, and de Lamb in your bosom, you'll feel as if you was in dat stable at Beth 'lem, and de blessed Virgin had lent you de sleeping Baby to hold. 11
OUR BOOK TABLE.
'1.30P.K.
Mount Zion Cllurch, Franklin and ThallaBts.; K.Kretz1chmar,Pa1tor Divine Scnlces: Snnday, 11 .a.. 11. and '1.S0 P. 11.; Thursday '1.30 P. K. Belhld&na Cllapd, Washington AH. and Dr,-ades St.; J. W. F. Koll•
mann, Pastor. Divine Senlcos: Sonday, 10 .a.. 11. and 7.30 P. x.; Thursday,
'1.30P. K .
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Holy TrinU11 Church; L. E. Thalley, Pastor. Divine Senlcee: Sonday, 10.30 .a.. u. and IP. 11.
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Club rates only allowed If all copies are to be sent to one EID Jahrgan,r von Evangellen-Predlg- address.-ln St. Louis by mall or carrier, 85 cents. ten aua dem Nachlass des sellgen Dr.C.P. W. WalCAer, All business communications to be addressed to Congesammelt von a. J. 0. Han.er. Concordia Publishing cordia Publishing House, Jefferson Ave. and Miami St., House, St. Louis, .Mo. Price, $2.25. ·St. Louis, Mo. The Rev. O. Hanser bu done the Church good senlce All communications concemlng the editorial depart,. by collectlng and preparing for publication this new volume ment to be addressed to Prof. R. A. B1sc11ol'r, Conover, of Gospel sermons from the brilliant pen of the sainted Catawba Co., N. C. LICHT DU LBBBNS.