# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1918_S85 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ea 4 The Lutheran Pioneer. 85 then come back to-morrow, if nurse gives her con- sent?” “Son, Vl stay right here till you are asleep, and Ill certainly come again to see you to-morrow. Here comes the nurse now.” Once more a sweet smile came to the young soldier’s lips as his well hand crept out from he- neath the cover, and grasping his pastor’s hand, he said, “God bless the good old church back home that sent you tome. And, oh, pastor, have they a Service _ Flag hanging in the church at home?” “Yes, indeed, we have. And we have a star on it for you. ‘Twenty-five stars are on our flag, and every time we meet for service, we ask God to bless those for whom these stars are there.” “God bless the church back home; for the stars they have put into the flag; for sending you to us!” The exhausted boy relapsed into silence. Soon his deep breathing told the nurse and pastor that he was fast asleep. The Red Cross pastor stayed there for a long ‘time, holding the hand of the boy in his own. Though weary from a long day’s work in the base hospital, he was happy to think that he had met one bless them bless them Sof his boys, and had been able to bring good cheer — where it was so much needed. In his heart was the sweet echo of the boy’s words, “God bless the church back home for sending you to me!” The pulse of the boy was growing stronger. It was as though the strong pulse of the well man had imparted some of his strength to the wounded boy. The nurse came and felt his wrist. pastor. You have saved his life. He will be much stronger when you come to-morrow.” The boy stirred in his sleep. He moved his lips. They heard him murmur, “God bless - the church back home!” And as the Red Cross pastor went on his way, he also said, “God bless the church back home for letting me come here! . If I do no more than I have done, my labor was well repaid in having been able to bring life and comfort to this one boy.” _ Items of Interest from the Colored Mission-Field. Sprinerietp, Int.— From the parish paper published by the Holy Trinity Church of Spring- field, Ill. (Rey. Herbert C. Claus, pastor), we glean the following items: On October 20th Trinity cele- “He is better, . brated its annual mission-festival, and we under- stand that the collection lifted was largely intended to help on the work in our promising Alabama field. — Pastor George Schmidt, the former pastor of Trinity, but now the superintendent of schools and ~ buildings for our Mission in Alabama, recently paid his old parish a visit. — Trinity has a well-attended Bible Class connected with its Sunday-school. These Bible Classes should be everywhere established in our congregations, and, when once existing, all our confirmed should take advantage of the oppor- tunity offered them to get better acquainted with the Bible under the guidance of a competent leader. Sr. Louis, Mo. — Grace Lutheran Colored Con- gregation commemorated its fifteenth anniversary on October 27th. We understand that every member aimed to bring at least a dollar on that day as a spe- cial thank-offering. We hope that this active con- gregation may be able in the not too distant future to have a chapel of its own in which-to worship. The present’ building, used for church and school pur- poses, is wholly inadequate and unsuitable for the purposes for which it is used. The good ladies of our white congregations:in St. Louis have formed a society, “The Lutheran Ladies’ Aid for Colored Mission,” whose special and first aim is to help se- cure for our Grace Congregation a suitable place of worship. Each member of the society pays not less than 10 cents a month into the treasury: While this sum is small, yet we understand that these Christian ladies have already gathered a: goodly sum, and a church for our Colored mission congregation: in St. Louis is now much nearer an actuality than it was when the society was founded. Many: drops will finally fill the biggest bueket. Who will give a drop to fill this bucket? Will you? Our ALABAatA Mission ScHoors. — Superin- tendent Schmidt reports that at the end of Septem- ber a teaching force of thirteen was working in ten different schools in, our Alabama field. At Rose Bud, Oak Hill, and Midway the schools have each two teachers, while the schools at Tinela, Vreden- burgh, Buena Vista, Possum Bend, Tilden, Nyland, and Kingston have each one teacher. Three of the ~ missionaries are teaching school, besides doing pas- | toral work— Pastors Berger, Carter, and March. — At the end of September the schools were attended mostly by primary children, since the older boys and girls were helping their parents in the fields, which bore excellent crops this year. By this time probably more than 1,000 scholars are pa our ten mission-schools in Alabama.