The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 66

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66

God So Loved the World!

A new life we receive
From heaven above
If we the news believe
That God is Love;

That He has sent His Son,
Who paid our debt,
Salvation for us won,

And loves us yet;

And intercession makes
For us on high,

Nor ever us forsakes

Until we die;

And that we then shall see
His loving face

To all eternity,

Redeemed by grace.

Baptize us from Thy throne
With fire, pure Dove;

Unto this world make known
The God of Love!

San Pedro, Cal. H. Osteruvs.

Reclaiming Christ’s Heritage.

XXVII.
THE CITY MISSION PROBLEM.

In the early Church the cities were regarded as
the strategic centers for all missionary endeavor.
The early Christians felt that the cities largely
dominated the country in social, political, and com-
mercial matters, and for this reason they were con-
vinced that, if the cities could be made to feel the
influence of Christianity, this wholesome influence
would from there radiate out into the country.

Urban and Rural Population, 1880—1920.
(See table showing the growth of our ten largest cities, p. 80.)

Since then cities have grown in number and
size, and their influence has become greater than
ever. They control the business of the countries
in which they are situated. They are the centers
in which the dominant executive forces of the
“country are gathered. ‘Their influence in the

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

Church is ever growing greater. It is in the cities.
that the social, commercial, and ‘political problems
of our day are most acute. In them the powers of
sin are most strongly entrenched. In them the

St. Luke’s Church, New York, 46th Street.

battle between light and darkness, holiness and sin,
Church and the world, Christ and Satan, rages.
most fiercely.

Rapid Growth in Number of Cities.

In the ten years from 1910 to 1920 the number
of cities increased by 474 in our country alone. The
population of our cities has increased proportion-
ately much more rapidly than did the population of
our country as a whole for a number of years past.
Not longer ago than 1880 only 28.6 per cent. of the:
population was urban, and 71.4 per cent. was rural..
In 1910 the proportions were 45.8 per cent. urban
and 54.2 per cent. rural. But between 1910 and
1920 the city population so increased that the pro-
portion was 51.4 per cent. urban and 48.6 per cent.
rural, and so for the first time in the history of our
country the urban population exceeded the rural
population.

The General Movement from Country to City.

While the movement from rural to urban com-
munities is greatest in the Northeastern und North
Central States, it is by no means confined to these-
areas. In the West North Central States the rural
population is almost at a standstill, while the urban