The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1911, Page 79

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should home religion be carried on? 3. How it
should be done. His paper was discussed at length
in the afternoon session.

Sunday morning Rev. J. Koiner delivered the
confessional address based on 1 Cor. 11, 28. 29. In
the divine service Rev. C. P. Thompson preached
on John 8, 31. 32.- After the sermon the members
of Conference and the local communicants partook
of the Lord’s Supper. In the afternoon service
St. Matthew’s congregation celebrated Harvest
Home festival. Prof. M. Lochner preached a
powerful sermon on Ps. 116, 12—14.
collection ‘Teacher F. Alston, in the name of Im-
manuel Conference, extended cordial thanks to the
kind members of St. Matthew’s congregation for
their hospitality. Conference adjourned sine die
by the singing of the hymn, “God be with you till
we meet again.”

This was indeed an instructive, profitable, and
edifying conference for lay members, teachers, min-
isters, and professors. Director Bakke was with
us, and his advice to the ministers and teachers,
as well as his admonitions to the members in the
discussions, gave animation to this conference.

The members of St. Matthew’s spared no -pains
to make it pleasant for its visitors. Most of them
attended all the sessions. ‘The members of Con-
ference were conveyed to and from sessions in vehi-
cles. During the noon intermission sumptuous
lunches were served in the school-rooms. Early
Monday morning the missionaries left for their
respective homes.

May God continue to shower His blessings on
Immanuel Conference, and ever make it a means
for disseminating truth among our benighted
brethren ! Cat.

NOTES.

A Frienp or Missions. — The Rev. Dr. C. F.

W. Walther, the one hundredth anniversary of
whose birth falls on the 25th of this month, was a
devoted friend. of missions. Indeed, it may well
: be said that the aim of all his manifold labors dur-
“ing his long service in the Church was the spread
of the pure Gospel for the salvation of souls. To
_ this end he faithfully labored as pastor of a large
parish in St. Louis, as professor in- the Lutheran
Seminary in that city, as-editor of church papers,
_as writer of many ‘theological books. ‘To this end
‘hie; content with a comparatively small salary, let
all the profits derived from his many writings go

The Lutheran Pioneer.

After the’

79

into the treasury of the church, so that a well-known
Presbyterian pastor in St. Louis said of him, “Dr.
Walther surely does not care for money; his only
passion seems to be the salvation of souls.” As
professor in Concordia Seminary at St. Louis he,
for over forty years, prepared a large number of
students for the Gospel ministry, instructing them
in the pure Bible doctrines of the Lutheran Church,
and filling them with the true missionary spirit.
Thus this faithful servant, who was so richly blessed
of God, became a blessing to many thousand souls.
The day when the Synodical Conference, in the
year 1877, resolved to begin mission work among
the colored people was a day of joy to him. On
the evening of that day he said to a former pupil
of his: “I cannot tell you how glad I am that the
Synodical Conference has resolved to do mission
work among the negroes of our country. They have
got bodily liberty, but it is much more important
that they get spiritual liberty, liberty from the
slavery of sin and the devil. This only true liberty
we bring them in the Gospel.” And ever afterward
he proved himself a warm friend and earnest advo-
cate of our Colored Mission, speaking encouraging
words and giving wise counsel at the sessions of the
Synodical Conference regarding this mission. “The
memory of the just is blessed.” May his example
be a loud call to greater zeal in our mission work! —
And remembering that. pious and learned. teachers
are God’s gift to His Church, may we give all glory
to the Giver of all good gifts, and thank Him with
heart and hands and voices for the blessings bestowed
upon His Church through His blessed servant —
Dr. C. F. W. Walther.

A Day or Joy.— It was an occasion for joy
and thanksgiving for our Lutheran deaf-mute con-
gregation in Milwaukee, Wis., when, on a recent
Sunday, three blind deaf-mutes were received into
the church by confirmation, after having been in-
structed in the Bible and Catechism with much pa-
tient, faithful labor by the pastor and missionary,
the Rev. F. Wangerin. ‘The church, which was
beautifully decorated with flowers and plants: for
the festive occasion, was filled to its utmost capacity,
many friends haying come to take part in the joy
of the congregation and to join in giving thanks to
the Lord for His great mercy by which He, as the
Good Shepherd, leads also blind deaf-mutes into
the fold of His sheep through the Gospel. May
the merciful God continue to bless this mission for
the-salvation of many souls!