The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1902, Page 44

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

(For the LUTHERAN PIONEER.)

The Good Fight.
1 Tim. 6, 11—16. 2 Tim. 4, 7. 8.

The Christian is a soldier, and the whole
Christian life is a warfare full of struggles and
battles, but also of victory. St. Paul urges
Timothy to be ‘‘a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’’
The Christian life is by no means a holiday ex-
cursion. While it is certainly true that it is
the happiest life one can live, it is, neverthe-
less, a life full of struggles against enemies
that are fierce and bitter, and all the qualities
of a good soldier must be called into action.
When a man enlists in the Lord’s army and
gives his heart to Christ, he becomes conscious
of the fact that he has enemies to contend
against. In most communities there are those
who delight in making the young Christian’s
path hard, people who by sneer and scoff and
insinuation hurl many a dart at the new re-
cruit of the Master. Isaac Watts asked in
his day:
Is this vile world a friend of grace
To help me unto God?

He answers in the next verse:
Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.

But the worst enemies do not all come from
the outside. There are traitors inside the
eamp. A fort is never in so much danger as
when a treacherous spy lurks within the for-
tress, ready some dark night to open the gates
of the fort to some horde of invaders.

So a lurking thought of evil, or an unholy
desire or imagination, if it be given house-
room, though it be in the darkest corner of an
unfrequented cellar, is an enemy that threat-
ens with disaster the whole character and life.
We are only too sure these traitors are within
our own hearts. We must not give them any
chance there, not give them quarter, else we
shall be overthrown.

In this good fight, however, itis not enough
to keep the enemy out of the fort and hold our
own; we must arm ourselves for active, offen-
sive warfare. Sin has invaded this world and
laid it waste, and Jesus Christ proposes to re-
capture it and reclaim it.

We are soldiers in an army of redemption.
We needs must have on the whole armor of
our Lord. No worldly armor of wealth, cul-
ture, or good breeding will avail us. We must
be strong in the Lord. Our loins must be
‘girt about with the girdle of truth; the breast-
plate of righteousness must protect our hearts,
‘while being shod with the preparation of the
‘Gospel’ of peace will make us surefooted on
the rocky path. The shield of faith and the
helmet of salvation must protect us.

_ When we are thus clothed, the sword of the
Spirit in our strong hand will do execution.
‘We need all the soldierly qualities. We
‘be alert, wide awake, and not be caught
imbering while doing guard duty. We must
urselyes by daily exercise, so that we
e steadfast in this holy campaign. Itis

for a lifetime. It is the soldier that endures
to the end that receives the victory and is
crowned by our Lord.

The Christian who goes into this fight, not | too large for one man.

in his own strength, but relying on his Lord
Jesus Christ, is sure of victory.

The genuine Christian is a happy soldier,
and has many a song about the camp fires
along the way.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory
His army He shall lead,
Till every foe is vanquished,
And Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you,
Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor,
And watching unto prayer
Where duty calls or danger,
Be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
The strife will not be long:
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor’s song.
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be,
He with the King of Glory
Shall reign eternally.
Mary J. Martin.
Southern Pines, N. C.

—— +0 0+

Letter from Meherrin, Va.

Dear Epiror :—

Will you please find a space in the PionEER
to let our friends hear from Meherrin once
more. The 20th day of August was a day of
joy for us. On that day we celebrated our
first harvest home festival. It was something
new to all, but they all seemed to enjoy it.
All brought the firstlings of their crops, and
in spite of the drought we all had something
to bring with which to decorate the church
beautifully. Among these gifts and beautiful
dressing stood a young minister of the Gospel
of our own color, raised and baptized in the
Lutheran church. He was only in his fourth
year when the blessed doctrine of the Lutheran
church came to us, and never shall I forget
that time. How few were we at that time, and
how we loved our old minister for the words
he spoke! I pray that God may increase His
love in our hearts. Our dear young minister,
after spending nearly six years in the Concor-
dia College at Springfield, Ill., returned to us.
He left us when a boy, and now he returned | ™
preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So
you see we had good reason to rejoice on the
20th of August. Besides having our first har-
vest home festival we listened to the first
colored preacher that ever was in our pulpit
for these twenty years, and he was one of the
firat colored students that ever graduated in
thé Concordia College at Springfield:

The good seed sown at Meherrin, Va., has
brought forth good fruit. What more do we
need? I will tell you. The field has become
He needs help. Please
try to do something for the Meherrin mission
field. We thank you for all you have done
for’us. May God bless the Mission Board
and the faculty of Concordia College is my
prayer. M. A. D.

———-o<>e

Tuere are many faiths or creeds in this
world, Jewish, Turkish, Popish. Yet no man
is a Christian except he be found resting on
Christ. — Luther.

Acknowledgment.

Received for colored missions of Rev. F. J. Lan-
kenau from St. Paul’s Church in New Orleans, La.,
$25.00; of Rev.J. Kossmann from BethlehemChurch,
New Orleans, La., 25.00; of Rev. J. C. Schmidt from
Grace Church, Greensboro, N. C., 12.00; of Rey.
D.H. Schoot!' from St. Matthews’ Church, Meherrin,
Va., 12.00.

For Emmanuel College of Rev. N. J. Bakke from
St. Paul’s Church, Charlotte, N. C., 15.00; and from
Mt. Zion Church, Meyersville, N. C., 5.00.

A. C. BurGporr, Treas.

St. Louis, Mo., October, 1902.

’ Evangelical Lutheran Colored Churches,
New ORLEans, La.

EV. LUTH. ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL.
1625 Annette Str., between Olaiborne and Derbigny.
Divine services: Sunday morning at 9) oiclooks
Sunday, evening at 7!
Wednesday evening at 1
Sunday School: Sunday morning at Dkr
Aanlt jontecnamen class meets at 7; polook ‘Taesday
Singing oo ecbool meets at th o'clock Friday evening.
¥. J. LANKENAD, Missionary.

EV. LUTH. MOUNT ZION OHUROCH.
Cor. S. Franklin and Thalia Strs.
Divine services: Sunday morning ¢ Re 11 o'clock.
Sunday evenin o'clock.
Thursday coven Se at pg orelock
Sunday School: Sunday morning at 934 o'clock.
Adul 75 Seen class meets at 734  orclock Friday

Young. es eop le’s Concordia Circle and Singing Schoo)
meet Wednesday evening at 714 o’cloc!

KARL KRETZSCHMAR, rr

EV. LUTH. BETHLEHEM OHAPEL.
Cor. Washington Avenuc and Pibeb se Str.
Divine services: pane evenin, o'clock.
aye even! ae at 4 o'clock.
Sunday School at 34 rorcloek.
Adult catechumen class every Tucsday at 734 o'clock and
after the divine service on Thursday evening.
cnole ppractice at 7% o'clock on Tuesday evening and
ter divine service on Thursday even ng.
Circle for Young People meets at the school every Taes-
day evening at 734 o'clock.
J. W. F. KosSMANN, Missionary.

Ey. Luth. Holy ay Church,
Springfield,

Divine services at half pesto 10 elock Sunday morning
smniat Suet cals

an
Oni sHamen class moets Bo Mowaay Sa Friday evenings.

Binging-8¢ school Tuesday evening.

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