The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1901, Page 23

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

23

(For the LUTHERAN PIONEER.)

Church for the Deaf.

Quite a unique dedicatory service took place |

in Milwaukee, Wis., on the 14th of April this
year, unique from the fact, that with special
and appropriate ceremonies, chiefly in the sign

language, the Evangelical Lutheran Emanuel |

Congregation of Deaf-Mutes of that city dedi-
cated unto the Lord its new house of worship,
the erection of which was made possible by the
most liberal donations and contributions of the
schoolchildren of the Missouri Synod.

It was a beautiful spring day when said
congregation for the first time assembled in
its new church home, many deaf-mutes being
present, not only such as reside in Milwaukee,
but also many from neighboring cities, such
as Racine, Cedarburg, Granville, etc. From
far and near guests came both morning and
evening, until the church building was over-
filled, with many standing outside and many
others being compelled even to return home-
ward, since not so much as standing room was
available.

Three years ago this congregation of deaf-
mutes organized with but a few members.

Since then it has steadily grown as a tender /
tree in the vineyard of God, the confirmation |

of 15 grown deaf persons, as well as the find-

ing of such deaf-mutes as have been confirmed _
by other pastors of our denomination, having 3d

increased its size to 44 members, 23 of whom
are voting members.

As shown in the accompanying illustration,
itis a beautiful little chapel the congregation
now possesses. It is 30X50 feet (including
altar niche, vestry, and counting room), and
makes a very neat appearance not only from
the outside. It is also very cozy in the in-
terior, with its leaded-glass windows, pews,
high altar, low pulpit, baptismal font, elevated
platform, and inclining floor, the whole of
which is especially adapted to the use of a
deaf congregation.

The remarkable feature about this chapel is
the fact, that, at this writing, not so much as
a year has elapsed since this congregation sent
out circulars to the schools asking for aid in
the erection of the first Lutheran church for
the deaf. And to-day —‘‘s wonder unto
many’? —not only could the work be begun,
but the church already stands complete, dedi-
cated and without a debt, a monument of love,
& possession the deaf can rightly though grate-
fully be proud of; for not only is it the first
of its kind in the West, but also the first Lu-
theran church for the deaf in the world since
all times, the cost of which in its entirety
amounts to a little over $2800.00.

This undertaking has again clearly shown,
not only how great a factor are the children
that Christ has commanded us to briag unto
Him, but also how much can be done with
little, if it but be a united effort.

May the Lord a thousandfold bless the cheer-
ful givers, and may in this church the Word

only true way unto salvation.
sincere wish of the congregation. X.

Through the Fog.

other, by the advancing, implacable wall.

Ey. Luth. Church for Deaf-Mutes in Milwaukee, Wis.

she had a past darkened by the wrecks which

even now thrust their whitening ribs above the | .

sand along the beach. A child of five or six
years walked by her side, trying to keep pace
with her footsteps, and glancing anxiously up
into her face from time to time.

Presently an old man hobbled toward her
from a small cabin, which was already losing
its shape in the fog.

“Qh, Janet,’” he called, ‘‘can ye come an’
sit with my girl awhile? She’s uneasy-like,
an’ I want to go down an’ look at my pots
before the fog gets too thick.’”

‘Tg she worse?’”

“Not much. But she’s restless an’ can’t
bear to bealone. It'll be a kindness, Janet.”

‘Tell her I’ll be up after an hour or so.
Ican'tyet. My man an’ the boys are outside,
an’ I must stay on the beach till I get some
news of them. JI can’t sit down now.””

The old man turned and hobbled back to-
ward thehouse. The little girl looked up into
the woman’s face with big, wondering eyes.

of God, the sum of which is Christ crucified,
be preached to many of the ‘‘silent flock,’’
showing them in their own peculiar mode the
This is the

The fleet was overdue, and now a gray, omi-
nous fog was stealing in toward shore. White
| caps and jagged reefs, long outlying points
of land and small fishing boats that hugged
the shore, were alike swallowed, one after an-

A woman walked back and forth upon the

sands, wringing her hands and moaning. She
had loved ones out there behind the wall, and

| reverently.

‘*Papa and the boys were outside yester-
day, mamma,”’ she said, ‘‘an’ you didn’t come
down on the beach. You were singin’ an’
workin’ ’most all day.”’

‘But there was no fog yesterday,” the
mother rebuked; ‘‘it was bright an’ clear.”
The child looked puzzled.

‘‘Ain’t God in the fog just the same as in
the sunshine?’’ she said.

“Of course.’’ Then the woman paused and
caught the child up in a close embrace.

“You are right, little one,’’ she whispered.
‘I’m a poor creature not to trust Him.’’

The old man had paused near the cabin and
gazed wistfully toward the little cove which
contained the lobster pots.

“Oh, Martin,’’ she called, ‘‘you can go an’
look after ’em now. I’m comin’ right up,
an’ will take care of your little girl till you
get back.’’

Later in the afternoon there was a slight
clearing of the fog, and through this the boats
came in one after another. The woman was
bending over the sick girl when she heard
strong voices calling her name on the beach.
~“Tt is my husband and the boys,’’ she said
“Thank God.’?— 7. C.

——? + oo +

The Folly of Infidelity.

‘‘Aren’t you the pastor preaching up here
at the chureh?”’ said a man in a New Jersey
city to a stranger one morning.

“Yes, sir,’’ replied the preacher.

‘*Well, I supposed you were a gentleman.’”’

“T claim to be one.’’

‘Well, I don’t think you are one. Didn’t
you say last night that you could prove to the
satisfaction of anyone within ten minutes that
all infidels‘are fools? If you don’t proveit to
my satisfaction, I will publish you in all the
city papers-as the most consummate liar that |
ever struck the city.’’ |
‘*Where is your infidel ?”’ said the preacher.
**T claim to be one,’’ was the reply, ‘and
I want to know I am no fool, either.’’

‘“You don’t mean to say there is no reality
in Christianity ?””

“T do, sir. Ihave studied all phases of the
subject, and have traveled and delivered lec-
tures against Christianity for more than twelve
years, and I’m prepared to say; there is noth-
ing in it.”

“Will you please tell me,”’ said the pastor,
‘tif a man who will lecture twelve years against
nothing is not a fool, what, in your judgment,
would constitute a fool?””—H. L. H.

———— oe oe _

God’s Word.
Men’s works with empty chaff are stored;
God's Scriptures golden grains afford;
Reject the chaff, and spend thy pains
In gathering up those golden grains.
Found in an old Bible about the year 1790.