The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1897, Page 48

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

48

The Lutheran Pioneer.

‘The Outlook from the Editor’s Window.

—lIr is the custom of William II, Emperor
of Germany, on the afternoon before Christ-
mas, to saunter forth in civilian dress, en-
tirely unattended and well provided with new
gold and silver pieces. Last Christmas eve
he left the palace at Potsdam at about two
o’clock, first visiting the park of Sans Souci,
to give each workman from two to ten marks.
He then walked into the city of Potsdam to
distribute money, but only among working
people. He knows well how to distinguish
the classes, for a seeming workman, who,
however, was a professional guide, approached
with hat in hand but received nothing. On
his way to a neighboring village his majesty
encountered a woman drawing a cart assisted
by a dog. He endeavored to detain the es-
tablishment and was roundly abused by the
peasant woman. The Emperor quietly said,
What is the matter, don’t you want a Christ-
mas present? at the same time handing her
five marks. When presently some oflicers in-
formed her of the identity of her benefactor,
she ran after him to implore his pardon and
properly to thank him. © Many pretty little
stories are told of the Emperor’s benefactions
to poorer people. On one occasion he was
walking behind two seafaring men and over-
heard how one of them lamented that he could
not buy some necessary winter apparel for the
girl who was soon to become his wife. The
Emperor, who was unknown to the sailor lad,
invited him into a store, where he purchased
the much-desired articles, saying, ‘‘When
your bride wears these, let her think of her
Emperor.’”

—Tue missionary ship, ‘‘John Williams,”
on leaving ‘Sydney, carried out 50 tons of
building materials for a chapel to be erected
at Malua, in Samoa, at a cost of $5000, all
subscribed by the Samoan native Christians.
This is an evidence of liberality and the mis-
sionary spirit on the part of Christian con-
yerts among the heathen. It is one example
of many showing that those raised up from
heathenism within a single generation may be
led not only to support their own pastors and
churches, but also to send forth the Gospel
for the enlightenment of other heathen people.
The shipment included also 40 cases of Bibles
for Savage Island and a large consignment of
books for New Guinea in the Motu language,
printed in Sydney.

—Tne Greenlanders are stupid, and mis-
sionary work among them was most trying.
At first they would disturb the missionaries
when holding service, and steal their food
and papers. ‘They were filthy. The Eskimo
mother licked her child instead of washing it.
At last one named Kayarnak was won for
Christ. His life underwent a great change
when he became a Christian, and this led
others ‘to listen to the missionaries; for they,
too, wanted to be changed. Kayarnak be-
came a teacher, and even taught the mis-

sionaries their language, and helped them to
translate the Bible.

—Iws the early and cruelest days of West
Indian slavery Moravian missionaries found
it impossible to reach the slaves, so separated
were they in sympathy from the ruling classes.
At length two consecrated men said: ‘‘We
will go to the plantations, and work and toil
under the lash, so as to get close in feeling
to those we would instruct.’ So they left
their homes, sold themselves as slaves, and
lived in a company of slaves, to get close to
the hearts of slaves. Gladly the slaves heard
them, because they had thus humbled them-
selves to their condition.

—Do rou remember how missions began in
Japan? <A pocket English New Testament
was dropped from the side of an English ship
in the harbor of Tokyo. It was picked up,
and it came into the possession of a high offi-
cial of Japan. He had the curiosity to get a
Chinese translation, and he was converted and
baptized. That was in days in which it was
almost certain death to be a Christian. And
now we read that the commander-in-chief of
the Japanese army, after years of obstruction,
has given orders that there may be a free cir-
culation of the Bible, and 180,000 copies were
circulated in three months among soldiers and
sailors alone.

