The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1913, Page 91

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The Lutheran Pioneer,

91

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to the bungalow amidst the musical mélange of
the band.

Next day, in the morning, I held a catechetical
service with the children, questioning them on
leading points of the Christmas story, including
the story of the visit of the Magi. Here there was
an opportunity for me to emphasize that shepherds
(men of comparatively low caste in India) and
learned divines (Brahmins, of very high caste)
both have need of the Savior of the world. — ‘Then
all the children came to the bungalow to receive
their prizes. Each child first got a general present,
the older ones pen, pencil, tablet, note-book; the
younger ones, slate, pencil, and picture cards.
Afterwards the “good” pupils received special
prizes for regular attendance, such as colored pen-
cils, crayons, Bible History with pictures, red hand-
kerchiefs, little colored cloth-bags, marbles, ete.
The colored articles are especially dear to them.
The distribution lasted about an hour and a half.
Jt was joyful, though fatiguing work. With glad-
dened hearts and “budding faces” (muka malarchi,
as the Tamil says) they left for home after a solemn
salaam. ‘Thus ended the Christmas celebration in
Barugur. — G. K., in Young Lutherans’ Magazine.

-—- o.0e——”

Luther Conference.

The annual convention of Luther Conference
took place in St. Paul’s Church from October 30
to November 2. Conference was begun with a pri-
vate session of the brethren at two o’clock on 'Thurs-
day afternoon. All members of Conference were
in attendance at this session, with the exception of
the Revs. Chas. Peay, of Mansura, and A. O. Fried-
rich, of New Orleans, both of whom were some-
what ill. At this session the following officers were
elected for the following year: The Rev. G. M.
Kramer, President, to succeed himself; the Rev.
Fug. Berger, of Napoleonville, Vice-President; the
undersigned, Secretary.

A letter from: Field Secretary N. J. Bakke was

' read to the Conference. ‘his letter, containing

e greetings, words of encouragement, and suggestions,
was well received. This was the first time since the
organization of Luther Conference that the vener-
able pastor was not present.

Thursday evening marked the opening joint
service. The sermon was preached by the Rev.
Friedrich, of Mount Zion: A feature of this service
was o male’ chorus, consisting | of the entire body
of ministers and teachers, under the direction of

‘Teacher Wm. Seeberry, of St. Paul’s. Another fea-
ture was a quartet number by St. Paul’s Quartet,
consisting of the Rev. Ed. Schmidt, pastor of
St. Paul’s, Teacher Wm. Seeberry, Mr. Carl Stoll,
a student of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and
the undersigned, of St. Paul’s.

Friday morning the brethren again assembled
for a private session. All were present. ‘Teacher
Schrieber, of Bethlehem, read a well-prepared and
instructive catechisation on “Sanctification.” Rev.
Berger, of Napoleonville, also read a very interest-
ing exposition of the 17th chapter of the First
Book of Samuel. There were other papers to be
read, but owing to the great amount of business
that had to be disposed of, the reading of papers
was suspended, and Conference proceeded to the
transacting of business.

Friday evening the first open session was held.
The Rey. Chas. Peay, of Mansura, read a paper on
“Infant Baptism” to an attentive audience. ‘The
essayist ably drew out six points in developing his
theme.. First: Children were received into the
Church under the Old Covenant by circumcision;
under the New Covenant this is done by Baptism.
Secondly: Children are included in the word “na-
tions” when Christ says, “Baptize all nations.”
Thirdly: Whole families in the early Chureh were
baptized, such as those of” Cornelius, Lydia, ete.
Fourthly: Historical proof was cited that infant
baptism was practiced in the early Church. Fifthly :
Infants can and do believe; our Lord Himself tes-,
tifies to this fact. Sixthly: It is an act of wicked-
ness and rebellion, and shows ingratitude to reject
the means that God has devised to receive the “little
ones” into His kingdom.

Teacher E. Vix, of Mount Zion, was to read a
paper at the open session on “The Duty of Parents
toward Their Children,” but on account of the ad-
vanced hour at the conclusion of Rev. Peay’s paper

- it was deemed advisable to postpone the reading of

Teacher Vix’s paper to some future meeting of Con-
ference, when full justice in the way of discussion
can be done to so timely and important a topic.

Saturday evening the Ladies’ Society of St.
Paul’s entertained the members of Conference.
Pleasant moments were whiled away in listening
to the numbers of an appropriate program as well
as to impromptu speeches by the brethren, and in
enjoying the appetizing dainties under the weight
of which the tables fairly groaned.

Sunday evening, November 2, a joint Reforma-
tion service was held. Before it. was time to begin
the service, the seating capacity of the sacred edifice