The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1921, Page 11

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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displeasure. In developing the second part it was
shown that Holy Baptism is to be used. ‘The child
should be taught the Word of God in the home, in
the church and Sunday-school, and in the Christian
day-school by a godly example and by prayer. After
all this has been done, the child will be a blessing
to the home, as well as to Church and State; above
everything else he will be prepared for eternal life.
It is needless to say that the timely subject elicited
a great deal of discussion, and it is to be hoped
that much good has been and will be done by the
masterly way in which the paper was presented.
The audience thanked the author by a rising vote.

Saturday morning the regular business of the
conference was taken up. Rev. Carter continued his
study of the third chapter of Romans. By hard
work we managed to finish the chapter and are now
ready for the fourth, though we haven’t the slightest
idea as to when we shall finish it. Exegesis com-
pleted, Rev. Jas. Montgomery read a sermon on
John 16, 33, taking as a theme “The Peace of God
in Christ Jesus,” showing 1. what it is, and 2. how
it is brought about. Conference thanked the young
minister for his effort and encouraged him in his
work.

The matter of Christmas exercises was then dis-
cussed and arrangements made for the procuring of
the necessary “goodies” to delight the hearts of the
children. Superintendent Schmidt played the réle
of Santa. Claus to the brethren of the conference as
he came loaded with Christmas candles, tinsel, and
other “purties” used to enhance the beauty of the
Christmas-trees. How he ever managed to bring
that stuff from Selma, in a Ford car, without smash-
ing- it all to “smithereens” will ever remain a mys-
tery known only to him and his trusty Ford.

Conference adjourned to meet on the third
Saturday in January at St. James’s Church, Buena
Vista, Ala. The members of Conference enjoyed
their short stay at Rev. Berger’s place and wish to
thank his members and friends for the kindness
shown them while there. May God grant pastor
and congregation a happy and prosperous new year !

Rey. I. A. Westcott is rapidly becoming ac-
quainted with the “ins and outs” of missionary work
in Alabama. ‘To be a successful missionary in Ala-
bama one must be able 1) to walk through dust,
sand, red, black, blue, and white mud; 2) to swim
anything from a mud-hole to the Alabama River;
8) to ride anything from a goat to a Missouri mule;
4) to find your way in the dark; 5) to drive a Ford
car, push a Ford car, pull a Ford car, and sleep in

a Ford car. This I say by way of introduction to
the following: While returning from one of his
preaching-stations, the Rev. Westcott failed to keep
on the right road and, consequently, found himself
lost in the wilds, and his car refused to function,
as all good cars should, because it was stuck fast
in a mud-hole. ‘The night was dark, the hour late,
the car had taken the wrong road, and no one would
pass that way. ‘The missionary drew his curtains,
curled up on the seat and dreamed that he was in
the Waldorf-Astoria and had ordered the boy to
call him at ten the next morning. As he lay there
and dreamed of feather-beds, steam-heated rooms,
and a sumptuous table, the hooting of an owl sud-
denly awoke him and reminded him of the fact that
he was encroaching upon the patent of one Mr.
Henry Ford, so he roused himself, looked at his
watch and muttered: Sic transit gloria mundi!
In the meantime Rev. Schmidt and Teacher Sam
Young were searching the landscape and beating the
bush in an endeavor to find the lost one, but their
quest was in vain, as the one whom they sought was
thoroughly lost. Monday morning the hearts of all
were lightened as the little old Ford hove into sight.
As the saying goes, “All is well that ends well.”

On the night of December 16 the stork dropped
in to see Rev. Chas. D. Peay and family, and while
there he left them a fine big boy. Mother and child
are doing nicely. (Congratulations! — Eprror.)

After the Christmas rush we are all hard at work
again, some wishing that Christmas might come
every day and others very well satisfied with its
annual visit.

On the night of December 25 the little band
at - assembled for its Christmas celebration.
The teacher had spent weeks of hard work drilling
the children for the oceasion, and therefore the
nerves of teacher and children were keyed up to the
last notch. The little chapel is packed to overflow-
ing and the windows and doors are crowded. ‘The
hour for the service arrives, and a child is delivering

the welcome. A dog-fight starts in the rear of the ©

chapel, some one yells, “Mad dog!” and pandemo-
nium breaks loose. Men, women, and children are
jumping over benches, screaming and standing upon
the benches. After considerable effort on the part
of the pastor and teacher all is serene once more.
The exercises continue and all goes well for a while.
Then suddenly and without the least warning every
bench on the right side of the aisle gives way, there
is a deafening crash, a cloud of dust, a scuflling,
screaming, and roars of laughter. — Once more all