The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1912, Page 14

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14

‘he Lutheran Pioneer.

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As a task for the coming year we have set the paint-
ing of the school-building.

Bethlehem’s day-school and Sunday-school are
also growing very nicely, which gives us fond hopes
for the future. Our teachers are doing faithful and
telling work, and the school is again enjoying a
good reputation. The present enrollment is 165.
But it may be said that no fewer than 225 pupils
attended our day-school, and no fewer than 250 our
Sunday-school, for a longer’ or shorter period of
time during the last year. The day-school tuitions
have increased $75.00, and the Sunday-school col-
lections $36.00 over those of last year. Since Beth-
Iehem has only two schoolrooms, Teacher Schrieber
has to put up in the vestry with his little. ones.
There he has placed seat by seat until he has hardly
room for moving about, though on many days he has
three pupils in almost every seat. Our next need
will be one more classroom, or our vestry will have
to be enlarged, which can easily be done at a cost
of about $100.00.

The children’s Christmas service on December 24,
was without doubt the finest celebration we had for
many years. ‘The program was carried out splen-
didly, and teachers and pupils fairly outdid one
another in making the service an edifying one,

and one long to be remembered. No fewer than.

800 persons crowded the church, and many more
had to turn away at the door.

Our latest organization, one which has already
endeared itself to our young people, and from which
we hope much good for the future, is our “Luther
League.” ‘The object of this league is to hold the
young people’ together, to interest them in church
work, and to cultivate a taste for good music and
good literature among them: Every month a lec-
ture on some interesting subject is delivered in the
league meeting.

During the last year, 18 were baptized, 3 of
whom were adults; one adult was confirmed. Two
adults died shortly after baptism. There were
6 burials. At present, 21 children and 4 adults
attend catechetical instructions.

From this short survey it may be seen that God
indeed has not passed us by with His blessing in the
past year. ‘This we herewith acknowledge to His
glory and to the praise of His holy name, and we
pray that His blessings may rest upon us even more
abundantly in the future. G. M. K.

WueEn thou prayest, rather let thy heart be with-
out words than thy word without heart. — Bunyan.

St. Matthew’s Congregation, Meherrin, Va.

The members of St. Matthew’s, Meherrin, Va.,
were disappointed of their Christmas services on
Christmas Day, for on the morning of December 21
their pastor, Rev. J. S. Koiner, was taken seriously
ill, having received a stroke of paralysis, which
lamed his entire left side. Although the Faculty
at Greensboro was asked at once to take charge of
the Christmas services, no one could go, as every
professor had made arrangements for services during
the holidays at his respective station. Upon another
message asking to aid the daughter of Rev. Koiner,
who had arrived there in the meantime, in taking
the sick pastor to a hospital, Prof. J. Ph. Schmidt
hurried thither. Rev. Koiner was removed to the
Memorial Hospital at Richmond, Va. During his
stay at Meherrin, Prof. Schmidt held a Christmas
service on December 27, and on the 28th buried
Carrie Lea Doswell, daughter of Richard and Nellie
Doswell, who died the day before of tuberculosis.
She was at one time a student of Immanuel Col-
lege, and at the time of her demise was in lier
eighteenth year. On December 30, death again
entered St. Matthew’s Congregation, and took with
him Luther, the fourteen-year-old son of Archer and
Jenny Carter. He was buried the following Monday,
and on January 7 the members assembled for a
funeral service in their chureh, which was con-
ducted by Prof. Schmidt. We have the sure hope
that both these young people died in the Lord.

Student Otho Lynn of Immanuel College has
temporarily taken charge of the congregation and
school at Meherrin. We are glad to hear that
Rey. Koiner is improving. May the good Lord
grant him a speedy recovery! M. L.

Immanuel College.

Christmas was celebrated at Immanuel College
with three services. A large tree was trimmed with
ornaments and an abundance of candles. In one of
the services, Prof. F. Berg preached the Christmas
sermon. In the second service a Christmas program
was rendered by the children of Immanuel School,
and in the third service the students of the College
told- and sang of the Christ-child, not in their
mother tongue, but in a language whose literature
can furnish them with the best material for their
theological studies; namely, entirely in the German
language. The German hymns and recitations had