# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1900_S35 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) The Lutheran Pioneer. 35 ———————————————————— | | preached the confessional sermon. Rev. J. | night when on duty, and in the tumult of the |Ph. Schmidt distributed the Lord’s Supper. | barrack, the voice of his conscience reproved | During the service the Concord choir sang| him, and what in his youth he had learned of oOo Dedication of the Chapel at Dry School House. On the morning of the Sth of August, as early as seven o’clock, wagons, buggies, and vehicles of all kinds, modern and not modern, could be seen coming from east and west, north and south, slowly or rapidly winding along the roads toward Dry School House. When the clock showed eleven many people had as- sembled. Rockwell had come with a wagon- load of eleven persons and three buggies; Gold Hill had sent its delegates in two bug- gies; Mount Pleasant and Reimers- town had turned out in full force; Concord had sent its welcome choir and several buggies and barouches ; all members of Dry School House were there, and besides many friends from far and near had come. All had come but for one purpose —to cele- brate the joyous event of the dedi- cation of the newly built chapel of the St. Peter Congregation at Dry School House. Two years ago this congregation had been organized by Rev. N. J. Bakke under the name of ‘‘St. Peter Ky. Luth. Congregation.’’? Unpromis- ing had been the beginning. In a house 8X12 ft., with five windows (10X10 in.), of which only three had window-glass, with four planks for seats, with a stove, the only relic of modern civilization, with four rows of shingles—and these full of holes—, and with but a small congregation assembled therein, the mission work had begun. But during the short time of two years the Lord had blessed the work so that this house could no longer accommodate the number of hearers. The congregation bought two acres, and on this land the Hon. - Board of Mission provided a new place of worship. A chapel was built, 24X34 ft., costing in all $300.00. A pleasing sight it is when one comes out of the pine woods and his eyes behold the beautiful structure, with a tower) (20 ft. high) raising its lofty peak to the skies. This fine building was to be dedicated to the Triune God. Near the hour of noon the people assembled around the door. A prayer was offered by Rev. J. Phil. Schmidt, pastor of the congrega- tion, thanking God for the manifold blessings He had showered upon them. Then in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost the doors were opened, and silently the people filled the house. After the singing of several songs of praise and thanksgiving, Rey. J. C. Schmidt of Greens- boro preached the dedication sermon, basing his discourse on Exod. 20,24. His theme was: ‘Why can we enter this house of God with thanksgiving?” Whereupon the undersigned Come unto Me, all ye that lnbor, an | several beautiful ‘songs. | After services dinner was served. A long | table was well provided with fine cake, chicken, | bread. Several watermelons had also put in | their appearance, but they soon disappeared. | At three o’clock in the afternoon services jagain were held. They were opened by the Concord choir singing several songs. In this | service the undersigned preached on Gen. | 28, 17. and I will give you rest, Matt. 12, 28. Allservices were well attended, and the con- gregation, numbering about 200, paid good attention to the sermons. The collection in both services amounted to six dollars and some cents. The congregation at Dry School House is to be thanked for taking so well care of their guests. : May the Lord bless and prosper His work. P. ENGELBERT. <> Read too Late! One of the most hardened and reckless sol- diers in a certain English regiment in India was young Jacob w—. He had deserted his parents and home to seek his fortune under the English flag. In the silence of the d are heavy laden, Jesus and his love smote his heart. But he | hardened himself against the workings of the Holy Spirit, and in the noise of reckless pleas- | ure and wickedness he sought to silence the | admonishing voice in his heart. He became | the wildest of his wild comrades. | One morning, after the lapse of several | months, the English mail arrived, which was a rare occurrence. The oflicer who distrib- uted the mail, passing him, said, ‘‘Here is something for you,” and handed him a letter. The young soldier hastily: took it, tore open the envelope, and hoped to find a cash remittance in the letter. In the hardness of his heart this would have been the only thing to make news from home welcome. But he was disappointed: the letter contained nothing but a written sheet of paper. Angrily he thrust it back into the envelope without reading it and flung it into his chest. A year has passed by and young W: is occupying a bed in the hos- pital, cast down by a mortal disease. In his loneliness he suddenly remem- bers that unread letter and asks his waiter to fetch and read it to him. This is what the letter contained: “Dear Son, — I should like to purchase your re- lease from the army and enable you to come home. I have bought a small piece of land for you, and prepared everything for you, and in fervent love, in your mother’s and my name I beg of you: Come home again! The captain of the ship W. has orders to give you a first-class passage. It is lying at Colombo. He has the pur- chase-money and everything else you willneed. Let nothing keep you back, only come. All send their love and their hope that you will come.’ ‘J shall never forget that scorned letter,”? says the narrator who was young W: 7s nurse, ‘I shall never forget the anguish and despair that seized the dying man, when he heard the kind message of his father which through his own fault reached him too late.” O you poor lonely and lost sinner, there is a message for you in the Gospel from your lov- ing Father; he bids you return. Read it ere it be too late! “Return, O wanderer, return, And seek a Father’s melting heart! His pitying eyes thy grief discern, His hand shall heal thy inward smart!’’ —_+ ~