The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1911, Page 94

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94

‘lhe Lutheran Pioneer.

talking there with Mrs. Glenn for more than an
hour. The man was convicted in the October court,
on his own evidence, and sentenced to serve nine
years in the state prison. He said on the witness
stand that he shot William Glenn because he feared
~ harm for his intimacy with Mr. Glenn’s wife. She
likewise expressed fear and dismay on the occasion.
On the evening of October 25, a portion of the
congregation met in the church to commemorate
the centennial of Dr. C. ¥. W. Walther’s birthday.
The pastor’s address was based on the German
booklet prepared for the occasion. Suitable Scrip-
ture lessons were read, and several Reformation
songs were sung.
On Sunday, October 29, the sermon was upon
repentance, Matt. 4, 17. Attention was given to
. the first four of Dr. Luther’s 95 theses, and to his
“doctrine of repentance, faith, and forgiveness over
against the false position of the Church of Rome.
Tuesday, October 31, in the evening, St. Mat-
thew’s celebrated Reformation Day, using most
parts of the program, “Our Church.” . Thirty-nine
children and adults attended this festival. ‘Ten
pupils of our day-school and three adult members
rendered a number of the recitations provided in
the printed program. In his address, the pastor
used the first three paragraphs of Rev. A. Pfoten-
hauer’s excellent paper on Walther as a Preacher of
Righteousness, in Lutheraner of October 17, and
to some extent noted the likeness between the two
great Saxon Reformers, Martin Luther and Ferdi-
nand Walther. To the mission treasury a sum of
$1.79 was contributed.
Our day-school has now an enrollment of thirty-
one. K.

New Orleans Letter.

Days of great spiritual joy and profit were spent
in New Orleans by the local colored congregations
and the workers in Colored Missions in the State
of Louisiana.

On October 25, the hundredth anniversary of
the birth of Dr. C. F. W. Walther, of sainted mem-
ory, all congregations joined in a praise-service at
Mount Zion Church, the largest of our houses of
worship, to listen to a splendid oration on Hebr.
18, 7. This was delivered by the General Director
for Colored Missions, the Rev. N. J. Bakke, who for
a few months will take charge of Mount Zion con-
gregation. He showed that if our centennial was
truly to be one of praise to God and of lasting bless-

ing to ourselves, we must give to God all glory for
Walther’s life and work, and follow Walther’s faith
and example.

On Sunday, the 29th, the sessions of Luther
Conference, consisting of all ministers and teachers
engaged in the work of Colored Missions in Loui-
siana, were opened by a joint service at Bethlehem
Chapel, where the Rev. Eugene Berger, of Napoleon-
ville, La., preached a good sermon on John 8, 31. 32.
The mornings and afternoons of the two following
days were spent in Bethlehem School in the study
and discussion of valuable papers, for our mutual
edification and encouragement. Teacher A. Wiley,
of St. Paul’s School, read a splendid essay on “I'he
Relative Importance of Religious to Secular Edu-
cation,” which brought out the great need for thor-
ough religious training and the incomparable value
of parochial schools in doing this work. ‘Teacher
Wm. Seeberry, of St. Paul’s School, read a catechi-
sation on “Justification,” diligently worked out and
beneficially discussed. ‘Teacher D. Meibohm, of
Mount Zion School, read a paper, brief, but instruct-
ive and to the point, on “Why Did Luther Change
the Form of the Ten Commandments?” A goodly
part of the time was spent in discussing the present
stage of our work, the needs, the aim, and the man-
ner of our labors, amongst others, of greater efforts
towards becoming self-supporting, and securing
more readers for ProNEER and Guide, the Rev. N.
J. Bakke particularly pointing the way, from the
Word of God and his rich experience, and firing all
with zeal and encouragement, though the fruits of
our planting and watering be at times meager and
slow in appearing.

The night of the 30th saw the .congregations
again gathered at Bethlehem Chapel for an open
session of the Conference, in which the Rev. E.
Schmidt, of St. Paul’s Chapel, speaking on “Chris-
tian Burial,” showed the justice and honesty of our
practice, and refuted the objections commonly raised
against it, the Rev. Bakke driving the truth home
with powerful words of instruction and admonition,
and the Rev. G. Kramer, of Bethlehem Chapel, add-
ing needed and useful words on the customs and
proper deportment at funerals.

The festivities came to a close with a joint Refor-
mation service at St. Paul’s Chapel on the night of
October 31, the Rev. N. J. Bakke preaching on
Rey. 3, 7—11.

All services were largely attended by the mem-
bers of the three churches, and beautified both by
the good singing of our Lutheran hymns on the part