The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1912, Page 39

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 39

“Thank Thee, dear heavenly Father, for this bless-
ing!” Please add to this “Thank 'Thee” an ardent
prayer for future and continued blessings for
St. Paul’s and the entire colored mission. We need
your prayers—and, with your permission, your
willing and liberal financial assistance; in other
words, we need your nickles, dimes, and dollars.

In conclusion, we who are working in the col-
ored mission again forcibly feel that this blessed,
at times diffieulé and discouraging work, is, after
all, by no means in vain. Yes, our humble efforts
are blessed, at times beyond all expectations. Would
that all of our fellow-Lutherans would see and
realize this as we do! We know for a certainty
that then there would never be a semblance of a
deficit in our mission treasury.

And now, may the Lord, our God, be with us
and ever vouchsafe unto us His blessings for the
eternal glory of His holy name and the welfare of
many souls! Ep. §S.

OD

The Use of the Oath.

Luther says: “The oath should be used like a
sword which man does not draw merely to while
away the time. He does not juggle with it as do the
children with a knife, but uses it either in defense
of himself or. of his fellow-men, when the govern-
ment commands him to do so.”

ee

NOTES.

Our CoLorep Missions. — From the report of
our Colored Missions given in the Statistical Year
Book of the Missouri Synod, we learn that this
Lutheran mission, carried on by the Synodical Con-
ference, numbers 33 congregations .and preaching
stations (21 in North Carolina, 6 in Louisiana, 1 in
Virginia, 1 in Illinois, 1 in Missouri, 2 in New
York). ‘There are 89 laborers in this mission:
12 white pastors and professors, 10 colored pastors,
4. white teachers, 1 white lady teacher, 7 colored
teachers, 3 colored lady teachers, and 2 students as
assistants. ‘Che mission numbers 2,050 baptized
souls, 905 communicant members, and 231 voting
members. ‘The parochial schools were attended in
the past year by 1,555, the Sunday-schools by 1,284
pupils. 1,726 communed during the year, 134 per-
sons were baptized, and 97 confirmed. There were
19 marriages and 41 burials.

,CoLLEGEs. —Two colleges are maintained in
our mission for the training of colored pastors and
teachers for the mission field: Immanuel College,
Greensboro, N. C., has 4 professors, 1 assistant, and
64 students; thee College, New Orleans, La

"3
has 2 professors and 23 students.

—E

Ixcrease.— There was an increase of contri-
butions in the year 1911 for our Colored Missions.
The total receipts amounted to $31,033.23, of
which sum our colored congregations contributed
$2,263.66, whilst they contributed $1,950.74 in
1910. So there was an increase of $312.92. Our
colored Lutherans did well, and we hope they are
not standpatters, but progressives in their contribu-
tions to the mission treasury. There is still room
for improvement for both colored and white. Some
one, you know, has said, “The largest room in the
world is the room for improvement.”

Missionary ZeAL.— The Moravians are noted
for their missionary zeal and for their gencrous
giving for the mission cause. ‘They carry on mis-
sion work in different countries and among various
races. The yearly cost is about $515,000. Of this
sum, $210,000 is raised in the mission ficld and
$65,000 is contributed yearly by London friends,
leaving about $200;000 to’ be secured from church-
members. It is reported that each member gives
about $5.00 each year for the Foreign Mission work
alone. The total number of missionaries at present
supported is 479.

A Bressep Privitece. — A little Chinese girl,
who had confessed Christ in public baptism, was
asked by her teacher, after the sacrament, “Are
you glad of the privilege “of attending a school
where you can hear of the Lord Jesus?” Quickly
came the reply, “Yes, and-are you not glad, teacher,
that you are in China, where you can teach of the
Lord Jesus ?”

The girl’s reply gladdened the heart of the mis-
sionary, as it reminded him that his work in the
mission field was a blessed privilege. He thanked
God and took courage.

It was in this spirit that the late Dr. Harpster,
who labored in the mission field of India for many
years, on his return to that heathen land the last
time, said to his friends who felt saddened by his
departure, “I am sorry for you who must stay at
home.” So blessed a thing did he regard the privi-

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