The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 36

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36

The Lutheran Pioneer.

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A Letter from Trinity, New Orleans.

New Orleans, La., April 5, 1918.
Dear Mr. Eprror: —

T have a little story to tell you and the many
dear readers of the Pronger. I hope that you will
read it patiently and carefully, and that it will glad-
den your hearts.

You remember Trinity Chapel in the far down-
town section of New Orleans. Certainly you do.
‘Trinity, you remember, is one of the youngest of
our mission-stations here. It was dedicated Oc-
tober 22, 1916. Not that I thought you had for-
gotten us; certainly not. Because, you remember,
Mr. Editor, it was your congregation in Ohio that

’ Pastor A. Wiley, Jr., and Confirmands of 1918.

gave us our sweet-toned bell. And as for you, our
Northern Christian friends, if God had not opened
your hearts, you would not have opend your pocket-

- books, and if you had not opened your pocketbooks,

Trinity Chapel would not have been built, and if
Trinity had not been built, well — well —I wouldn’t
have any story to tell. So there you are.

But to come tothe story. Easter Sunday was
a glorious day for us in more than one way — first,
because we commemorated the resurrection of Christ,
our King; secondly, because on that day the largest

- class of catechumens in our history was confirmed.

On that day fourteen boys and girls vowed that they
would remain faithful to God and our dear Lutheran
Church until death. The little chapel was filled to

capacity, aud part of the schoolroom was taken by .

those who came to witness the beautiful and solemn

ceremony and to take part in the service. Easter

Sunday, you remember, was the day appointed for
the “daylight saving plan” to go into effect, and
many of our good people had forgotten to set their
clocks one hour ahead. So we had to begin our
service much later than we had planned. But this
delay had no ill effect on the joy, the interest, and
the devotion of our good people. They came, they
saw and heard, and they were happy.

The confirmands assembled in the pastor’s home,
next door to the chapel, and marched from there,
headed by the pastor, to the chapel. When the pro-
cession appeared at the doorway, Mr. Charles Heim,
our organist, began to play “Onward, Christian Sol-
diers,” which the confirmands sang as they marched
io their seats before the altar. In his sermon to the
confirmands, the pastor exhorted his young lambs
from the third chapter of Revelation, the eleventh
verse: “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no
man take thy crown.”

Last year the mothers of three of these children
were confirmed in ‘Trinity Chapel. Mark you, kind
Editor and reader, how God is gradually extending
His kingdom through our Lutheran Zion! Let us
rejoice and give thanks!

That is the first part of my little story. Are
you ready for the second? Well, since I have be-
gun, I must conclude. You see fourteen confirmands
on one of the pictures which accompany this letter.
But, dear Editor and reader, four of them would
not have been there if God had not shown them
particular loving-kindness. Most of our people, you
know, are very poor, and it is very hard for them
to make both ends meet, especially where there is
a “houseful” of children, and with the present high
cost of living to contend against. The pastor had
been told by the parents of four of these children
that it would be impossible for them to get the chil-
dren ready for confirmation this year. There were
so many mouths to feed, and they could not supply
them with what they actually needed. This grieved
the parents much and, I believe, the pastor still more.
But then, thought the pastor, it is the Lord’s will.
Probably they will be confirmed next year. But, oh,
how many things may happen between now and next
year! Nevertheless —

God moves-in a mysterious way:

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace; .
Behind a frowning Providence

He hides a smiling face.

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