The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1925, Page 61

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

61

conference on three week-day evenings and chose
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On each evening
two lectures and a practical demonstration were to
be given. Originally the first lecture was to start
at 7 p.m. It proved wise, however, to change the
opening hour to 7.30 Pp. x.

The Preparation.

These lectures were planned to inspire all the
young people of the congregations on-the South
Side of Chicago to take part in the house-to-house
mission canvass. It was not aimed exclusively at
the Walther League members. The aim was also
to show exactly how to make a call. Pastor Streu-
fert was chosen dean, and he and his committee
prepared the lectures and the practical demonstra-
tion. Pastor Bailey was chosen assistant dean and
had charge of the printing and the registration.
Pastor Umbach was the lecturer on the third night
of the conference. A program was printed, also
a little pledge-card, to be signed by every one plan-
ning to attend the winter conference. These were
mailed to all the pastors, and Rev. Streufert also
sent the pastors a letter requesting them to bring
the conference to the attention of their young
people. Note-books were procured in the mean
time, and literature was provided by both com-
mittees.

The Participation.

On Monday evening the conference was opened
with a devotional service, led by Rev. E. V. Hase-
rodt. Very few were present. A blizzard had raged

The Registration.

iall day. But Pastor Streufert delivered an inspira-
ttional talk on “God Demands It.” He was followed
Iby Pastor W. Wangerin, who lectured on “The

Approach.”
methods of approach. He showed “the awkward

approach,” “the careless approach,” “the indifferent

alt PO a

* approach,

He carefully outlined the different

”

and “the tactless approach,” and finally
“the proper approach” whereby to win the pleasant,
the unpleasant, the sick, and the despondent.

After this lecture Pastors I. C. Streufert, P.
Roehrs, and W. Wangerin gave actual demonstra-

The Faculty.

tions. The young people listened with deep in-
terest, at one moment shouting with laughter and
the next instant almost in tears. Wednesday eve-
ning the young people had heard what happened
on Monday, and at the time of opening, half an
hour later, the crowd which had come to attend the
winter conference almost filled the large lower hall
of St. Stephen’s Church, where the conference was
held. Pastor Jehn led the opening devotional ser-
vice, and Pastor Streufert delivered a stirring dis-
course on “Your Neighbor Needs It.” Pastor
Roehrs then gave a splendid practical talk on
“What Kind of Neighbors Have You?” He
touched upon the indifferent, the backsliders, the
scoffers, the undecided, the sick, and the de-
spondent. Immediately afterward the three pastors
together gave an actual demonstration of how to
meet these neighbors, and to show them that their
difficulty, instead of keeping them away from
church, ought to bring them there. The talk made
a deep impression upon the large audience.

On Friday evening the hall was filled; almost
every seat was taken. Rey. Arthur Both opened the
conference with a devotional service, and Pastor
Streufert again prepared the audience for a serious
evening of study by his rousing address on “It’s Up
to You to Do It.” Pastor Umbach then spoke on
“The Follow-up,” but due to lack of time the actual
demonstration of how to make the follow-up and
how to do hospice work was not given.

Every one who attended the conference was
asked to register and pay a registration fee of
50 cents. ‘This fee paid all the expenses of the
conference and the Northern Illinois House-to-
House Mission Committee and the Walther League
Committee furnished the literature.

Chicago, Ill. J. M. Bartex.