The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1899, Page 16

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16

The Lutheran Pioneer.

The Outlook from the Editor’s Window.

Tue determination of the Norwegian Luther-
ans to uphold their mission work on the Island
of Madagascar has, to a great extent, over-
come the crafty Jesuit in his endeavor to ruin
all mission stations not carried on under his
Though persecution has ceased
in the populous centers, the missionaries never-
theless report that the more remote provinces
are the scenes of considerable lying, robbing,
and killing. With the arrival of nineteen ad-
ditional helpers, the Norwegians are able to
maintain their mission and make considerable

jurisdiction.

progress besides.

Tue work in the Bechuana field in Africa
less than
5318 souls were baptized ; of these 3038 were
converts from heathenism. The membership
The great question
confronting the mission is the holding of the
second generation. Rey. W. Behrens, the old-

has yielded a rich harvest. No

of this field is 36,121.

est missionary on the field, says it is more
difficult to preserve a congregation and build
it up in the Lord than to gather it originally
from the heathen. The congregations cheer-
fully contribute to the building and the en-
larging of their churches. Aside from the
contributions for local purposes, the native
Christians gave $1000 for the maintenance of
the seminary and for missions.

A Missionary was urged to send a Christian
teacher to an inland townin China. He asked
how they had learned about Christ. They re-

: plied that a little boy had come home from
the mission school and read the Bible to those
who would listen. Night after night they
came, and now a whole village was ready to
serve God. Who would despise the work of
the child?

Tue great needs of Central Africa are well
illustrated by an appeal sent to Scotland by
the Rey. Donald Fraser for a hundred thou-
sand new missionaries for Livingstonin. ‘‘At
present,’’ he says, ‘‘we are surrounded with
great opportunities for extension. Doors are
open on every side, at which we helplessly

- look, unable to enter. Where, from the ar-
rival of the white man with God’s message,
there has ever been stolid indifference, or even
fierce opposition, to-day there come deputa-
tions of old men and young, saying, ‘We, too,
would learn; send us teachers.’ And we sit

before them and say, ‘Fathers, brothers, would

pise us?” And our heads are
a we reply, ‘Brothers, some time
hear.’ And day by day we
of the harvest, Thou seest the
I nails ere it be too late.’’’

‘steady progress, in spite of the incessant
hostility of the monks and the poverty of
the people. They own property valued at
$120,000. The staff consists of 38 persons:
Three German pastors, a native pastor, and
four evangelists, ten Spanish teachers, eight
female teachers, one German teacher, etc.
There are 590 pupils attending the schools.
The missions also support two orphanages
and a hospital.

Att the missionaries who have translated
the Bible wholly or in part into more than
seventy African languages, and thus made
them literary tongues, were Protestants. Not
one of them was a Romanist. If Christian
culture and civilization depended upon Rome,
we should be to-day as far as our fathers were
four hundred years ago.

Wuat does sickness mean to the millions in
heathen lands? There they believe (rightly
so in many cases) that sickness is the work
of demons; particularly is this the case in
Africa. In China it is sometimes ascribed to
devils and sometimes to the spirits of departed
ancestors who have been made unhappy by
the lack of respect due to them from the
living. In Africa the sick person becomes
an object of loathing and horror. He is re-
moved from the dwelling, and placed in some
shed or out-house, where he is poorly fed,
and seldom visited. The astrologers in many
cases, in other the priests, medicine men, or
wizards, assemble, beating drums and gongs,
blowing horns, and making a frightful din.
They kindle huge fires and, dancing around
them, perform their unholy incantations.
They beat the sick person to drive out the
demon. They lay him before a wasting fire
until his skin is blistered and then plunge
him in cold water. They stuff the nostrils of
the dying with mud or aromatic mixtures; or
they take him to the shore of a river or moun-
tain-top, placing barley balls and water be-
side him, and leave him to die alone.