—A Missionary, during his vacation at
home, was requested by a former classmate
to do some missionary work among the lat-
ter’s parishioners. Some had become back-
sliders, and others lukewarm; his pastoral
visits seemed to be fruitless. He wanted him
to go and see a married couple, who in for-
mer years had been very attentive and liberal,
but since the death of their only child, had
become indifferent and stingy, although (or
because) they were growing richer every year.
The missionary preached in his friend’s church
on the next Sunday morning. His illustrations
were taken from his experience in heathen
lands. The couple referred to before were
also present, and seemed to be greatly inter-
ested. After the service, they asked the mis-
sionary and their pastor to dinner. The for-
mer continued at table to speak of his work
abroad and of the duty of the Christians at
home to support the work liberally. Neither
the host nor the hostess tried to turn off the
conyersation to some other subject. After
dinner, the host left the room in order to
look after his horses. As soon as the door
closed, his wife got up hurriedly and put a
gold-piece in the guest’s hand, saying, ‘‘Put
it away quickly before my husband returns.
It is for Foreign Missions. Don’t tell him,
for he is very stingy.’’ The missionary felt

embarrassed, but found no time to argue with|

her, as the host was coming across the yard.
The visitors soon took their leave; the host
accompanied them beyond the gate. On
parting, he too put a gold-piece into the
missionary’s hand. “It is for Foreign Mis-
sions; don’t tell my wife, for she is a very

stingy woman,’”’ he said, and left them in
haste. It is not known whether this couple
since thé missionary’s visit took a new start
in liberality.

Be Content!

Think who you are! Is it not true that you
are a poor sinner, and worthy of nothing bet-
ter than that you should lie upon thorns? Yet,
whilst your Lord lay on hard straw, in a man-
ger, you lie on asoft bed; and still you are
discontented and complain of great sufferings.

Luther.

OUR BOOK TABLE.

Was IST NOETHIG VON SEITEN DER ELTERN UND
KINDER, DAMIT DIE HERANWACHSENDE GE-
TAUFTE JUGEND BEI JESU UND SEINER KIRCHE

“BLEIBE ? Sermon on Mark 10, 13—16. By

C. L. Janzow, pastor of Bethlehem congrega-
tion, St. Louis, Mo. Concordia Publishing
House, St. Louis, Mo. Price, 5 cts.; per dozen,
30 cts.; per hundred, $2.00, and postage.

The Bethlehem congregation at St. Louis did
well to have this sermon printed. It is an earnest
and affectionate appeal to Christian parents and
children, reminding the former of their duties to-
ward their children and beseeching the Jatter not to
neglect the means of grace, so that they may escape
the many dangers that surround them and remain
faithful to Christ and His Church. Thus it is a
valuable Home Mission tract, and pastors would do
well to give it a wide circulation. Much is gained
when people are gathered into the congregation,
but ‘he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
If we would save souls we must not only bring
them under the power of the Word and Sacraments,
but keep them under that power until the journey
ends and the victory is won.

Evangelical Lutheran Colored Churchies,
New ORLEans, La. .

EV. LUTH. ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL.
1625 Annette Str., between Claiborne and Derbigny.
Divine services: Sunday morning at 914 o'clock.
Sunday evening at 7% o'clock.
Wednesday evening at 74 o’clock.
Sunday School: Sunday morning at 10% o’clock.
Adult catechumen class mects at 7!4 o’clock Tuesday

evenings
Singing School meets at 734 o’clock Monday evening.

EV. LUTH. MT. ZION CHURCH.
Cor, Franklin and Thalia Strs. ~
Divine services: Sunday morning at 11 o’clock.
Sunday evening at 7% o'clock.
Thurrday evening at 734 o'clock.
Adult catechumen class mects at 734 o'clock Friday
evening.
Young Peoples’ Concordia Circle meets at 734 o'clock
evening. F. J. LANKENAU, Missionary.

EV. LUTH. BETHLEHEM CHAPEL,
Cor. Washington Avenue and Dryades Str.
Divine services at 7% o'clock Sunday evening and at 1%
o’clock Thursday cvening. c
Sunday School at 9 o'clock.
: J. W. F. KossMANN, Missionary:

Ey. Luth. Holy Trinity Church.

Springfield, Ill,
Divine Services at half past 10 o’clock Sunday morning
and at 8 o’clock Sunday evening.
Sunday School at 3 o'clock P. a.
Catechumen class mects Monday and Friday evenings.
Singing-school Tuesday evening.

TERMS:

Tue Lurneran Pronxer is published monthly,
payable in advance at the following rates, postage
included, to-wit:

1 Copy

Club rates only allowed if all copies are to be sent
to one address.
All business communications to be addressed to
‘Concordia Publishing House,” St. Louis, Mo.
All communications concerning the editorial de-
partment to be addressed to Prof. R. A. BiscHOFF,
mcordia College, Fort Wayne, Ind.

mtr Caw