The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1920, Page 74

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74

The Lutheran Pioneer.

The apostles’ fruit “should remain.” It should
not be wormy fruit which drops from the tree before
it is ripe and which is not useful. Although the
apostles were sinful as all men are, their work was
nevertheless not like worm-eaten fruit. Their doc-
trinal labors for instance did not. resemble wood,
hay, and stubble, which are consumed when tried
by fire; but they were like gold, silver, and precious
stones that abide. Their work stood the test in the
furnace of affliction. The Church of the New Tes-
tament founded on Pentecost Day has not passed
away. In the early days of persecution the blood
of the martyrs was the seed of the Church. Even
in the dark middle ages God had left Him His
seven thousand who bowed not to Baal. The Pope’s
persecutions were not able to prevent the Gospel
from bringing forth fruit.

When the glorious day of the Reformation made
its appearance, it bore new, most precious fruitage
that has lasted. No rationalism, spiritualism, and
superstition could exterminate the Gospel. We
Christians of the twentieth century have no need
of being ashamed of the Word of the Cross, for it

‘is still the power of God to save all- that believe.
It is being preached in more and more countries.
It enters the earth’s darkest lands and casts unbelief
and heathenism out of millions of hearts. It still
bears thirty-, sixty-, and a hundredfold fruit. It
still is the victory that overcometh the world. Ours
is not a lost cause. Our fruit should, will remain
unto life eternal. — Man was created in God’s own
image to live with Him forever. When sin had
entered the world, the Son of God came, destroyed
Satan’s works, and purchased eternal life for us.
As we have passed from death unto life, let us help
to proclaim that Word of God which will cause
others to do likewise. Our labors are not in vain.
Let us then pray ardently, labor diligently, and give
liberally for the work of missions. H. OstERHUus.

Meeting of the Synodical Conference.

The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference

of North America met in St. John’s Church, Mil-
waukee, August 18—23. In this very same church
the Synodical Conference was organized forty-eight
_years ago. Another noteworthy fact is that Dr. A.
F. Ernst, one of the organizers of the Synodical
Conference, was present at this meeting and was able
to take a prominent part in the discussions. A new
synod was received into the Synodical Conference

at this convention: The Norwegian Synod of the
American Evangelical Lutheran Church, so that the
Conference is now composed of four synods: The
Missouri Synod, the Joint Synod of Wisconsin and
Other States, the Slovak Synod, and the new Nor-
wegian Synod. The doctrinal discussions were led
by Prof. J. Meyer, of the Wauwatosa Seminary,
and concerned that priceless treasure of our Church,
the Christian day-school.

The convention devoted a great deal of time to
our Colored Mission. The writer has attended quite
a number of meetings of the Conference, but never
one where so much interest was shown in our work
among the Negroes. The committee to which the
report of the Colored Mission Board was referred
devoted no less than eight sessions to the considera-
tion of this important document, and though the
sessions sometimes lasted till a late hour at night
and took up almost the whole of each noon recess,
every member of the committee was perfectly will-
ing to bring the sacrifice. The Conference itself
devoted three and one-half sessions to the consider-
ation of the recommendations made_by the com-
mittee.

The principal recommendations of the committee
adopted by the Conference are the following: To
earnestly urge —

1. That the various district synods and pastoral
conferences devote more time to the consideration
of our Negro Mission, in order that this blessed
work may become better known and receive more
support.

2. That the various synodical organs bring more
reading-matter relating to our Colored Mission.

3. That the three illustrated lectures on our
mission-fields be more extensively used in our con-
gregations to help arouse the interest of the people
in the blessed work that is being done by our Church
among the Freedmen.

4, That all our synodical districts be asked to
consider the great needs of the Negro Mission when
working out their budgets. :

5. That the office of a Publicity Secretary be
created, and that Pastor N. J. Bakke, who looks
back upon forty years of faithful and arduous ser-
vice in the mission, be asked to perform the im-
portant duties of this new office. It was the unan-
imous opinion of the Conference that the Rev. Bakke
would be fitted like no one else to visit our sem>,
inaries, synodical conventions, pastoral conferences,
and individual congregations and arouse their in-
terest in this necessary work, which is so rapidly