The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1924, Sheet 27

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Dhe Lutheran Pioneer.

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

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PUBLISITED BY EVANGELICAL Lurieran SyNopicaAn CONFERENCE or Norriut AMERICA,

REv. F. J. LANKENAU, EDITOR.

THE

Published monthly by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. Subscription price, 50 cts. per annum, payable strictly in advance.
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at St. Louls, Mo., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 5, 1918.

ST. LOUIS, MO., APRIL, 1924.

OUR MONTHLY MISSIONARY MOTTO.

They ‘‘returned from the sepulcher and told all these things unto the eleven and
_to all the rest.” Luke 24, 9.

Vol. XLVI.

No. 4.

the minds of the early Christians. These men and

Why the: eae Church Grew
So Rapidly.

A number of reasons could be given for the
rapid growth of the early Church. Some of these
reasons may be found in the conditions of the times,
while others are to be found in the membership of
the Church. Several causes of the rapid growth of
the Church we shall mention in the following : —

1. Then, as never since in the history of the
Church, every follower of Jesus was convinced that
he was called to be a missionary. Not merely the
public teachers, but every member proved of service
in the spreading of the Gospel. The informal mis-
sionary was as active in his private way as was the
public servant of the Word. Celsus, that implac-
able foe of Christianity, bears this testimony:
“Many of the Christians, without special calling,
watch for opportunities and both within and with-
out the temples boldly proclaim their faith; they
find their way into the cities and armies and there,
having called the people together, harangue them
with fanatical gestures.” -'They were so sure of
their message and so mastered by their mission
that nothing could stop or hold them back. No
doubt, many others beside Celsus regarded these
early apostles as fanatics because of the energy of
their moral and religious passion. ‘They defied all
difficulties and brushed aside all obstacles and ever
moved onward, urged by their love and heroic
resolution.

2. 'The parting command of Jesus was ever in

women were fully convinced that Jesus meant ex-
actly what He said when He commanded them to
go into all the world and proclaim His Gospel.
Only this can explain their missionary zeal and ac-
tivity. Not only apostles, evangelists, and teachers,
but also merchants and miners, sailors and soldiers,
laborers and craftsmen, voluntarily made it their
business to extend Christ’s kingdom. The garri-
sons along the outskirts of the Roman Empire be-
came outposts of Christianity, and captured Chris-
tian soldiers were the means of converting whole
tribes and nations. And not only men, but likewise
women were busy in this holy propaganda. Mer-
chants carried the Gospel wherever they went and
with their earthly wares offered their customers the
Priceless Pearl without money and without price.
Wherever the Christian went, he raised the Cross
and gathered around him the beginnings of a
church.

3. They knew that God and His Holy Spirit
was with them. With Paul they could say and did
say: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
They felt that they were unconquerable. They were
divinely convinced of the truth of their message, as
well as of the blessed fact that the Holy Spirit was
present with them and their message and by
means of their message wrought upon the hearts
of those to whom they proclaimed it. They knew
that, being in possession of the Gospel, they had
with them the power of God and the sword of the
Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit was a blessed reality
to them as they faced the opposition of the Jews