Srantey tells the story of what one Bible
accomplished: ‘‘In 1875, Miss Livingstone,
the sister of David Livingstone, presented
me with a beautifully bound Bible. On a
subsequent visit to Mtesa, I read him some
chapters, and as I finished, it flashed through
my mind that Uganda was destined to be won
by Christ. I was not permitted to carry that
Bible away. Mtesa never forgot the wonder-
ful words, nor the startling effect it had upon
him; and just as I was turning away from
his country to continue my explorations far-
ther in the Dark Continent, a messenger came
to me, after traveling two hundred miles, cry-
ing out that Mtesa wanted that book, and he
gotit. To-day the Christians in Uganda num-
ber many thousands; they have proved their
faith at the stake, and under torture, until
death.’ tas ;

Tue Swedish Diet passed a law that a
penalty of six months’ imprisonment be im-
posed upon a Romish priest, if he tries to
secure the promise, by undue influence, that
children shall be baptized and educated in
the Romish faith, when one of the parents
belongs to the Lutheran Church.

‘‘A GODLY man once said to a collector: ‘I
have to give a little more than my share, be-
cause the times are hard, and there are many
who can not give much.’ Such well-to-do
people are few and far between.’’

LETTER BOX.

SUBSCRIBER IN A.—The article must be laid back
for the May number.

W. L.—We publish what is sent to us from our
mission fleld. What is not sent we can not publish.

Acknowledgments.

Received for colored missions of Rev. F. J. Lan-
kenau, Missionary, from St. Paul’s Congregation,
New Orleans, La., $25.00; of Rev. J. Kossmann,
Missionary, from Bethichem Congregation, New
Orleans, La., $25.00; of Rev. J. C. Schmidt, Mis-
sionary, from Grace Congregation, Greensboro,
N.C., $12.00; of Rev. J. Ph. Schmidt, Missionary,

-| from Grace Congregation, Concord, N. C., $10.00.

St. Louis, Mo., March 20, 1899.
A. C. Bureporr, Treas.

Evangelical Lutheran Colored Churches,
New OR.LEaNs, La.

EV. LUTH. 8ST. PAUL'S OHAPEL.
1625 Annette Str., between Claiborne and Derbigny.
Divine services: Sunday morning at 914 o'clock.
Sunday evening at TZ o'clock.
Wednesday evening at 7 force
Sunday School: Sunday morning at 10% 0!
eatale catechumen class mects at 74 0! meine ‘Tuesday

venin:
Singing ne Bekool meets at 734 o’clock Monday evening.

EV. LUTH.- MT. ZION CHURCH.
Cor. Franklin and Thalia Strs.
Divine services: puna, morning at 11 o’clock.
aayicvenin at 7 ocluek?
thane ay 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. J. LANKENAUD, Miss! onary.

EV. LUTH. BETHLEHEM CHAPEL.
Cor. Washington Avenue and Dryades Str.

Divine services: aoe ney evening at 7% o'clock.
ayie evening at 734 o'clock.
Sunday School at 9

ayo o'clock.

Adult catechumen Class every Tuesday at 734 o'clock and
after the divine service on Thursday evening.

Choir practice at Ks o'clock on ‘Tuesday ovening and
after divine service on Thursday cven ng

Circle for Young People meets at the school every Tucs-
day evening at 734 o'clock.

J. W. F. KossMANN, Missionary.

Ey. Luth. Holy Trinity Church,
Springfteld, Tu.
Divine Services at half past 10 o’clock Sunday morning
and at 8 o’clock Sunday prenis) ing.
Sunday School at 3 o'clock P.
Catechumen class meets Monday and Friday cvenings.
Singing-school Tucsday evening.

: TERMS:
Tue Lurneran Pionexr is published monthly,
Included in advance at the following rates,
uded, sto wie

50 - 9.00
Club rates only allowed if all copies are to be sent

to pene eacrees
usiness communications to be addressed to

“Concordia Publishing House,” St. Tonle) Mo.

All communications:concernin, torial de-
eal Beets to be addressed to Prof. R. A. BiscHOFF,
cordia College, Fort Wayne, Ind.