# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1902_S44 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) is The Lutheran Pioneer. (For the LUTHERAN PIONEER.) The Good Fight. 1 Tim. 6, 11—16. 2 Tim. 4, 7. 8. The Christian is a soldier, and the whole Christian life is a warfare full of struggles and battles, but also of victory. St. Paul urges Timothy to be ‘‘a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’’ The Christian life is by no means a holiday ex- cursion. While it is certainly true that it is the happiest life one can live, it is, neverthe- less, a life full of struggles against enemies that are fierce and bitter, and all the qualities of a good soldier must be called into action. When a man enlists in the Lord’s army and gives his heart to Christ, he becomes conscious of the fact that he has enemies to contend against. In most communities there are those who delight in making the young Christian’s path hard, people who by sneer and scoff and insinuation hurl many a dart at the new re- cruit of the Master. Isaac Watts asked in his day: Is this vile world a friend of grace To help me unto God? He answers in the next verse: Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord. But the worst enemies do not all come from the outside. There are traitors inside the eamp. A fort is never in so much danger as when a treacherous spy lurks within the for- tress, ready some dark night to open the gates of the fort to some horde of invaders. So a lurking thought of evil, or an unholy desire or imagination, if it be given house- room, though it be in the darkest corner of an unfrequented cellar, is an enemy that threat- ens with disaster the whole character and life. We are only too sure these traitors are within our own hearts. We must not give them any chance there, not give them quarter, else we shall be overthrown. In this good fight, however, itis not enough to keep the enemy out of the fort and hold our own; we must arm ourselves for active, offen- sive warfare. Sin has invaded this world and laid it waste, and Jesus Christ proposes to re- capture it and reclaim it. We are soldiers in an army of redemption. We needs must have on the whole armor of our Lord. No worldly armor of wealth, cul- ture, or good breeding will avail us. We must be strong in the Lord. Our loins must be ‘girt about with the girdle of truth; the breast- plate of righteousness must protect our hearts, ‘while being shod with the preparation of the ‘Gospel’ of peace will make us surefooted on the rocky path. The shield of faith and the helmet of salvation must protect us. _ When we are thus clothed, the sword of the Spirit in our strong hand will do execution. ‘We need all the soldierly qualities. We ‘be alert, wide awake, and not be caught imbering while doing guard duty. We must urselyes by daily exercise, so that we e steadfast in this holy campaign. Itis for a lifetime. It is the soldier that endures to the end that receives the victory and is crowned by our Lord. The Christian who goes into this fight, not | too large for one man. in his own strength, but relying on his Lord Jesus Christ, is sure of victory. The genuine Christian is a happy soldier, and has many a song about the camp fires along the way. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high His royal banner, It must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory His army He shall lead, Till every foe is vanquished, And Christ is Lord indeed. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Stand in His strength alone; The arm of flesh will fail you, Ye dare not trust your own. Put on the Gospel armor, And watching unto prayer Where duty calls or danger, Be never wanting there. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, The strife will not be long: This day the noise of battle, The next the victor’s song. To him that overcometh A crown of life shall be, He with the King of Glory Shall reign eternally. Mary J. Martin. Southern Pines, N. C. —— +0 0+ Letter from Meherrin, Va. Dear Epiror :— Will you please find a space in the PionEER to let our friends hear from Meherrin once more. The 20th day of August was a day of joy for us. On that day we celebrated our first harvest home festival. It was something new to all, but they all seemed to enjoy it. All brought the firstlings of their crops, and in spite of the drought we all had something to bring with which to decorate the church beautifully. Among these gifts and beautiful dressing stood a young minister of the Gospel of our own color, raised and baptized in the Lutheran church. He was only in his fourth year when the blessed doctrine of the Lutheran church came to us, and never shall I forget that time. How few were we at that time, and how we loved our old minister for the words he spoke! I pray that God may increase His love in our hearts. Our dear young minister, after spending nearly six years in the Concor- dia College at Springfield, Ill., returned to us. He left us when a boy, and now he returned | ™ preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So you see we had good reason to rejoice on the 20th of August. Besides having our first har- vest home festival we listened to the first colored preacher that ever was in our pulpit for these twenty years, and he was one of the firat colored students that ever graduated in thé Concordia College at Springfield: The good seed sown at Meherrin, Va., has brought forth good fruit. What more do we need? I will tell you. The field has become He needs help. Please try to do something for the Meherrin mission field. We thank you for all you have done for’us. May God bless the Mission Board and the faculty of Concordia College is my prayer. M. A. D. ———-o<>e Tuere are many faiths or creeds in this world, Jewish, Turkish, Popish. Yet no man is a Christian except he be found resting on Christ. — Luther. Acknowledgment. Received for colored missions of Rev. F. J. Lan- kenau from St. Paul’s Church in New Orleans, La., $25.00; of Rev.J. Kossmann from BethlehemChurch, New Orleans, La., 25.00; of Rev. J. C. Schmidt from Grace Church, Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; of Rey. D.H. Schoot!' from St. Matthews’ Church, Meherrin, Va., 12.00. For Emmanuel College of Rev. N. J. Bakke from St. Paul’s Church, Charlotte, N. C., 15.00; and from Mt. Zion Church, Meyersville, N. C., 5.00. A. C. BurGporr, Treas. St. Louis, Mo., October, 1902. ’ Evangelical Lutheran Colored Churches, New ORLEans, La. EV. LUTH. ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL. 1625 Annette Str., between Olaiborne and Derbigny. Divine services: Sunday morning at 9) oiclooks Sunday, evening at 7! Wednesday evening at 1 Sunday School: Sunday morning at Dkr Aanlt jontecnamen class meets at 7; polook ‘Taesday Singing oo ecbool meets at th o'clock Friday evening. ¥. J. LANKENAD, Missionary. EV. LUTH. MOUNT ZION OHUROCH. Cor. S. Franklin and Thalia Strs. Divine services: Sunday morning ¢ Re 11 o'clock. Sunday evenin o'clock. Thursday coven Se at pg orelock Sunday School: Sunday morning at 934 o'clock. Adul 75 Seen class meets at 734 orclock Friday Young. es eop le’s Concordia Circle and Singing Schoo) meet Wednesday evening at 714 o’cloc! KARL KRETZSCHMAR, rr EV. LUTH. BETHLEHEM OHAPEL. Cor. Washington Avenuc and Pibeb se Str. Divine services: pane evenin, o'clock. aye even! ae at 4 o'clock. Sunday School at 34 rorcloek. Adult catechumen class every Tucsday at 734 o'clock and after the divine service on Thursday evening. cnole ppractice at 7% o'clock on Tuesday evening and ter divine service on Thursday even ng. Circle for Young People meets at the school every Taes- day evening at 734 o'clock. J. W. F. KosSMANN, Missionary. Ey. Luth. Holy ay Church, Springfield, Divine services at half pesto 10 elock Sunday morning smniat Suet cals an Oni sHamen class moets Bo Mowaay Sa Friday evenings. Binging-8¢ school Tuesday evening. TERMS: Tue LurHEraN Prone is published monthly, ble in advance at the following rates, postage i uded, to-wit: ”° 10 Copia co » 2.00 25 50 eee 00 one ee only. allowed. if ‘all copies are to be sent one address. ‘All business communications to be addressed to “Ooncordia Publishin oe 1 Jefferson Ave. and Miami St., St. Louis, the edi Ide- ‘All communications concerning RA. Hicnrory, ent to be add | Boneordla College, Fort Wayne, Ind.