# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1897_S16 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 16 The Lutheran Pioneer. + Emmanuel Burthiong. + Sueh of our readers as read also the ‘‘Mis- -sions-Taube,’’ will undoubtedly have been sadly affected by the following short notice, which appeared in the February issue of that missionary monthly: ‘‘We have to bring our dear readers some very sad news. Our dear colored student Burthlong, who has already proven himself a faithful and diligent worker in our Mission, a faithful and gifted young man, who would have completed his studies in our Seminary at Springfield next summer, is hopelessly ill with the consumption. Upon the request of his mother and the advice of the physicians, we have decided to send him home to New Orleans. Wonderful are the ways of God, but we humble ourselves under His mighty hand. He will do all things well.’’ For such readers I now have the sad intelli- gence that our dear friend peacefully passed away on the 28th of February. The deceased was born on the 22d of Feb- ruary, 1871, in Essequina County, Miss. At the age of seven, he removed with his parents to New Orleans. Up to the age of eleven he attended the public schools at intervals, but in general his educational facilities were ex- ceedingly limited, owing to various reasons, till he entered our St. Paul Mission School, then presided over by the late lamented Charles Berg. Under the tutorship of this excellent teacher, Emmanuel made very rapid progress, particularly in the Catechism and Bible History. On the 20th of April 1884, he was baptized by Rey. Bakke, and on May 4th of the same year, he was confirmed. After his confirmation Emmanuel yet con- tinued in school for some time, but was then obliged to go to work to help his mother in the support of her large family. However, though he was now out of school, Emmanuel, unlike other boys, did not put his books aside to let the dust gather upon them. Nay, he devoted many of his leisure moments to private reading and study. And 60 it came that Rev. Bakke was enabled to appoint him, in the year 1889, to fill a vacancy which had oc- curred in the primary department of the Mount Zion Mission School. For two years he satisfactorily filled this position, showing great zeal in the prosecution of his work, and loved by all who came in contact with him. During these two years of teaching school, he dili- gently applied himself to the study of the German language, in order that he might enter our Seminary at Springfield, where Ger- man is the medium of instruction. In the fall of 1891 he entered the seminary and soon gained the love and esteem of his professors and fellow-students by his appli- cation to study, and Christian conversation. Much of his leisure time he here devoted to mission-work among his colored brethren; Visiting and inviting them to church, playing the organ, instructing in Sunday School, and "preaching. The scholastic year-1894—-'95 he passed in North Carolina, assisting our mis- sionaries there by teaching and preaching. Upon his return to college he pursued his studies with the same zeal as before and would have completed his studies this year, had not God in His wise providence decided it to be otherwise. It was in November of last year that his ap- parently so strong body suddenly broke down. Upon examination the attending physician de- clared that he had the consumption, that the tight lobe of his lung was most seriously af- fected. Three other physicians who were called in could only substantiate the sad facts. Upon the earnest request of his mother and the advice of the physicians, he was brought home to New Orleans. The hope was enter- tained that the milder climate of the South might somewhat check the rapid progress the dread disease was making upon his system. But our hopes were not to be fulfilled, for the end came in but a few weeks after his return home. He calmly went to sleep an hour be- fore midnight on the 28th of February, having yet received the Holy Supper a short time be- fore. His last words were: ‘‘We shall meet again in heaven.” Thus an earnest and exemplary young Christian and a promising missionary has passed away from this world of sin and sorrow to the kingdom of glory beyond. “(His soul forever lives in God, Whose grace his pardon hath bestowed, Who through His Son redeemed him here From bondage unto sin and fear. “His trials and his griefs are past, A blessed end is his at last; He bore Christ’s yoke and did His will, And though he died he liveth still.” : F. J. LANKENAU. —»-o~