The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1897, Page 15

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 15

(For the LUTHERAN PIONEER.)

Cornerstone Laying of the Evang. Lutheran
Grace School in Greensboro, N. C.

Just as a man feels when, after undergoing
many trials and tribulations, he finally enjoys
peace, rest, and happiness, just so felt the
members of the Colored Lutheran Mission in
Greensboro, N. C., when the news was broken
to them that on March 7th the cornerstone of
their school, their own home, was to be laid.
Joy filled their hearts and made them ring out
in songs and prayers of thanksgiving unto the
Lord, who after hours of sorrow also let them
enjoy hours of gladness. They indeed had to
undergo many trials and tribulations. But
they clung to the Word which has power to
give them heavenly peace, rest, joy, and hap-
piness. Until now they had to hold their
services in the Free Masons’ Hall, where they
were often greatly disturbed. In fact, once
the noise was so great that the teacher could
not hear the song of about sixty healthy
school children singing at the top of their
voices. Many a fervent prayer was then sent
to heaven that the heavenly Father, if so He
willed, would deliver them from this evil.
And their prayers were heard. For now they
were to have their own home, where they could
worship the true God unmolested and in peace.
Can any one therefore wonder, that they were
overjoyed on this occasion?

Long before the time set for the exercises,
at 3.30 in the afternoon, old and young, white
and colored flocked to the place. Hundreds of
them came, notwithstanding the bad weather,
and the rain descending upon them in tor-
rents, and the many bad roads and streets
covered: with mud. The bad weather also
caused us to celebrate the greater part of our
service in the old habitation, the Free Masons’
Hall, which was filled to its utmost capacity.
The service was opened by singing ‘‘Rock of
Ages.’’? Then followed a short liturgical ser-
vice, prayer, reading of the 122d Psalm, and
an explanatory introduction on the meaning of
this great gathering of people. After another
hymn the pastor read, ‘‘7he History of the
Mission among the Freedmen in North Caro-
lina,” especially delineating the History of
the Evangelical Lutheran Grace Congregation
in Greensboro. ‘The pastor showed in an in-
teresting manner how God led this small flock
through mountains of difficulty unto the glori-
ous time when they were to see the yearnings
of their hearts fulfilled. The reading lasted
a little over an hour, but was extremely inter-
esting from beginning to end. Statistics re-
garding the congregation were then read, fol-
lowed by a hymn, upon which four children,
two boys and two girls, were baptized. May
they forever remember that on this memorial
day they were received by the grace of God
into the fold of Jesus.

In absence of Prof. Romoser, of Conover,

-C., and Missionary Burgdorf, of Atlanta,

|

Ga., the pastor of the congregation delivered
a sermon based on 1 Pet. 3, 15.

After the sermon the laying of the corner-
stone took place. The size of the stone, which
is a marble block, is 229 inches, bearing on
the front the inscription in golden letters:
“PBrangelical Lutheran Grace School,’’ and the
Biblical passage, Matth. 17,4: ‘‘Zord, itis good
Sor us to be here,’’ and on the side: March 7,
1897. Inclosed in the cornerstone were the
following articles: a Bible and Luther’s Cate-
chism; a history of the Mission in North Car-
olina in general and especially of the work in
Greensboro ; statistics of the ministerial func-
tions performed here; a list of those who were
baptized and confirmed, also a list of the
Sunday and parochial school children; names
of the 66 souls belonging to the congregation ;
five copies of the ‘‘LuTHERAN PIoNEER;”’ eight
numbers of the ‘‘Missions-Taube,’’ a German
Missionary paper, containing news of the Mis-
sion; a Luther Medal; one copy of, ‘‘Half a
Century of Sound Lutheranism,’’ by Prof. A.
L. Graebner; a copy of our Liturgy as used
in church; a printed sermon on, ‘‘God bless
our Parochial Schools,” by Rev. Bakke, and
a secular paper. Then the cornerstone was
laid in the name of the Triune God. After a
brief supplication, the people were dismissed
with the benediction.

So then the prayer of the congregation has
been heard. But a few weeks and they shall
see the work completed. Then the congrega-
tion can exclaim with the Psalmist, ‘‘How
amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of host!
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the
courts of the Lord. Yea, the sparrow hath
found a house, and the swallow a nest for her-
self, where she may lay her young, even thine
altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my
God,”’ Ps. 84, 1—3. May God grant that
the school prosper and thrive. May it indeed
be a Grace School, wherein the children are
instructed, not only in secular things, but also
in the one thing needful, namely, the salvation
of their souls. C. F. B.

————.- oo - >

“If | were Rich.”

Katie and Jack stood at the window watch-
ing the people who passed. It had been a
snowy day, but the sun coming out bright
and clear in the afternoon made the streets
wet and sloppy.

‘See that poor little girl,’’ exclaimed Katie ;
‘thow wet her feet must be! Her shoes are
full of holes. If we were rich we might buy
shoes for her.”’

‘And for that boy just behind her; his
shoes are worse than her’s,’’ added Jack.

‘And if we were rich we might buy a shawl
for that old peanut woman. See, she is try-
ing to get those children to buy peanuts from
her basket.””

‘‘How poor she looks! There comes 4 real
old man; if I were a rich man I would just

call him in and say: ‘Here, old man, here’s
some dinner for you, and take what’s left for
the children.’’’

‘*Now, if I were rich,’’ exclaimed Katie,
‘that is the one I would help, that poor sickly
woman with a baby in her arms.’’

The children’s mother had been listening
to what they said. She sat sewing near the
window. ‘‘I am glad,’’ she said, ‘‘to hear
my children express such kind wishes, but
wishing is not giving. Just to say, ‘Be ye
warmed and be ye fed,’ will not make these
poor people any less cold or less hungry.
You say that if you were rich you would help
this one or that one. God does not ask you
to give as if you were rich, but He does ask
you to give according to your means. Now
let us see what you have to give, and then we
can tell how your good wishes will help these
poor people.”’ .

All the money these children had to spend
they kept in their little bank in the nursery.
They ran upstairs and placed in mother’s lap
the contents of the banks. Katie had $6.00;
Jack had $5.00. Jack had spent $1.00 of his
money in getting his skates mended.

‘*Now, Katie,’’ said her mother, ‘‘how much
of this will you give to carry out your good
wishes?”’

Katie thought a moment, and then replied,
“Well, mother, I think I ought to give the
half.’’

“T know that poor woman who passed just
now with her baby in her arms, and I know
that she is a very worthy woman. What
would you like to give her?”’

Remembering how poorly the woman was
clad, Katie suggested a shawl.

‘Now, Jack, what will you give to the poor
boy who had on such a miserable pair of
shoes ?”’

Jack thought he could send some money to
keep the boy’s feet dry, and he consented to
give shoes.

The next day mother went out shopping
with the two children, and as the result they
brought home a warm shawl and a pair of
stout shoes. Mother had added a little to the
amount they had to give, so that the shoes
were thick and stout and the shawl was good
and warm; for mother knew both the poor
woman and the poor boy, and was quite sure
these articles were needed.

‘tYou have given what you had to give,”’
said mother, ‘tand that is much better than
wishing you were rich so that you might give
more. Always remember that, while God
does not ask for that which He has not given
you, He does ask for that which He has
given.” — Child's Paper.

——s + oo -

A Simple Test.

“Go tono place where you can not ask God
to be with you. Engage in no business which
you can not ask God to bless. Indulge in no
pleasure for which you can not thank God.””