The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1883, Page 2

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2 | ‘The Lutheran Pioneer.

Letter from Arkansas.

DEAR PIONEER:—

Let me drop you a few lines about our mis-
sion at Little Rock. Our little congregation
has during the past four months experienced
days of joy and sorrow. It has been a cause of
grief to us that some who were at first all fervor
and bustle, waxed somewhat cold, are now
languid, and easily overcome by every tempta-
tion. Sunday after Sunday their seats in the
house of God are empty. They hear our little
bell calling them to enter into God’s gates with
thanksgiving and into His courts with praise,
but their places in church remain empty. Oh,
how sad and how fatal are the consequences of
despising the preaching of the Gospel! How
dreadful to be lulled into such fatal slumber!
One cannot turn away from the preaching of
the Gospel with impunity and reject protered
mercy without great danger. God grant that
they again devote themselves to His service
with more zeal, flee for refuge to the sinner’s
Friend, and be saved. But God be thanked,
we haye other members who know how much
they gain by being present and what a loss it
is to stay away. Be the evenings pleasant and
lovely, or be they dark and rainy, they are
always in their seats. They are friends of the
pure Word, are attentive hearers of its illus-
tration in the ay of the Lord. They
come with the prayerful desire of being prof-
ited. They know through God’s grace, there
is but one hiding-place from the tempest of
God’s wrath—and they repair to ‘its shelter.
May God remain with them with His grace,
and keep them in the true faith, that they may
once inherit life everlasting.

Our Sunday-school is flourishing. Of late,
however, the number of scholars has not been
as large as some time ago. This is mainly
owing to the rainy Sundays we have had lately.
All time is devoted to religious instruction:
teaching of Luther’s Catechism, reading of the
Testament, Bible-history. :

The day-school opened on the 4th of Septem-
ber, 34 pupils being present. Since then the
number has increased to 83. Several of our
little boys have been seriously sick and some
are otherwise detained frequently, but the
average daily attendance is satisfactory. Hith-
erto the school has been entirely in my charge.
As this imposes heavy labors upon myself and
prevents me from giving due attention to my
other duties which must necessarily be looked
after, Mrs. Reed kindly offered her service in
school for one or two afternoons weekly, which
was thankfully accepted. This enables me to
make the most necessary calls.

A class of five persons has been organized to
receive special instruction for confirmation. As
mentioned in a correspondence of 2 member of
our church some time ago, three names were
given to me on the Sunday I delivered my in-
augural address and in the same week one to be
baptized—Mrs. M. Stockings. She complied
with repeated invitations of a member, and
God in Hi: pret mercy brought her to the
saving knowledge of the pure Gospel. She
‘was at once instructed in the Lutheran Cate-
chism and in a short time recited her catechism
fluently. She was baptized on the 10th of
September. In order to become more thor-
oughly acquainted with the doctrine of our
Church she joined the class of Mrs. E. Smith
and Misses Govan and Cox. The fifth person
is Mr. A. Edmunds. This class meets ever
Tuesday and Friday immediately after schoo!
tly at work and, God-wil-
ling, the confirmation is now soon to take place.

It is painful to say that two of this class
have for some time shown marked indifference,
and while the most pointed and earnest ad-
dresses are made on subjects involving their
everlasting welfare, their listless attention in-
dicated that they heard without deriving the
least improvement and were giving way to a

vain and unprofitable train of thought. They
have now absented themselves entirely from
this Jesson. When spoken to and warned of
the danger of rejecting proffered mercy and
undervaluing God’s kindness, it was indeed
painful to see them—one especially—evincing
the most entire unconcern and replying to the
effect, they supposed they had the means of
spiritual improvement in their own homes, or,
Other denominations don’t do like that, or, I
know all that already. May they hear the
compassionate Redeemer, who calls upon them
to look unto Him and be saved!—T'wo chil-
dren have been baptized during my service,
and Mrs. A. White is receiving instruction
preparatory to being baptized.

in Wednesday evening of every week the
members of the church, some of our larger
girls attending school, and other friends of our
church meet for a “‘singing-lesson.”” The aim
is to become more and more acquainted and
familiar with our melodies. Mr. H. Wente,
teacher of the First Ev. Luth. Church, of
which Rey. Obermeyer has charge, has shown
a great deal of courtesy in volunteering to di-
rect the singing and also to play the organ for
divine service Sunday evenings. When de-
tained the pastor fills his place.

