The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1925, Page 31

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

31

in India. The remark is added: “At least one
other American Lutheran foreign mission has sent
its contribution for this work. So general a fruit-
age of the Christian faith that worketh by love for
the ministry of mercy is heartening, inspiring, and
prophetic of favorable ultimate results.”

Aw Exampie or Constancy. — A Chinese boy
in Singapore had arranged to be baptized shortly
‘after his graduation from school, but to his surprise
he won a scholarship of $500 for four years in
Hongkong University. But one of the conditions
was that the winner must be a Confucianist. You
may imagine that the temptation to defer his bap-
tism was very great to the poor student, but to his
praise be it said that he withstood the temptation
and presented himself for baptism at the appointed
time. A friend who stood next in line for the
scholarship and who had been a Confucianist till
that time was so impressed by the action of his
fellow-student that he refused the scholarship, say-
ing: “If Christianity is worth so much to my class-
mate, it can be worth no less to me.” He also pre-
sented himself for baptism and became a Christian.

Tre Power or tHE Worp. — “What first in-
terested you in Christianity?” This question was
asked an Arab sheik, who had accepted Christ. His
answer was: “I came here to the hospital just at
the time when the doctor was having his prayers.
As he read from the Bible and explained its mean-
ing, my heart was strangely drawn. Then when
I saw how the Christians were here healing our sick
while we were doing nothing for them, I realized
that the Christian religion must be true.” The
Gospel, when preached and lived among the
heathen, is still the power of God unto salvation.

Human Sacririces 1n Burma. — The an-
nouncement that human sacrifices are still brought
in Burma is surely startling. Slavery and human
sacrifices are still going on, it is positively stated,
in the mountain regions of Northern Burma, It
is said that from six to ten human sacrifices are
offered every year in the Naga Hills, and where
conditions are favorable, the number of these sacri-

fices reaches twenty and thirty annually. Most of '

the victims are Hindu children, who are kidnapped
for the purpose; but any kind of slaves may be
included in the slaughter. Only some months ago
the government succeeded in saving an Indian girl
who had been marked for slaughter.

Inpustr1az Work aNnD Missions. — Though

the real purpose of missions is to bring Christ to
the benighted heathen and to gather them into His
kingdom, it has been found necessary, sooner or

later, to combine some kind of industry with the
evangelization of non-Christians. Of course, car-
pentry, weaving, farming, lace-making, and similar
occupations are not an aim in themselves, but only
a means to attain a hearing for the Gospel, of re-
lieving poverty, providing our converts with a
means of gaining a livelihood, and contributing
to the support of their churches and schools. In
many instances those who embrace the Christian
faith by doing so lose their means of getting a
living; their old employers discharge them, and
they find it impossible to find new work. Thus
the mission authorities are forced into the indus-
trial field for the sake of their people.

Tue TurRKISsH GOVERNMENT AND MISSIONS. —
The Turkish government is trying hard to keep all
mission-workers out of the country. Recently they
ordered the distinguished American medical mis-
sionary Dr. Lorrin Shepard, who had conducted a
hospital at Aintab for years, to give up his work.
This hospital has been a very successful missionary
factor, and it is supposed that it will not be given
up without a strenuous protest, since the action of
the Turkish government is plainly in opposition to
the agreement reached between our country and
Turkey at Lausanne a few years ago.

JAPANESE CuurcHES ACTIVE IN Missron-Work.
When, at the close of the China-Japan War, For-
miosa was ceded to Japan, the general convention
of the Japanese Church resolved to furnish the en-
tire financial support for the work of the Gospel
in Formosa and to expand it as they grew in ability.
And they have been following up the work loyally.
Expenses are very high in Formosa, and the sal-
aries of the Christian workers there are higher than
those received by similar workers in Japan. There
is also a women’s auxiliary, which renders faithful
assistance in the prosecution of the work.

Luth. Standard.

American InDIAN EVANGELISTS. — Indian el-
ders of six churches in the Macbeth Mission in and
about Lapwai, Idaho, held a joint meeting and
planned a program of evangelistic tours. Their
plan contemplates taking the Gospel to all the na-
tive tribes surrounding Lapwai; ‘for missionaries

find that these lay workers are very effective in

obtaining the attention of unevangelized Indians.
Their pastors accompany the elders and do the
preaching, while the elders engage in personal work. —
Lnuth. Standard.
REACHING UNREACHED INDIAN TRIBES. — ~
Workers of the Inland South American Mission-
ary Union have undertaken a tour of exploration