The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1889, Page 18

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18

The Lutheran Pioneer.

method and their faith. As a body the Lu-
therans stand in history as the champions of
free speech and religious liberty; they, in this
respect, are worthy to bear the name of Mar-
tin Luther, whose brave advocacy of personal
liberty, an open Bible, equal rights of every
man before the Jaw, and universal education,
has lifted him to a height of fame as imperish-
able as the human race. In Johnson’s Uni-
versal Encyclopedia the number of this denom-
ination is given at 40,000,000; in the German
Statistical Table the number is 47,500,000.
Congregationalists, Baptists, Presbyterians and
Methodists, all told, do not exceed 12,000,000.

In point of numbers, priority of time, learned
contributions to Christian literature and thor-
ough Gospel piety, the Lutherans possess ample
vindication of their right to organize churches
among the people of African descent in the
capital city of Illinois and elsewhere, and
among all other peoples besides.

I say to the good people of Concordia col-
lege (occupying the premises where I, about
35 years ago, held presidency of Illinois uni-
versity), God speed you in your good work!

Our Colored Lutheran Church at Spring-
field, III.

Writing of our Colored Lutheran Church at
Springfield, Ill., the Rev. Dr. Francis Springer
says in the Sangamon Mfonitor: _

A pleasant surprise is the neat new house of
worship on Fifteenth street, between Wash-
ington and Jefferson streets. The building is
for the use of an association of colored people,
under the name of the Colored Evangelical
Lutheran church of Springfield, Illinois. ~

The structure is a substantial frame, in the
Gothic style, with an auditorium of capacity
to accommodate about 200 persons; a tower
with a bell, and a room for Bible class, prayer
meeting, Sunday-school and business. The in-
side finish, though inexpensive and modest, is
chaste and attractive. In size the building is
45 X80 feet, and the front entrance is reached
by massive stone steps of easy ascent. The
heating is by apparatus in the basement. The
entire cost was about $4000—a large part of
the money being furnished by the Evangelical
Lutheran Synod of America, with headquarters
in St. Louis, Mo.

Your correspondent, Mr. Editor, attended
the service of dedication Sabbath morning and
evening, February 24th. The religious exer-
cises were conducted by the mission pastor,
Rey. H. S. Knabenschuh, a former student of
the Lutheran college, formerly of Illinois State
University. The solemnities of the dedication
were followed by a very instructive and warm-
hearted gospel sermon by Rev. Henry Birkner,
of St. Louis; text, 1 Cor. 2, 2; theme, ‘‘Jesus
Christ and Him Crucified.’’, In a very plain
style of speech the preacher showed his theme
to be a grand and glorious message of the gos-
pel, and the Lutheran church holds and ex-

plains this doctrine in its purity. At the con-
clusion of the discourse, Rev. Knabenschuh

_ administered baptism to seventeen persons,
adults and children. A confirmation service
at 2 p. M. was held, according to the appro-
priate and impressive ritual of the Lutheran
denomination.

At 7.80 in the evening an edifying discourse
was delivered by Rev. Prof. H. Wyneken, of
the Concordia college. The story of Zaccheus,
the rich publican, in his contact with the Sav-
jour, was presented in a manner that beauti-
fully unfolded the goodness of God to the er-
ring one who seeks deliverance from sin.

The murmurs of angry disapprobation in-
dulged in by a few persons in the rear of the
eburch or at the door, on second sober thought
will probably not be repeated, because such
coarse methods of religious controversy are not
in agreement with the birthright of religious
liberty in free America. If the Lutherans
choose to practice sprinkling or pouring in-
stead of immersion, they have a right to do so.
‘If they think the water of baptism ought to he
ap lied to the euiee in vee of applying the

— oe

“Christ is My Sumatanga.”’

The religion of the Gospel is suited for every
land. In each country man needs an arm on
which he can lean in days of trouble. He
needs a hope that can cheer him in prospect
of death. He needs that which can pacify a
guilty conscience. And in the Gospel of Christ
all this is found. There isa Brother born for
adversity. There is a sure promise of eternal
life beyond the grave. There is the cleansing
blood by which alone sin can be taken away.

Moreover, in each Jand there is something
which easily adapts itself to the truths of
Scripture, and which may become a sort of
parable by which the Gospel may be more
clearly understood.

“Christ is my Sumatanga,’’ said a native
Christian in India, expressing in his own way
the comfort he found in the Saviour. But
what did he mean? What is a ‘‘Sumatanga’’?
In some parts of India there are provided along
the road resting-places for those who carry
heavy loads on the head, as many have to do.
These rests have a high shelf, upon which the
man can easily shift off the heavy burden that
he is carrying. Then beneath there is a shaded
seat, where he can sit down and rest for a
season until his strength is renewed to go for-
ward and carry his burden to the place for
which he is bound. It was with reference to
one of these rests the native Christian expressed
his faith in the words, “‘Christ is my Suma-
tanga.’’

There is a twofold thought of help and con-
solation in the illustration which the man used.
Christ is the One to whom we can transfer the
burdens that lie upon us. Above all, there is
the burden of all our ‘‘sins, negligences, and
ignorances.’’ Each day tells a tale of evil.

Perhaps there are months and years when God
was forgotten and prayer unknown, and when
the life was soiled by many plain acts of dis-
obedience against His Jaw. And even when
this has been changed, and it is our desire to
please God, yet who can tell his secret faults
and offences and shortcomings? But, thank
God, Christ bore the burden on the cross, and

‘80 in faith and humility we may leave it with

Him.
“€O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee:
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Bearing all ill for me:
A victim led, Thy blood was shed!
Now there’s no load for me!”

And with this you may leave every other
burden. What is it that most weighs upon
your mind? Be not afraid to leave it all with
Jesus. Anxiety for the future, losses and dis-
appointments, ‘“‘the aching head, the heart op-
pressed,’’ your preservation from the assaults
of the wicked one, everything that depresses
and troubles you—leave all with Him who
careth for you.

But the idea of the Sumatanga goes beyond
this. Not only leave your burdens with Jesus,
but place yourself beneath His sheltering care,
and look to Him to refresh and keep you. The
Indian first cast his load down on the upper
rest, and then sat down on the shaded seat
below. You must thus find refreshment and
rest with Jesus. ‘I sat down under His shadow
with great delight,’ Canticles 2, 3. You will
find Him a living friend, a faithful friend, an
almighty friend, a friend whose loving-kindness
is beyond all your thoughts. But remember
that He loves to be trusted. You must not
wound Him by hard and distrustful thoughts.
You must not question His readiness to help
and save you. ~ You must not look at your un-
worthiness, and present failings, and then im-
agine that there is no use coming to Him. In
spite of temptations within and without, in
spite of all the snares of the world, the flesh,
and the devil, believe that Christ will save you
to the uttermost, and keep you from all evil.
He will be to you a shelter and a stay and a
strong habitation. He will be to you as the
shadow of a great rock in a weary land. His
presence shall bring you peace and preservation
from all the assaults of the wicked one.

‘‘When unto Thee I flee,

Thou wilt my refuge be,
Jesus, my Lord;

What need I now to fear,

What earthly grief or care

Since Thou art ever near,
Jesus, my Lord?’’

——>-- 0-0

‘‘Yx know,” fellow believer, ‘‘He was mani-
fested to take away our sins.’’ That was His
express mission down here, now was it a suc-
cess? A glance backward at the empty tomb
says, yes. A look upward at the risen Christ
says, yes. Then thine iniquity is taken away,
thy sin 7s purged. Christ being risen, your
faith is not vain, you are not in your sins.