Christmas is coming on rapidly, and in a
few more weeks the glad shouts of its presence
will ring forth, and the eyes and hearts of the
little ones will dance with joy. The programme
for the Christmas festival has been prepared,
and daily one of the afternoon-hours is devoted
to get acquainted and familiar with the same.
It is an hour eagerly looked for, bringing re-
creation to pupil and teacher after the labors
of the day have been performed. May we all
be clothed in the robe of the righteousness of
the Christ-child! Then will we truly enjoy
the holy Christmas season. In conclusion we
wish all a ‘Merry Christmas’ and a ‘‘ Happy
New Year.’’ ,

Little Rock, Ark., Dec. 8th, 1882.

Ernst MEUWAENDER.

(For the ‘‘Lutheran Pioneer’? .)

A Day of Rejoicing.

Such a day was the 1st Sunday of Advent
to our dear colored people of the Moen? Zion’s
congregation at New Orleans. For on this day
our Mount Zion Church was dedicated to the
service of the Triune God. Rev. T. Stiemke,
the President of our Southern Synodical Dis-
trict, pedoumed the consecration and Rev.
N. J. Bakke, our missionary, preached the ser-
mon on the Gospel of the day, taking for his
subject :

The glorious proclamation of God to this
house on its day of consecration: ‘‘ Behold,
thy king cometh unto thee.’’

I. Who is he that comes?
II. To whom does he come?
Ii. How should we receive him?

The Jarge church which amply supplies room
for 500 persons was on this evening very
crowded, yet all were quiet, all listened attent-
ively to the Word of God. There was not
this groaning and shouting, &., as it is cus-
tomary in other colored churches.

It was really a day of great joy for the
members of the Mount Zion’s congregation, as
they could now assemble in their fine, large
church, whilst heretofore they had to attend
services in the old dilapidated building of
“Sailors’ Home.’’ They do, therefore, not re-
gret of having held out so patiently, as they
are now richly rewarded. This joy and satis-
faction could be read on the smiling faces of
the members, but especially of the good El-
ders of the church, as they so cheerfully
walked the aisle to find seats for the many new
comers.

But also the members of the Local Mission
Board were much delighted at being able to
clear old ‘Sailors’ Home.’’ For this was al-
ways a drawback to our mission. ‘The diffi-
culties they had to contend with on this ac-
count are too numerous to be detailed here.
Yes, indeed, each and every one is well pleased
with this change, and the outlook is very prom-
ising, not only for the congregation, but also
for the school.

Mr. Eugene Vix, the teacher of Mount
Zion’s congregation, opened school with 50
scholars, and many more are reported. Before
long there will be as many, if not more, as at
the Chapel, where there are at present 105
scholars.

Now let me give you a brief sketch of the
lots and building. ‘There are 2 fine lots each
30X90, one of which is almost entirely covered
by the large building. They are corner lots,
situated on Franklin and Thalia Sts. Frank-
lin Street is one of our wide streets, with green
neutral grounds in the centre and on both sides
streets for the vehicles.

The large church, which is 30X80, stands
10 feet back from the banquette, just allowing
space enough to build a steeple to it, which
would make it complete. You -perhaps will
say, let the members of Mount Zion’s Church
see to that themselves! Most undoubtedly
they will try their utmost to accomplish this,
but, dear brethren, you know, there are so
many other things yet necessary for church
and schocl. Therefore, if any of you in this
merry Christmas time should be willing to con-
tribute a trifle to this purpose it would be most
gratefully accepted by our dear colored people.
May the steeple soon be built! The church
will then be the finest colored church in this
city. People in that vicinity consider the
price ($3,250.00) which we paid for it very
‘freasonable.’’? I was told by members of our
German Luth. Zion’s Church that they would
willingly have given $6,000.00 for it before
they built their new church, but could not get
it at that time. Soon, perhaps, we shall be
able to send a wood-cut to our little PrlonEER.
Then you can all see for yourselves.

May God’s richest blessings rest upon. our
Mount Zion’s Colored Lutheran Church.  s.

———>— oe >
Lirre.—Life is a stream upon which we can

make but one poyage. ea pere is no ebb in the /
EX)

tide to carry us to revisit the scenes
which have given us most pleasure, or to
gather the treasures which we neglected to se-
cure when they were within our reach. The

ast is gone forever; the future lies before us,
hidden from view by the windings of the river,
and only opening to our sight as we glide along
and round each point. ‘

*‘T see not a step before me as I tread the days of a
year; ‘

But the past is still in God’s keeping—the future
His mercy shall clear,

And what looks dark in the distance may brighten
as I draw near.’’

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