The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1913, Page 36

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36

The Lutheran Pioneer.

regular. and generous in contributing of her means
towards the support of the Gospel, and active in
helping to save the souls of others, she has, to-
gether with other members, done much for the
upbuilding of her congregation. She is one of
those few. too, who does not forget to encourage
and cheer the pastor with gifts of love and appre-
ciation. In her prime days, when she was able to
work hard and command good wages, there was a
Christmas turkey, fruits and cakes, and something
besides at the Christmas tree, too, for the pastor
and teacher. Let others follow her example. Make
the servants of God feel that their labor is appre-
ciated. -

Sister Hosband has always been, and still is,

. an active missionary coworker. ‘Though she has not

had the opportunity of a school education, — for
she grew up in the days of slavery, — she has stored
her memory with a goodly number of Bible passages
and gems from the rich storehouse of Lutheran
hymnology, and is able to contend for the faith
once delivered unto the saints. Not only does she
talk to the people of the one thing needful and
invite them to the church, but she used to call for
them personally and bring: them with her, an ex-
ample which church-members ought to copy. At
the time she joined the church her own children
had outgrown the school shoes. She now applied

; herself to the task of giving her grandchildren.

nieces, and nephews a Christian school training.
She took them into her home, two and three at a
time, provided for them, and paid their expenses
at school, and she has had the pleasure of secing
them become members of her church. ‘They can
neyer repay her for what she has done for them.

Sister Hosband is now full of years and almost
deaf. She cannot hear or understand a word of the
sermon. Yet, despite her eighty years, rheumatism,
and other ills and aches, she is a regular attendant
at divine service. Slr loves the habitation of the
Lord, and the place where His honor dwells. . Nor
have her contributions to the church decreased with
the decrease of capacity to carn money. She is

_ still a liberal giver.

May the Lord cheer and comfort her in her old
age, and welcome her into the eternal habitations
with a “Well done!” N. J. Bakke.

]

Apropos of the above, the Editor, who has known’

Mother Hosband for more than twenty years, would

add the following: One day he asked Mother Hos-

band, while visiting her at*her home, which he

x

always called her “orphan asylum,” because she
always had some orphans under her care: “Do you
not find it very tiresome to attend the services,
since you can’t understand anything because of
your deafness? Why do you go to church never-
theless?” Her answer was: “Why do I go to
church though I don’t understand the sermon?
I'll tell you, pastor. Beeause the church is God’s
house, and I am God’s child. By going to my
Father's house, I show the people that I belong to
God’s family. Then, you know, I can hear a little
bit, and so I can catch the tunes and sing those
hymns which I know by heart. And another reason
for my going to church is to set my children, grand-
children, nephews, and ‘orphans,’ as you call them,
a good example. I would rather tell them, ‘Come,’
than, ‘Go? ” ;

And as for her ‘liberality and benevolence,
Rev. Bakke has not said half of what might truth-
fully be said.

St. Paul’s Sunday-School, Mansura, La.

A number of years ago this neighborhood was
like an empty vessel, —no Word of God was in it.
Children crowded the street on Sunday, not know-
ing about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

But God remembered us in His mercy; a church
was established and a day-school and Sunday-school
were opened. While at first the Sunday-school was
attended by only a few, it has increased in nunbers,
and to-day the attendance is quite good.

Now, although our church building was badly
damaged by a storm, and looks as though it might
fall over at any time, the’ street is crowded every
Sunday with boys and girls on their way to Sunday-
school.

On the first Sunday of every month we have a
discussion-on some important subject of a Teligious
nature. ‘These discussions not only “interest the
young, but also the old. On the first Sunday in
April we discussed the subject, “Christian Training
in the Family.” Jt was thoroughly discussed; and
many instructive points were brought out.

Our church-membership is increasing from’ year
to year, and hardly a Sunday passes by but sees
some strangers coming to our services to hear the
pure Word of God. _

May God continue to bless our church and
schools; may He help us to increase in numbers
and in knowledge! 5
Jos. W. Lenatan, Sunday-school Sup’t.