The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1906, Page 93

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

When the rest had all left the churchyard, the
stranger still lingered behind. He slowly wandered
among the graves, sighing gently to himself as he
thought of the quiet dead who had passed away to
their rest, and of his own stormy life. For Charles
Dallas had been possessed of a restless spirit from
boyhood up. Twenty-two years ago, when he was
but thirteen years old, he had left that happy coun-
try place, a truant from his home; and since then
he had been a wanderer, knowing no home and find-
ing no resting-place. After many years there came
into his heart a longing for home, a yearning for
the old scenes and the dear faces of early days, and
after a long journey he reached the country village
that winter morning when the church bells were
calling the people to the Christmas service. He had
entered the church and listened to the service, espe-
cially to the Christmas tidings of God’s great love
for sinners. Now he wandered to and fro about the
churehyard as if thinking of something which he
yet hesitated to do. And then, as he stood, there
came the old pastor on his way from the church to
the parsonage. Bent with the weight of years, white
with the snows of many winters, he slowly picked
his way through the churchyard towards the little
door which opened into the garden of the parsonage.
When he came near that door, his eyes suddenly
lighted upon the stranger standing with folded arms
and gazing upon him with a look of mingled revy-
erence and affection.

The old pastor, lifting his hat, said, “A merry
Christmas to you, sir, and a happy new year!”

The stranger at first made no reply, but then,
stepping forward a few paces, exclaimed, “Father,
don’t you recollect me?”

The old man turned pale, and staggered back as
if he had been shot.

“Charles !” he exclaimed after a moment, during
which he appeared to be gasping for breath. “Can
it he —is it my boy? Do I really live to see him
again with these old eyes?” With a long, eager
look he seized the young man’s hand, and in another
moment clasped him in his arms.

Tender and loving indeed was the meeting of
the two. Charles soon inquired after his mother.
The old man pointed upwards to heaven, and then
led his son to a corner of the churchyard. “Here,”
he said, “lies all that was mortal of her, and at her
side will soon be my resting place.”

Charles made no reply, but taking off his hat,
knelt down in prayer at the foot of his mother’s
grave. Then he rose, and linking his arm in that of

The Lutheran Pioneer.

93

his father, moved slowly from the spot. They passed
through the garden to the parsonage and entered the
study, where they had a long talk together, speaking
of sin and of God’s grace. The son asked and re-
ceived the forgiveness of his father, who assured him
also of the Savior’s forgiveness, who came to save
sinners. It was a blessed Christmas for the son. He
had come back, not only to his earthly father, but
also to his heavenly Father, and there was joy in the
presence of the angels of God over a repenting sin-
ner. It was a blessed Christmas for the old father.
He could joyfully exclaim, “This my son was dead,
and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

Se a .

North Carolina Letter.

It has been a busy season for our missionary
brethren. The harvest-home and mission festivals,
which generally begin in July and end in October,
make the few laborers we now have hustle. But
they do it gladly. Tor at these gatherings, some of
them being mass meetings, a large number of christ-
less and churehless souls is reached that otherwise
would not come under the sound of the Gospel. The
people, too, delight and take an active part in these -
meetings, and the contributions for mission pur-
poses during the last years have materially in-
creased.

But with the reopening of the schools the busiest
season begins. Every missionary has from three to
four congregations, far apart. to serve. Two and
three sermons a week have to be prepared, catechet-
ical classes to be instructed, and some of the breth-
ren teach school five days a week for nine or ten
months. May the Lord give them strength to labor
faithfully, courage to. face and overcome obstacles,
and cheerfulness to pray and work though the fruits
be small. ‘They shall reap if they faint not.

On the 28th of October the congregetion at Con-
cord celebrated the anniversary of the Reformation.
The writer was invited to deliver the sermon. As
usual, a large and attentive audience gathered in
the sanctuary, and the “Battle Hymn” was sung
with an emphasis and heartiness which indicated a
united action of hearts and tongues. The choir,
under the leadership of the pastor, added much to
the services by a happy rendition of two appropriate
anthems.

The children’s service in the afternoon was also
well attended. Mr. M. Carter, who has been in
charge of the school since February, 1905, conducted
this service. It was a pleasure to listen to the ques-