The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1912, Page 67

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 67
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might rise, or it might not; all would be dark to
me. You see, my friends, I could not honesily
advise you to do what some of you say you wish
to do, to live without: God inethe world, when all
the time, for myself, my heart is erying out, ‘For
without Thee I cannot live.’ It is a pleasure to
me to know that the costly things in my house
which you cannot possibly share with me are not
the things out of which my happiness is made. Were
they necessary to happiness, I should often look
around with a sigh and wonder why they were given
to so few. Had I to leave them all to-morrow and
take the humblest of homes, I should carry all my
joy with me. I rejoice that in my own life what
exceeds in value all other things is what I can
share with you, for it is within your reach as well
as mine. My most earnest desire and prayer for
you is that Christ may reveal Himself to your rest-
less hearts, giving you, as T know He only can,
true peace and happiness.”

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Fruits of Mission Work.

A missionary tells of some fruits of mission
work which may be seen in the life of the freed
negro slaves in Sierra Leone, on the western coast
of Africa: — :

Before their conversion the natives were given
up to all vices. Among other things they were the
most confirmed thieves. ‘They became honest and
reliable through the transforming power of God’s
Word. One day, while Missionary Jansen was ab-
sent, the mission house took fire. ‘The members of
the congregation had succeeded in rescuing and
carrying away all its contents, but afterwards, when
everything was brought together, not even the
smallest article was missed. ‘The box that served
as the treasury had fallen into the hands of one
of the boys. He had taken his position in the yard
and, sword in hand, was protecting his charge.

These natives were notoriously lazy. The fruits
of the Gospel appeared in their diligence and in-
dustry. Their houses and gardens were kept in the
best of order. ‘Those who had learned to read would
often use their leisure moments in reading their
Bibles to their neighbors. Others would render
such services in the homes of the sick, the aged, the
indifferent, and the wayward.

The homes of the natives, too, bore many evi-
dences of the hallowed influence of the Gospel of
peace. One of the negroes was asked how he got

on with his wife, and he replied, “Sometimes T say
a word that does not please my wife, or my wife
(oes something that displeases me. But when we
are in danger of quarreling, we join hands, lock the
door, and pray, and then we have peace again.”

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Uncle Bob’s Letter.

Dear PionEER: —

Well, well, how the fleeting days have come and
gone! It was the glorious Eastertime when I wrote
last, and here we are already on the threshold of
fall.

Our Field Secretary, Rev. N. J. Bakke, who for
six months previous to Easter had revived the
drooping spirits of Mount Zion by his tireless en-
ergy, bade adieu to Mount Zion in April. His
zeal and unremitting efforts strengthened the con-
gregation in faith, in numbers, and in their giving
to the Lord’s cause. The Lord, indeed, had blessed
the work of His servant most bountifully. At-
tendance and finances had increased, and the con-
gregation felt new life and hope in consequence of
the coming and laboring of Pastor Bakke among us.

Rev. G. M. Kramer became the acting pastor
of Mount Zion after the departure of Rev. N. J.
Bakke. It was the second time that he had taken
charge of it. Mount Zion owes him a debt of grati-
tude; for, though he was burdened with the work
within his own large congregation and had to bear
the added burden of teaching school in Bethlehem,
yet he was as true and faithful to Mount Zion as
if he were her own pastor. May God reward him
for his unselfish sacrifice both here and hereafter!

Before Rev. Bakke left, it was his desire to have
a reunion of all the Mount Zion scholars; but this
could not be realized until the 16th of June. The
Reunion Committee had been appointed by him;
and never before had a committee met so often as
this one., For two months, meetings were held as
often as twice a week. The names on the old rolls,
as far back as old Sailors’ Home, were alphabetically
arranged, and every member of the committee took
the names he remembered as they were called out,
and entered them on his note-book. In this way
systematic work was accomplished. Then the com-
mittee was supplied with invitation cards, request-
ing the receivers thereof to sign their names, ad-
dresses, and chureh connections. When Reunion
Sunday came, June 16, the church had been con-
verted into a bower of flowers, evergreens, and