The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 15

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

16

Waiting.

In this world I’m only waiting

Till my life’s last hour shall come,
And by angels carried upward,

I shall dwell with God at home,
Dwell with Him in that bright city,
Resting on His gentle breast,
Where there is no pain or sorrow
And the weary are at rest.

And when thus my life is ended,
And I’m resting on my bier —
Loving friends will gather ’round me.
Will they shed for me a tear?

Shall I then be soon forgotten

As beneath the sod I lie,

Or will kind friends oft be thinking
Of a humble thing as 1?

1 will, then, be ever watching
Till my Savior calls for me,
And within the pearly portals
His own shining face I'll see.
Oh, how sweet will be the meeting
In that land of endless day!
Here I’m waiting till the angels
Come and bear my soul away.
Estuer Pererson.

— 0

New Orleans Items.

MIssiONARY WORK EVERYWHERE is a hand-to-
hand fight with the devil. Man may attempt this
fight singlehandedly and relying on his own re-
sources, but for him to overcome the devil by him-
self is an absolute impossibility as long as Satan
remains the powerful and crafty spirit that he is.
The Lord Himself must fight our battles for us if
victory is to be ours. If, then, our missionary
campaign during the past year is able to show
victories won and new territory taken, this is most
assuredly an evidence that God has been upon our
side. Not that we believed God had forsaken us if
we saw no evidence of His power and support, for
His promises are still unshaken; but seeable, read-
able, and figurable indications of His helping hand
are surely worth dwelling upon for the sake of
making a strong faith stronger still. Let us cast
up our figures and see what there is to show.

‘)1HE NUMBER OF SOULS enrolled upon the lists
of our three local congregations has during the past
year increased by 46. That means, after the losses
by death, of which there were about 15,-by excom-
munication and removal to other cities, of which
there were more than a dozen, have been deducted,

there still remaifis the above increase. There were
55 christenings, 13 of which were performed upon
adults. .Seven adults and 16 children were con-
firmed. There are 336 communicant members and
63 voting members on the rolls. It is true, not all
of these have attended services, meetings, and the
Lord’s Table as regularly as they should have done.
But all are willing to listen to instruction and ad-
monition, and promise to do better, by God’s help,
in the future.

Our sciootrs also are prospering. In St. Paul’s
School there are 312 pupils, as against 235 during
the year 1905, and the increase in Mount Zion
School is from 173 to 246, making a total increase
for the two stations of 150 pupils. Bethlehem
School alone shows a decrease in attendance. This
is due to the fact that after Mr. Wolf and the
Rev. Kossmann had left, their places could not
immediately and adequately be filled. But the
Messrs. Wilder and Odendahl have been and still
are working heroically to keep and, if possible, to
increase the attendance at the school. They are
also conducting reading services on Sunday morn-
ings in the absence of a regular pastor.

THE ATTENDANCE AT THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS has
not been keeping up with that of the day schools.
There are always some children who do not come
because they—or their parents—think their
clothes are not good enough. Others are compelled
by father and mother to attend some other Sunday
school and appear in ours only at irregular inter-
vals. But there are also a great many who could
do better if they would. We shall continue to

labor, pray, and wait for more prosperous Sunday
schools. :

Now ror THE FINANCES. What one values one
is willing to give money for. Measured by this
principle, there is gratifying evidence of progress
in the increased collections and contributions of
our churches and schools. ‘The total amount of
moneys collected from the three stations is $2241.32,
the aggregate increase for Mount Zion and St. Paul
alone being $329.13, the figures for Bethlehem not
being obtainable. Of the total given above, the
sum of $1092.25 was turned over into the general
treasury and helped to pay the salaries of the mis-
sionaries.

As TO NEW TERRITORY, we point to Napoleon-
ville, which seems to be a very hopeful field indeed.
The services there have been attended by an average