The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 107

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

107

No Preaching for Twenty Years. — At New
Bethel, Tenn., there had been no preaching for
twenty years and no religious teaching of the young.
The place is twenty-five miles from the nearest rail-
road station. Not long ago a young missionary
began work there, and to-day it already boasts an
organized congregation of fifty-two members.

Coconut Trees and Missions. — When one church
in the Philippines was in arrears to their pastor, due
to shortage of crops and to their building a chapel,
an elder of the church, when he saw the straitened
circumstances of the members and the need of the
pastor, volunteered to pay the whole amount. This
elder entered a homestead nine years ago, cleared the
forest, and planted it to coconut trees; he has added
other lands and trees, until now he has 5,000 trees,
many of which are bearing well. Four years ago he
heard the Gospel for the first time and was con-
verted. When all the trees he has planted will bear,
he expects to help especially in the erection of new
chapels.

-What about the Missionary Budgets ?—A lunatic
had escaped from the asylum and was hiding from
his keepers in a house. Hearing his pursuers coming
nearer and nearer, he tried to tie the two doors on
the two opposite sides of the room in which he was
hiding. However, the rope was too short to reach.
After tying first one and again untying it in order
to tie the other several times, he grabbed a knife and
cut the rope in the middle so he could tie both doors
at the same time. A beaming smile over his whole
face showed the complete satisfaction he felt because
of his seeming success. — Sometimes the writer feels
as if we may have to resort to a similar strategy if
. our good people do not remember our missionary
budgets in the near future. Just think of all the
energy we cause to be wasted and the enthusiasm we
help to turn aside from the real work for which we
have called our missionaries by withholding from
_ them and the work we called them to do for us the
. money which we know is needed to carry on
the work!

What Is It For?— News comes to us that the
Vatican has given orders for a complete survey of
Protestantism in our country. It seems as if the
purpose of this census is to discover the inner quali-
ties of American Protestantism, its vitality, its
powers of resistance against Roman propaganda and
encroachment, the temper of the Protestant clergy,
their zeal or indifference, and the depth of reli-
gious sentiment. But why does the Pope want to
know this?

Is This True? — Some one has compared church-
membership to a through passenger train. The
locomotive, furnishing the driving power, doing
great work all the time, represents the ten-talent
men and women. The locomotive tenders, bearing
fuel and water, doing excellent service, are com-
parable to the five-talent men and women. The day
coaches, carrying people intent only on reaching
their destination at the least possible cost are the
one-talent people. ‘Finally, the sleepers, a goodly
number and a heavy load, are the folks comfortably
at rest, contributing nothing or very little in the
way of money and work.— To what class do you
belong ? ;

A Silent Missionary. — A patient in a Philippine
hospital was given a New Testament. He went back

home, and the hospital staff forgot all about hj
But the Testament was at work. In the cours
time its silent persuasion converted him. Then
gave the book to others in the village. It was yr
with deep interest by those able to read, and a Cee
gregation composed of every one in town was forme}
that the book might be read in public. Thus they

3

could all benefit; for this was still the only T
ment in the town. There was no missionary
teacher, and the book was read by one of the citizens.
One day a stranger came to the town. He carted
a bag, and the people soon learned that he wfsja
colporteur and that his bag was full of Testamepts.
Much to the astonishment of the colporteur he met
with an overwhelming demand for books, andrfi
entire stock was sold in a very short time. The
was prevailed upon to take a few of the leadensf
the self-made congregation to the nearest =
sionary, where they received due information aad
the assurance of being served in the future. oo

A Little Child Shall Lead Them. — Though only
a few years old, Ernesto, the son of a pastor in New
Mexico, has already been instrumental in bringing
ten people to Christ. When his mother became sick,
he was left with some friends till the mother was
well. While with these friends, he won the affection
of all the members of a large family living next door
by his good behavior. When they heard that he was
a minister’s son, they wanted to go to church and
Sunday-school with him. And after they had gone ~
a few times, they decided to become members.

How Some Speak English. — The high cost of MX
living has also reached India, and a native teacher,
who was getting only five rupees 2 month, found it _
necessary to ask for a raise. For many days he con-
sidered the phrasing of his request, and finally, after

on

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