The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1919, Page 90

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90

The Lutheran Pioneer.

Christ’s grace is a treasure that no thief can steal
and no rust can eat. The Christmas-gift, the Babe
in Mary’s arms, makes them rich in God; for
“where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear
Christ enters in.”

Dear reader, I know that your Christmas cel-
ebration will be a source of new divine grace for
you. For I trust that you are a Christian not only
in name, but in heart. If you believe with your
heart “that Christ is come in the flesh” and has
redeemed you, a lost and condemned creature, you
are of God. Rejoice, then, in the Lord, and let
your moderation be known unto all men in this
holy festive season. Make known your good will
and show a peaceful, winsome disposition to all
that come in contact with you. Let your words be
gentle, and also reveal your gratitude by some
kindly deed that will gladden others and may prove
a benediction to souls that are lonely and forgotten.
Many opportunities are right at your door. Help
the poor in our country or in Burope’s devastated
lands. Give toward missions and pray for missions,
and may God give you a merry, merry Christmas!

H. OsTeruus.

>>

New Orleans Letter.

New Orleans, La., November 8, 1919.
Dear Eprror: —

Please go easy on your busy little blue pencil.
Protracted silence has earned this space for us;
hence our protracted communication. The fact is,
we've been pressing right on, halting here and
there to collect our breath, and then —on again.
We know it would interest you to take a glance
with us over the ground we have covered in, ap-
proximately, the last two years. So here goes:—

We begin with—say the month of February,
1918. About that time the great European catas-
trophe, the war, threatening to devastate an entire
continent, held the world’s attention. Like an un-
hindered demon it crept slowly over the face of
the earth, feasting upon the youth of the land. Our
beloved country lay in the dreaded path. She called
upon her sons to go forth and give battle. Did they
respond ?
fireside, and many—never to return! 'They needed
the sweet Gospel of Jesus Christ then. We knew it.
Ii was that very worthy cause that prompted our
Army and Navy Board to look after the spiritual
welfare of those of our own household, our own

By thousands they went from home and .

faith. To send the Gospel to our boys, this Board
sent out a call for pastors. Thus it happened that
our lo¢al congregation, St. Paul’s. was forced to
relinquish its claim on the Rev. Ed. Schmidt. For
a while the Rey. Schmidt served Camp Shelby Lu-
therans and our congregation. But it was soon
apparent that his success at the camp warranted
his undivided service in this praiseworthy capacity.

So on July 28 the Rev. Schmidt preached us his

farewell sermon. Quickly the congregation got to-
gether, arranged a reception in his ljonor, presented
him with a beautiful umbrella, a slight token of
our esteem, and bade him “God speed!” Surely you
sympathize with us, dear reader, do you not? Alone
and without a pastor! Thanks, but, you need not.
Our work went right on as before. We didn’t go
to sleep, and, well, Prof. H. Meibohin, of Luther
College, certainly gave splendid account of himself.
He had served us all during the absence of Rey.
Schmidt, and was well acquainted with us and the
work.

Do you recall, dear reader, that awful scourge
influenza that had our whole country weeping for
her children? You do? Well, that is when we
tested Prof. Meibohm’s mettle; and he stood the
test. Faithful, loving, unweary, ever ready, day or
night, his service was always at the disposal of the
congregation. To show our esteem for him, our
love of the Gospel, for which we never went lack-
ing, we called Prof. Meibohm as our permanent
pastor. The Mission Board, however, seeing farther
than we, for good and legitimate reasons, rejected
our request. Naturally, we were disappointed,
sorely disappointed, from adult member to Sunday-
school urchin. But “the darkest hour is just before
dawn.” After all, the Board had a pleasand sur-
prise for us.

At our June Confirmation service, in which ten
children publicly confessed their faith in Jesus
Christ, vowing lifelong fidelity to our beloved
Church, we heard the announcement that the Rev.
Miles Gebauer, of Cleveland, O., had received a
call to our congregation. On August 31 the ordi-
nation installation of (febauer took
place at St. Paul’s Chapel. Crowded! You might
guess that it was. Rev. G. M. Kyamer, of Beth-
lehem Chapel, delivered a masterful sermon on
Acts 24, 18—38. Surely this was an edifying oc-
casion.

What think we of our new pastor? Well, al-
most overnight, by his amiable and cordial manner,
he found his way into the hearts ¢f the congrega-

and Pastor