The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1895, Page 7

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

The Lutheran Pioneer. —

““toreat work’’ and that we should continue in
tthe same. — Here again we see the words of
tthe Lord fulfilled : ‘‘So shall my word be which
ggoeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not re-
tturn unto me void, but it shall accomplish that
which I please, and it shall prosper in the
tthing whereto I sent it.’’

To assist in this festival, the undersigned
thad practiced several Christmas songs with
tthe children in the day-school. These too
were rendered by them in a manner that
sshowed both their diligence and love in learn-

iing of things pertaining to the birth of Him}

who came into this world to lay down His life
{for us all. In order to show the audience that
{the children in our school not only learn to
Iread, write, cipher and become acquainted
‘with other secular matters, but.that they also
Nearn ‘that one thing needful,” namely, the
‘way of salvation, the Rev. :
«John C. Schmidt exam-
ined them in various
things pertaining to the
life to come, directing
them always to Jesus, the
new-born Saviour of man-
kind. This examination
also awakened the special
attention of the listeners,
as some very good an-
swers were given by
many of the smallest chil-
dren of the school.
Seeing, beloved reader,
how wonderfully God
blesses the work of His
unworthy servants, let us
humbly beseech Him to
grant us His grace that
the saving doctrine of the
Holy Scriptures may be
continued not only among
the colored people of
Greensboro, but also everywhere else where
it is taught in its truth and purity. And if we
all continue instant in prayer, always lending
a helping hand towards the financial support
of our mission, God’s richest blessings will
undoubtedly accompany us, and we shall soon
he able to open new mission fields to the glory
of the Triune God, and to the salvation of
many souls now being led in darkness. Yea,
“then Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her
hands unto God.’? (Ps. 68, 31.)
Ex. BurTHLone.
—__s-- Pe oe

Our Christmas Celebration at Spring-
field, Ill.

Itis a pleasure to report about such a Christ-
Mas celebration. In point of attendance it was
the best ever celebrated in this mission. The
church was filled to its utmost capacity. Fully
800 persons, white and colored, were tightly
Packed in the auditory, while fully another
100 persons barely found standing room in the
Vestibule, in the vestry, and in the adjoining

school-room in the rear of the church-building.
Many were obliged to return home, because

| they were unable to catch a glimpse of what

was going on. But oh! what a feast of the
soul and spirit awaited them that were fortu-
nate enough to obtain admission. How sol-
emnly the sounds of the Christmas hymns
went forth! First the triumphant acclama-
tion of ‘‘Come hither, ye faithful,’’ with the
soft voices of thesolo singers breaking out in
sweet gushes of melody, and then the glad-
some, jubilant response, ‘‘Let us all with glad-
some voice praise the God in heaven.’’ Again,
after the saying of the antiphonies and the
collect, and the reading of the Scripture
lesson, Ps. 8, the triumphant voices of the
little ones rang out in full jubilee, exciting
the attention and admiration of all, as they
sang, ‘‘Dear children, come hither, O come,

Lochner, ‘‘Oh how joyfully, Oh how spright-
fully, favorfully doth Christmas come!’’ and
that, when the collect was said and the clos-
ing hymn sung, the multitude seemed loath
to depart, as if the service had been too short
and they were willing to linger and listen ob-
livious of the lateness of the hour, and the
distance of their homes, provided only that
this feast of the soul on Scripture and song
might be prolonged. Truly, ‘‘this was a day
which the Lord had made: hence we rejoiced
and were glad in it.”’

After the service the distribution of gifts
took place, which only tended to enhance the
Christmas joy and merriment of young and
old. This is the intention of Christmas giving.
Whilst Christmas gifts are not an end, buta
means to an end, they must be of, such a char-
acter and kind as neither to engross the atten-

tion, nor yet to come

RACHEL’S TOMB.

‘one and all.”” And then followed the proph-
ecies of the Old Testament and ‘‘God be
thanked of all that He keeps His Word e’er
steadfastly’’ for their fulfillment according to
the New, ‘‘Indeed a Rod has sprouted out of
a tender root,’’ the message of the angel to
the shepherds and “Stilly night! Sainted
night!,’’ the adoration of the shepherds and
the hymn, ‘‘Away with all this straw and
hay,”’ the angel’s song of praise and ‘‘All the
heayenly hosts are singing,’’ winding up with
the Christmas journey by the children, ‘‘Ah!
whither children, lies your way?’’ and the ex-
hortation, ‘‘Come, and let’s give Christ His
merit”? by the congregation. After a brief
address by the pastor, all the lights were put
out save those of the candles on the Christ-
mas tree, and, while the beautiful tree thus
shone out to an advantage in allits lustre and
splendor, young and old united in the carol,
‘‘The Christmas tree’s the fairest tree, on
earth no rival knowing.’”? What marvel that
all fell in with the lofty strains of the last
hymn of the Liturgy of the Rev. Frederick

short of arousing the in-
terest of those who re-
ceive them in the main
thing,—the one thing
needful, —the grace and
mercy of God through
faith in Jesus Christ.
This, we believe, has also
been observed success-
fully. Hence we too must
raise with joyful tongue
that sweetest ancient
cradle song : —
“Glory to God in highest
heaven,
Who unto man His Son
hath given!
For this His hosts, on joy-
ful wing,
A blest New Year of mercy
. sing.”
. F. Herm. MEYER.
Springfield, Ill.

Rachel’s Tomb.

Our picture shows us one‘of the landmarks
in Palestine which recall the events of the
days of the patriarchs. It is the tomb of
Rachel, of whom we read in the thirty-fifth
chapter of Genesis: ‘‘And Rachel died, and
was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is
Bethlehem.’” The tomb stands close by the
roadside on the way to Bethlehem, and con-
cerning its identity there is scarcely any
doubt. Like all tombs to be seen in Pales-
tine to-day, if is surmounted by a dome, and
the present structure is undoubtedly modern.
‘But there is,’’? says a traveler, ‘‘a remark-
ably clear chain of evidence connecting the
spot with the original eyent of Rachel’s bur- _
ial, and itis a curious fact that the tomb is a
shrine to which Jews, Moslems, and Chris-
tians all alike resort with reverence. When
we approached it, however, we found that the
door was barred, and on inquiry, learned that
the property has lately been acquired by a
thrifty Israelite, who’ takes advantage of the

F MEMORIAL LIBRAR®

&,

CONCORDIA »:

eMINARY