The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1912, Page 15

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

15

been studied under the direction of Prof. Berg by
the members of the German Club, a society which
was organized among the students last fall. We
can truly say that the students did remarkably well.
In the children’s service, Prof. Berg baptized the
adopted son of the College steward, a scholar of
Immanuel School. Through the efforts of Rev. Chr.
Kuehn our Lutheran friends of Baltimore, Md., had
sent a large box filled with clothing of all sorts and
sizes, as well as candy and toys. These presents were
distributed among the students and Sunday-school
children. Besides, every student and every child
received a bag with candy and oranges. M. L.

Trinity Congregation, Elon College, N. C.

We almost fear that our young Lutherans know
nothing of a Trinity Congregation at Elon College,
and that our older members have forgotten it, for
it has been.a long time, indeed, since any news was
printed in the PioNEeEr about this place. But Elon
College is still seventeen miles east of Greensboro,
and a little flock of Lutherans is also still to be
found there. Services are still held semi-monthly
by the undersigned, but the congregation has de-
creased in members in the course of years, instead
of growing larger. A number of members have
moved away, and no new ones could be gathered in.
An average of twenty souls attend services. In spite
of the small number, we are glad to state that three
children now receive instruction for confirmation.
M. L.

A Thankful Heart.

The most cheerful and thankful person in my
congregation, writes a pastor, was a hopeless cripple
who, for years, had been confined to an invalid’s
chair, unable to move a muscle save those of the
arms and neck. Partially blind, too. Yet this little
woman, in her cheerful gratitude, was a constant
tebuke to many who were always: grumbling and
growling and complaining, and who did not see the
many causes they had for thanksgiving. When
others complained, she would speak of the count-
less mercies for which she owed thanks to God,
and would say with the Psalmist: “Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and forget not all His benefits!”

If such as she could: find cause for thankfulness,
fhien you ‘furely,can find mush-in your: Iie to/be
thankful for.

The Pope, a Cruel Man.. =

A miner of Schneeberg, meeting a seller of in- ©
dulgences, inquired, “Must we, then, believe what
you have often said of the power of indulgences
ond of the authority of the pope, and think that we
can redeem a soul from purgatory by casting a coin
into the chest?”

The dealer in indulgences said that it was so.

“Ah!” replied the miner, “what a cruel man
the pope must be thus to leave a poor soul to suffer
so long in the flames for a wretched piece of money !
If he has no ready money, let him collect a few _
hundred thousand crowns and deliver all these souls
by one act. Even we poor folks would willingly
pay him the principal and interest.”

NOTES.

Sap.— The friends of the Rev. J. S. Koiner,
pastor of our colored Lutheran church at Me-
herrin, Va., were much distressed to learn of the
attack of partial paralysis which befell the zealous
missionary shortly before Christmas. We are glad
to hear that his condition is improving, and hope
that the news of his complete recovery will reach
us soon.

A Darx Picture. — The Rev. F. J. Davidson,
traveling agent of the National Christian Associa-
tion, draws a dark picture of the shameful doings
in some of the colored sectarian churches in the
South. In a report from a district in Louisiana he
writes : — =

“There are a great many unbecoming practices
among the colored people in their churches. Of
course, they are disguised ‘by some religious name.
This is especially noticeable at what they call their
‘church rallies.’ At these gatherings a number of
preachers assemble, some representing churches, and
others representing lodges. Each speaker harangues
the audience for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then
some one leads off in a song, and such a ‘rapping
of jubba’ and ‘dancing of Jim Crow’ you never
heard. ‘Then half d dozen men and women get
right out into the aisle and dance a regular quadrille
or Irish jig. Such a course of procedure is absurd,
ridiculous, and an outrage on the name of Chris-
tianity.. Some of these ignorant and superstitious
preachers declare that unless they permit such non-
sense in their churches, their people will not give
any money. I attended such a meeting a few weeks