The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 53

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

53

Koonibba, Australia.

Our brethren in Australia have been doing com-
mendable work among the heathen aborigines of
South Australia for a little over twenty-five years.
Rey. Cl. E. Hoopmann, Director of the Koonibba

Miss Semmler Busy at the Children’s Home,
Koonibba.

Mission, has written a very interesting book, Koo-
nibba Jubilee Booklet, in which he tells what the
Lord has wrought through the faithful and efficient
work of the Lutheran missionaries during a quarter
of a century. The book may be ordered from Con-
cordia Publishing House.

The accompanying pictures have been kindly
furnished by Rev. Hoopmann. No doubt, they will
be of great interest to the readers of the PIONEER.

May the Lord graciously bless the work of our
brethren in Australia! C. F. D.

Things Chinese.

The Lutheran Church Herald brings the follow-
ing article: —

No mortal man can cennents the complicated
and appalling state of affairs in China at the
present time. The country is practically parceled
out among less than half a dozen war-lords. The
leading figures among these militarists are Chang
Cho-lin, Feng Yuhsiang, Sun Chang-fan, and Chi
Kai-she. The last-mentioned man is a representa-
tive of the Canton government. Wu Pei-fu is for
the time being “a man without a country.” But
according to recent news to hand, he is hard at
work making devices for obtaining for himself a
sphere of influence. Besides these “Big Four” there
are innumerable smaller ones, all intent upon ob-
taining a part of the spoil. It would perhaps be

doing injustice to some of these men to contend that
they are fighting for no principles at all; but with
the great majority this can truthfully be said. With
most of these men it seems to be only a scramble
for personal power and self-aggrandizement. How-
ever this may be, the practical outworking of the
policy of these self-appointed leaders brings down
upon the whole country a calamity tremendous in
its magnitude.

An “Appeal,” written by the Chinese themselves,
in some measure depicts the conditions in China.
But let no one imagine that it is only the soldiers
and the officials who are vile. The description of
the situation among the people of Israel which we
find in the Book of Isaiah, 1,6: “From the sole
of the foot even unto the head there is no sound-
ness in it,” may well be applied to the condition of
this nation. Repeatedly have we witnessed the ap-
plication of this principle acted out by the people
before our eyes. After the city of Suiping was cap-

A Happy Bridal Pair at Koonibba, Australia.

tured by the bandits, its whole population turned
out to loot. All of a sudden the people were changed
into robbers. In conversation with the officials they
all freely admit that their people are all of the
bandit type.

There is no other remedy for this disease than