The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1909, Page 87

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

87

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A Day of Rejoicing.

For eight years our Lutheran brethren in
Australia have been carrying on mission work
among the native blacks on the western coast of
that distant land. God has abundantly blessed the
labors of the missionary, the Rev. C. Wiebusch.
During the past years many have received instruc-
tion, and a congregation of native converts has
been organized at the mission station, the members
of which are diligent hearers of God’s Word, cheer-
ful givers for His kingdom, and fearless confessors
of their Christian faith, which they adorn by a
godly life. “It often happens that these blacks
take their catechisms with them into the fields
where they work, and during recess take them out
and study them.”

From a Report just received we learn that the
21st of February was especially a day of rejoicing
at the mission station. On that day, in the presence
of a large congregation, 28 native blacks were re-
ceived into the church by holy baptism. ‘Thirteen
of these were adults who had been instructed and
who, in the public examination, proved themselves
well grounded in the doctrines of salvation. It
was a solemn service in which, after an appropriate
sermon and address, these blacks came one by one
to the baptismal font, bowed their heads, and were
baptized in the name of the Triune God. Among
them was a poor cripple, who some years ago had
been carried to. the mission station by relatives to
be taken care of. After the baptism of the cate-
chumens fifteen children, under five years old, were
brought to the altar.for baptism. Then several
girls of the congregation of natives sang the fol-
lowing hymn in praise of the Savior for all His
mercies : :

‘I found a Friend, oh, such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him!

He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound ime to Him:

And round my heart still closely twine
Those ties which naught can sever,

For I am His and He is mine

Forever and forever.

I found a Friend, oh, such a Friend!
He bled, He died to save me; x
And not alone the gift of life,

But His own self He gave me.

Naught that [ have my own I call,

I hold it*for the Giver:

My heart, my strength, my life, my all,
Are His, and His forever.

[ found a Friend, oh, such a Friend!

All pow’r to Him is given

To guard me on my onward course,

And bring me safe to heaven.

Th’ eternal glories gleam afar,

To nerve my faint endeavor:

So now — to watch! —to work! —to war! —
And then — to rest forever.

[ found a Friend, oh, such a Friend,

So kind, and true, and tender,

So wise a Counselor and Guide,

So mighty a Defender!

From Him, who loves me now so well,

What pow’r my soul can sever?

Shall life? —or death? —or earth?—or hell?
No! I am His forever!

Three services were held on that festival day,
the evening service being a communion service, in
which all the members of the congregation partook
of the Lord’s Supper, among them several of the
newly baptized.

It was, indeed, a day of rejoicing for the mis-
sion and its friends. The hearts of all were filled
with joy and gave thanks to God for all His good-
ness and lovingkindness. May the gracious Lord
continue to bless the labors of our brethren among
the blacks of Australia!

OOo -
“Rock of Ages.”

One summer evening two friends were going
from Grand Portage, Lake Superior, to Isle Royal,
twenty miles out in the lake. They started with
a fair breeze, and the two boatmen assured them
that they would have a short and pleasant run to
the island.- But when half way over, the wind
failed; calm was in the air and on the lake. Even-
ing was coming on, and the only thing to do was
to take the oars, if they did not wish to spend the
night on the water. But it was slow work, even
for the four of them, to row that heavy sailboat.
The sun went down, leaving a great glory of red
and gold on lake and sky that presently faded away,
and darkness came on. Far away to the northeast
a light gleamed in the darkness like a star; it was
the light at Thunder Bay.

The boatmen began to worry. “We are right

in the track of the big boats to and from Port
Arthur,” they said, “and we have no lights and
may be run down at any time.”

Here was cause to be anxious, indeed. Pres-
ently, one of the men said,