The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Sheet 117

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

115.

I have some mighty wicked men on my gang, but
I trust they will come to understand, before it is
too late, that sinners should turn to God. I once
was a good man, but I wandered away, and I thank
God that you have called my attention to the light
again.’ The engineer had become a soul-winner.”

Should It Be?

Some years ago a missionary, home on a well-
earned vacation, told this: “Do you think it is right
to expect us missionaries to go around and beg for
the money needed to carry on our missions? We
are sent to preach the Gospel and not to beg alms.
I am more than ready to go around and tell the
people what we are doing and how God is blessing
our work, but I do think it wrong that we should
have to go around and solicit gifts for the work.”

Since then I have often thought of these words
of the missionary, and the more I have thought of
them, the more have I become convinced that the
missionary is right. A missionary should not be
obliged to beg. We do not expect a soldier to fight
the enemy and at the same time to beg his ammuni-
tion; neither do we expect him to worry about his
clothing, shelter, and food.

During the Great World War we gave millions,
not only to provide our boys with the necessaries of
life, but also to provide them with many comforts
and even luxuries. Our argument was: They are
taking our place on the fighting line, so we can do
no less than to make them as comfortable as
possible.

But here is a war far more fierce and just,
a war waged for us by our sons — Christian soldiers
marching on to war, bearing the Cross of Jesus into
every land and among every people, so that through
faith in it those who are slaves of sin may become
children of God and willing and obedient subjects
of our great King. Yes, they are soldiers, soldiers
of the Cross, in more senses than one. They go into
the wilderness, live in rickety shacks, and subsist on
a meager dole of bread, all the time preaching Christ
the Savior. But where are to be found the com-
forts for this host of Christ’s soldiers, where the
rest-huts waiting to receive them after the long and
arduous march and the wearing, tearing, nerve-
shattering conflict? Where—yes, where? How
very few of us think of these soldiers of the Cross,
fighting battles for us! How cold are our petitions
offered in their behalf!

But the World War taught us a very-important

lesson. It taught us the wonderful power of co-
operation. We saw in those days of stress that if
billions were needed for the support of our armies
at home and abroad, patriotism, stirring the
country from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from
the Great Lakes to the Gulf, could promptly supply
the need. We saw how factory boys and girls, men
of high and low estate, refined ladies and working
women, all stepped forward as one, pledging their
loyalty, their means, and their support to their
country’s cause.

But how is it in this spiritual warfare which the-
Church, at Christ’s command, is fighting with the
powers of darkness? Where are the loyal citizens
of Christ waiting to lend their aid to bring victory
to the cause of Christ? Where are the Liberty
Loans enthusiastically being floated for the support
of our missionaries in China and India, among the
Negroes and Indians, at home and abroad? What
shall we tell the four hundred millions in China
and the three hundred millions in India, all of whom
are dependent upon our defense against their souls”
eternal ruination at the hands of the Prince of
Darkness and his hosts? . Are these souls not worth
the launching of a few loans in their behalf? Surely
it isn’t right that we send our missionaries out to-
the front to fight for us and, besides, hold them
responsible for the commissary and munition depart-
ments! Is it not a fact that it brings shame upon
the fair name of the Christian Church when so-
many of her scarred warriors are compelled to spend
their time in begging instead of accomplishing great
things on the battle-fields against Satan and his:
armies ?

It was not always thus in the Church. There
was a time when Christ did not have to be afraid
to ask His missionaries: “When I sent you without
scrip and shoes, did you want anything?” And
there was also a time when Paul, the great mis-
sionary, could write of the Macedonians that “their
deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their
liberality. For to their power ... . and beyond their
power they were willing of themselves, praying us
with much entreaty that we should receive the gift.
and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering
of the saints.” : v3) :

And later there was a time when Roman matrons .
took their jewelry from their arms and necks and
ears and made them to serve the spreading of
Christ’s Gospel; there was a time when the liber-
ality of Christians in Europe made possible the
building of chapels in foreign fields. Those were:
days when peasant and prince, king and subject,