The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1921, Page 42

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42

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Thus Grant Our Prayer.

“Thy kingdom come!” we daily pray,

For many millions walk astray.

Their misery cannot be told —

They are without the Shepherd's fold.

Can we, inactive, see them die?

That would our Christian name belie.

Our zeal must, therefore, be renewed,

Our off’rings brought, our task pursued. —
Lord, who art seated on the throne

Of heav’n, and didst for all atone,

Let us find favor in Thy sight,

Pour out Thy Spirit, show Thy might,

Fill numerous hearts that now ate dead
With faith in Thee, our glorious Mead,

And every hindrance overcome.

Thus grant our prayer, “Thy kingdom come!”

I. OsTeruus.

——

+ Pastor N. J. Bakke. ;

Pastor N. J. Bakke, the Publicity Secretary of
our Negro Mission, has been called to his eternal
reward. With him one has passed away who has
been most intimately connected with the growth of
our Colored Mission practically from its very be-
ginnings. When he entered the work forty and
more years ago, our Negro Mission was still in its
swaddling-clothes,-and he faithfully helped to rear
the infant. To his indefatigable labors is due to
a great extent that the weak and unpromising in-
fant has had such a healthy growth. When Pastor
Bakke entered upon his labors as a missionary
among the Colored people of New Orleans, there
were only three stations; to-day the PIoNEER brings
a list of 57 stations in its Directory. And the de-
parted had a share in all this growth.

The Lord called His servant home to his eternal
rest on Sunday, May 8, at 9.30 p. a., after a short,
but painful illness. He was sick only a few days.
He died at Milwaukee, Wis., where he has made his
home since last fall, when he entered upon his new
duties as Publicity Secretary for Negro Missions.

The departed was a native of Norway, where he
was born September 8, 1853 When thirteen years
of age, he came to America with his parents. When
a young man, he decided to serve the Lord in the
ministry. To carry out this purpose he entered
Luther College of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod
at Decorah, and after having completed his classical
studies, he entered Concordia Theological Seminary
at St.Louis. In the fall of 1880 he was called by
the Colored Mission Board to take up the work at

‘

The Lutheran Pioneer.

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New Orleans, which had been begun by Rey.
Doescher a short time before. In 1891 he went to
North Carolina and there founded the first: stations
on that extensive field. When the Lord called us
to Alabama, Pastor Bakke went there, afier having
served the Negro Mission for a number of years as
President of Immanuel College, which he founded,
and as Director of Missions.

At its covention last fall in Milwaukee, the
Synodical Conference created the new office of Pub-
licity Seereiary and chose its veteran missionary to
be the first incumbent of the important position.

Pastor Bakke is survived by his stricken widow,
two sons, and one daughter. His two sons, Norman
and Vernon, are students at Concordia College, Fort
Wayne. God's weary servant was permitted to see
all his loved ones about his bed as the time of de-
parture drew nigh, and, like Jacob of old, he was
granted the privilege of leaving his blessing with
those whom he so greatly cherished.

Since his removal to Milwaukee, Pastor Bakke
had identified himself with Bethlehem Church of
that city, and it was in that church that the funeral
services were held on Wednesday, May 11, at) 2 1. um.
May God be the Father of the widow and the
fatherless, and comfort them with Tis everlasting
comfort!

On Wednesday morning, May 11, a short service
for the immediate family of the deceased was held
in the mortuary chapel of the underiaker. ‘This
service was conducted by Pastor O. Kaiser. Im-
mediately after this service the remains were trans- »
ferred to Bethlehem Church, where from the time
of their arrival till the hour of two in the afternoon
the body was viewed by the members of Bethlehem
Congregation and the many other friends and ac-
quaintances of the departed. ‘The main funcral ser-
vice was held at 2 o’clock, and was also conducted
by the pastor of Bethlehem Church, Rev. O. Kaiser.
The service was opened by the singing of the hymn
“For Me to Live Is Jesus, to Die Is Gain for Me,”
followed by an impressive sermon by Pastor Kaiser
based .on Matt. 25, 21: “Well done, thou good and
faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many. Enter
thou into the joy of thy Lord!” After the sermon
an octet, under the leadership of Teacher J. A.
Theiss, sang “Abide with Me.” Rev. C. Gausewitz,
the President of the Synodical Conference, spoke
on the text, “Where I am, there shall also My
servant be.”