The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1892, Page 38

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‘The Lutheran Pioneer.

(For the ‘Lutheran Pioneer.??)

Ordination and Missionary Festival at
York, Pa.

The setting apart of a young man for the
office of holy ministry is always an occasion
of joy and gratitude for God’s people. Such
an occasion was the 10th Sunday after Trinity,
Aug. 21, for the good people of York, Pa.
On that day Cand. theol. Charles Ruesskamp
was ordained to the office of holy ministry by
his friend and benefactor Rey. H. H. Walker,
Pastor of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church.
The officiating minister had been the instructor
of the young man in his childhood days, had
received from his lips the solemn vows of con-
firmation, had been instrumental in sending
him to college and during the years of prepa-
rations liad followed him with his prayers and
counsels and benevolence. He was as it were
his spiritual son. No wonder that tears of joy
started in the pastor’s eyes and his voice
trembled with emotion as he charged him ‘‘to
go and feed the flock of God.’? Among those
who were present to rejoice and give thanks
to God on that day were the aged parents of
the ordained. It was the gladdest day in
their life, perhaps the grandest, seeing their
prayers wonderfully answered and their fond-
est hopes realized. The whole congregation,
before whose eyes Mr. Ruesskamp had grown
into manhood, expressed its joy in deeds of
love as well as in hymns and songs of praises.
Happy, thrice happy the young men that
can persue their studies accompanied with the
prayers of pious mothers and surrounded like
a mighty wall by praying pastors and congre-
gations. And as long as our dear institutions
of learning have such warm, strong and un-
tired advocates with the Father, the Lutheran
Zion can look cheerfully into the dim, ill-fore-
boding future and say: ‘‘Fear not, thou little
flock, the foe.’’

In the morning: Rey. Walker preached a
strong mission sermon.on 1 John 4,9—11. He

-set forth two reasons why all true christians
are zealous mission-workers ; namely, first, be-
cause they have known and experienced the
great love of God towards the fallen sinners,
and secondly, because believing christians
know that through the preaching of the Gospel
alone the life that is in His Son is brought
them. ‘he sermon was followed by the or-
dination of Cand. Ruesskamp and the adminis-
tration of the Lord’s Supper to the~ three
pastors.

At night the undersigned preached an eng-
lish sermon on the Mental and Spiritual Eman-
cipation of the Negroes. The necessity of
such an emancipation was shown, the Means
by which alone it can be effected, and the
Reasons that should impel us to work zealously
for its accomplishment. The large and taste-
fully decorated church was at both services
filled with an appreciative audience. The con-
gregational singing, such as can be heard only
in Evangelical Lutheran Churches when the

good old Lutheran hymns and melodies re-
main unmolested by the modern hand,. ac-
companied by a powerful organ, ably handled,
and a dozen other musical instruments, was
majestic as if was soulinspiring, and the an-
thems and choruses rendered by the male and
mixed choirs of the congregation were deserv-
ing of the praise which was given them by the
city press. The collection, a large share of
which flows into the treasury for Colored Mis-
sions, showed that the word preached had
found its way both to the hearts and the pocket-
books. It was a day on which pastors and
people more than on other occasions could
say to one another: ‘‘How amiable are-thy
tabernacles, o Lord of Hosts.’’

Rev. Ruesskamp has accepted the call tend-
ered him by the Missionary Board to the Col-
ored Mission at Little Rock, Ark. He has
already entered upon his duties. We bespeak
for him a cordial reception and co-operation
by the oft tried little band of Colored Luther-
ans in Little Rock. May God abundantly bless
the working together of pastor and people to
the glory of His holy name. N.J. Bakxr.

ee

Baby Days in Siam.

I presume that some of you are happy over
the little baby in your home, and I know you
love it, for every morning before going to
school you almost smother it with kisses. If
I did not watch the little one in our home, I
fear he would be kissed away. Let me tell
you how the Siamese kiss their babies. You
would never guess. They kiss with the nose
instead of lips. Placing the nose close to the
baby’s cheek, they snuff hard many times,
saying ‘‘Chupe luk,’’ meaning ‘‘kiss baby.”
Many of them love their babies, but others
do not, or they could not do as I have seen
them.

Once a dear little baby was born in a bam-
boo hut near our home. It lived but a short
time, and as soon as it died its parents drove
a large nail into its head, then crushed its
little body into an earthen rice-pot, covered
it tightly, and set it afloat on the river. Why
this cruel act? Because the love of Jesus had
not entered the parents’ hearts; being filled
with superstition, they feared that the spirit
of the baby would return and bring evil to
their home, and took these cruel measures to
keep it from doing so. We have frequently
seen rice-pots thus laden, floating upon the
rivers. Sometimes the bodies are cast into the
streams and temple-grounds to be devoured
by the crows, vultures and-other scavengers.

The babies of Siam wear jewels about their
ankles, wrists and necks, but no clothing.
I was once amused by two babies of a princess.
They wore very large, gaudy hats from Europe,
decked with flowers, feathers and ribbons, and
these were all the clothing the babies wore.

The babies do not have very sweet names;
the most common are, Oang (red), Noo (rat),

It (brick), Wa (dog). The mothers, instead of
saying sweet, loving things to them, will say,
“How ugly,” or Na lett (hateful). Should «
they give pretty “names, or express love or
admiration, then the evil spirits would be so
jealous that they would bring great evil to the
babies.

\
Baby’s hair is not permitted to grow and

curl as you love to see your little baby’s, but
the mother shaves all the hair from its head,
often with a dull razor, causing the baby to
scream very loudly. Sometimes little tufts are
left to grow, very much like those you have
seen on Japanese dolls. Little bells are fast-
ened to baby’s feet, so that when he kicks up
his heels he makes music. A string of sea-
shells, old nails, coins and pieces of coral is
tied about his waist as a charm to keep the
snakes and evil spirits from doing him harm.
His food is soft boiled rice and roast bananas.

In former years the parents sold their little
ones in order to get money with which to
gamble. I am glad to tell you that the present
king has forbidden this. Once when with
Mr. Dunlap on a tour down the Gulf coast, a
Siamese doctor came to visit us. I asked if
he had any children. He replied, ‘‘Only one,
and that was given to me by a poor family
unable to pay their doctor’s bill. He took the
baby as pay for doctoring the family.

As soon as a baby can talk it is taught to
curse. I have seen a group of mothers hay-
ing a little one in their midst, just able to walk
a little, teaching it curse-words and laughing
aloud when it pronounced them. After a while,
when that baby uses those words in cursing
its mother, it will be cruelly beaten.

Now let us visit a home in Siam not far
from the little Christian chapel. It seems to
be a happy home; all are glad tosee you. Not
long ago their baby, dressed in white, was
carried to the chapel and baptized. You now
see it fast asleep in a nice swinging cradle,
something like your hammock. ‘The mother
is seated beside the cradle, with sewing in
hand, and pushes the cradle to keep it swing-
ing that baby may sleep on. She is singing,
in her own language, one of the sweet hymns
you love to sing.

Why do you suppose this home is so different
from others we have seen? Because Jesus has
found a place in that mother’s heart, and when
He enters a heart and home, what changes he

—~

makes! What love is then given, not only to ™.

the little baby, but to all others!
Nothing but the love of Jesus can ‘make a
real home.— Children’s Work for Children.

——2 tr oo

Very Strance.—Did any one ever hear of
a person who, because there is counterfeit
money in circulation, would have nothing to
do with money? Why, then, reject Christj_

anity because there are bogus Christians iy yi
circulation? It is very strange that sO trivia]

and unreasonable an excuse should be so often
offered. :