The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1915, Page 37

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

37

“T have never heard any of your sermons, but
I have seen them,” said a heathen one day to
a Christian missionary. “I know a man who once
was the terror of the community in which he lived,
but after he accepted the religion of your Jesus,
he was entirely changed. He is loved and re-
spected by all who once feared him. From this
I judge that your teaching must be good.”

This conclusion of the ignorant heathen was
perfectly correct. But, sad to say, as correct and
natural as it is to draw this conclusion, we are con-
tinually meeting educated and enlightened people
who do not seem to be able to draw this simple con-
clusion, or, rather, who do not want to draw it. —

And what a powerful incentive to aggressive
mission work we have right here! Atheism can-
not cure a man of the smallest vice, but the Gos-
pel of Jesus can convert the most abject slave of
vice into a child of God. Weathenism cannot soften
the heart, nor drive out from it cruel and vicious
thoughts, but the Gospel of Christ has again and
again proved its power to do so. This Gospel we
have. Now the question is this: —

Shall we, whose souls are lighted

With wisdom from on high, —
Shall we to men benighted
The lamp of life deny?

And the answer is: —
Salvation, O salvation!
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till earth’s remotest nation
Has learned Messiah’s name.

> —_——

Items from Concord, N. C.

Sunday, March 28, as the city clock chimed
out the hour of 8.00 pv. ar., over one hundred people
were assembled in Grace Ey. Luth. Church to wit-
ness the confirmation of seventeen adult catechu-
mens: Dr. John W. Fuller, Messrs. Vardrie Pharr,
Wm. L. Johnston, Sandy Barksdale, Jacob Robin-
son, Marshall Miller, Stephen Lenear, Lacy Camp-
bell; Mesdames Alice Scott, Stella Lenear, Lora
Goodman, Maggie L. Miller, Harriet Wilson, Sa-
lina Scott; and Misses Lottie Shankle, Lizzie
Wright, and Victoria Johnston. There were also
five haptisms.

Rev. W. G. Schwehn delivered a very impres-
sive and appropriate address. Basing his remarks
on Rev. 2,10: “Be thou faithful unto death, and
I will give thee a crown of life,” he chose as his
theme: “A Glorious Reward for Those Who Re-

main Faithful.” As the organ softly played,
“Jesus, Be Our Guide,’ and, “Take Thou My
Hands and Lead Me,” the confirmands went up
to the altar, and solemnly promised before God
and the assembled congregation to renounce the
devil and all his works, and to be faithful to God
and His Church. God grant them grace to remain
true to their solemn vow! ’

Our new pipe organ has arrived, and will be
dedicated Sunday night, April 11. Rev. Prof. J.
Ph. Schmidt, of our college at Greensboro, will
preach the dedicatory sermon. ‘Che Ladies’ Aid
Society has so far contributed $20 towards it, and
the Men’s Club $13.

We have had a very successful school-year so
far, there being an enrolment of nearly one hun-
dred. We realize that the large number of pupils
has nothing to do with the efliciency of the school,
and does not necessarily make a “good” school;
still we rejoice to have such a large number of
pupils.

Through the efforts and hard work of the pas-
tor and teacher quite a number of much-needed
improvements have been made on our school-
building. The class-room on the first floor has
been kalsomined, the wainscoting and desks stained,
the floors nicely oiled, and electric lights installed.

Within the last three months thirty-six souls
have been added to the Church. Another cate-
chumen class has already been started, and we hope
to confirm them Pentecost.

The Lord has indeed blessed us this year. May
Ife continue His rich blessings! As He has given
to us, so will we endeavor to give back to Him.

H. W. 1.

———

Items of Interest from Our Colored
Mission Field.

Our Mission ‘Teasury. — Last month we were
obliged to report that the receipts during February
were over $2,000 less than the expenses. We are
pleased to report that conditions look somewhat
more hopeful at present, but we regret to say that
the expenses still exceed the receipts. For March
the expenses were $2,917, while the receipts were
$1,882. You will notice that the better condi-
tions are due, not so much to the greater liberality
of our Christians, but, rather, to the fact that the
expenses were almost a thousand dollars less than
in the month of February. Yes, going to the real