The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1925, Page 166

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166 THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

were realized, they being privileged to dedicate

- Alabama Luther College at Selma, Ala.

The dedicatory service, conducted by Prof. R.
O. Lynn, on the college grounds, was short, but
most impressive. It opened with the singing of
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” the famous hymn
of the great warrior of the Reformation, Dr. Martin
Luther. After this hymn Professor Lynn per-
formed the dedicatory act. Then the student-body
and the assembly, led by Rev. C. F. Drewes, the
faculty, and the pastors present, marched into the
neat chapel of the college.

The service in the chapel began with the singing
of a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God for
the wondrous things He has done. This was fol-
lowed by the reading of a Scripture-lesson and
prayer. A beautiful anthem was sung by the
student-body.

The Rev. C. F. Drewes, of St. Louis, Mo., Direc-
tor of Colored Missions, preached the. dedicatory
sermon. Basing his discourse on Mark 16, 15.16,
he told his hearers in his own distinctive way, and
with a zeal that was inspiring, of the primary pur-
pose for which Alabama Luther College has been
erected. The purpose of this college, he said, was
not primarily to teach our young colored Lutheran
men and women the secular branches of education,
— although these branches would be taught, only,
however, as auxiliaries to the primary purpose, —
but its chief aim and purpose shall be to train our
young colored Lutherans to teach.others the way of
‘salvation by faith in Christ Jegus, the only Savior
-of the world. Emphasizing the -¥alue of the soul
in God’s sight, he said that, if the $50,000 expended
in the erection of the buildings. would. be instru-
‘mental in the salvation of one soul, the Mission
Board would have thought the-money well spent.
He concluded his splendid sermon by asking God’s

guidance’for the instructors and students and pray- ”

ing Him to forbid that any other gospel be preached

 .and taught in the institution than the pure Gospel

of Jesus Christ.

: The sermon’was well received and poade a adesD
impression upon all who heard it.

After the singing of another anthem ¥ the
student-body a thank-offering for Africa was lifted.
The collection amounted to over $90. _ . ?

-“'Following an address by Prof. R. O. Lynn, ‘the
assembly of over 300 people, who had come from
far and near, on the train, in buggies, | ‘trucks, and
automobiles, was invited’ to inspect. ‘the buildings.

These buildings, {wo in’ number, are modern in

every respect and modest withal. They met with
the approval of all who saw them. Lunch was
served on the grounds to all out-of-town visitors.
Afterwards the crowd dispersed in various direc-
tions to return for the evening service.

At 8 o’clock the evening service was opened in
the name of the Triune God. The writer conducted
the altar service. ‘The speakers for the evening
were Rev. Chas. Peay, of Oak Hill, Ala., and Rev.
E. B. Cozart, of Vredenburgh, Ala. Pastor Peay
preached on Acts16,9. Using as his theme “The
Macedonian Call,” he exhorted his hearers to pay

‘attention to the call and to answer it with their

prayers and gifts. It was an inspiring sermon, and
it reached the hearts of all assembled. After the
collection had been raised, —the total for the day
amounting to over $108, — and another anthem
sung by the student chorus, Pastor Cozart delivered
a splendid address. ‘The service concluded with the
benediction and the Doxology.

Surely September 20 will be a day long remem-
bered by all the Lutheran Christians who attended
these services in Selma. It was truly a day which
the’ Lord hath made; and we rejoiced and were
glad in it. Ps. 118, 24. For with God’s Word
preached in its truth and purity, with the hymns
of praise sung by the students and congregation,
with new buildings where God’s Word — God
grant it!— will continue to be taught in all its
sweetness, how could.we but be glad and rejoice
for these blessings from our merciful Father!

As we write these lines, we have before us a pro-
gram of another event, which took place on the
same night in another part of the city at one of
the colored sectarian churches. Across the top of
the program, in large letters, we read: “A BIG
SENSATION IN SELMA — THE BIG UNION
CONTEST.” Five sectarian churches participated
in this union contest. The purpose was not to
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to fallen man,
but to feature a big financial drive. The motive
prompting the gifts was not to be love of God and —
our fellow-men, but to receive the praise of men;
for the pastor who would raise the largest collection
was to be crowned “King of Preachers in Selma.”
The singing by the choirs was not to the honor and
praise of God, but to men; for the choir which.
would sing best was to be declared the best choir
in Selma. In’ this contest the members’ love of
Christ and their fellow-men is not appealed to, but
their loyalty to the preachers and the pride they

‘take in them: “What foolishness!”