The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 156

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

156

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

ee — —————  ——————————————————————————————

coming, also of the purpose for which he would visit
us, and the members were urged to aid the cause he
would espouse either with contributions of money
or— since ready money was very rare — with farm
products. Great was my surprise when, several
days later, Mr. H. rode into our churchyard carrying
on his saddle one of the high, square coal-oil cans
used for importing kerosene. Depositing this upon
the steps, he said, ‘Here, Pastor, is lard. I have no
money, but I, too, want to help.’ The can contained
about thirty-five pounds of lard and was worth from
six to eight dollars at that time and place. But why
be surprised at this donation? Let me tell you.
This man’s farm was heavily mortgaged, and the
house standing on it was a two-room shack. Two
of his six little children were blind, and parents as
well as children were always most poorly and
raggedly clothed. How badly that man needed the
money which the sale of the lard would have
brought him! I had eaten at his house and remem-
bered that one knife served us all. Plain corn bread
and molasses graced the table, which was made of
rude boards, resting upon poles driven into the
ground. Surely only the love of Christ constrained
him to take what he did from his own table and
family and give it to the Lord. He gave, not from
his excess, but from his wants and needs.”

What an inspiring example for others, especially
for such Christians as are poor in earthly posses-
sions! No one is so poor that he cannot give or
do something for the cause of God’s kingdom, or
Church. 1 you cannot give your thousands,

You can give the widow’s mite,
And the least you give for Jesus
Will be precious in His sight.

< Of course, the first requisite to become a cheerful
fiver for the cause of the Lord’s kingdom is true
faith in Christ Jesus, the Savior. Faith in Christ
impels a person to ask: “What can I do or give for
my Savior, who gave Himself for me, suffering and
dying upon the cross? Such faith will also make
a Christian find ways and means even though he is
in poor circumstances, to make some offering, ‘some
sacrifice, for the cause of the Lord’s Church. Nor
does a true believer need much urging; he will come
of his own accord; and he will consider it a glorious
privilege to sacrifice something for Him who sacri-
ficed Himself for us on the cross of Calvary.

Let us examine ourselves in the light of the
example recorded above. Let us prove ourselves
whether we be in the faith. True faith in Christ is
not a dead thing, but a living, active motive in the
heart. Jesus says: “He that abideth in Me and Tin

him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. ... Herein
is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit: so
shall ye be My disciples.” John 15, 5. 8.

P. L. KRETZMANN.

The Parish Deaconess.

According to latest statistics there are more
deaconesses engaged in parish work than in any
other field of service for the trained woman helper.
We are often asked this question: What are the,
duties of the parish deaconess? Over here in
the United States, where we have no state church,
the term parish deaconess is generally taken as
being synonymous with “congregational” deaconess.
According to Rom. 16,1, Phebe was officially en-
gaged by the congregation at Cenchrea to minister to
the poor and the sick of that congregation. St. Paul
writes concerning Phebe: “She hath been a succorer
of many, and of myself also”? The history of the
early Church informs us that the large congregation
at Constantinople, in 380, had forty deaconesses,
who, first of all, looked after the needs of the sick
and the poor in the congregation. ‘They received
no fixed salary. This, however, did not cause them
any inconvenience since their wants were supplied
by the wealthier members of the congregation.
Wherever opportunity presented itself, they would
relieve suffering and distress also among the un-
churched and at the same time speak to them of the
Gospel of Christ. Some of these deaconesses were
called upon to instruct children in the Christian
religion.

Now, what is expected of a parish deaconess to-
day? She is to be more than a pastor’s secretary.
If she is to minister to the sick among the poor in
the congregation, she must have had the training of
a nurse. Right here is a wonderful field of service,
particularly in the larger congregations. The early
Christians were known to give the best care and
attention to the sick and the poor in the congrega-
tions. Many things have undergone changes since
the days of the apostles. Yet certain conditions
obtain to-day which existed in the earliest days of
Christianity. Our blessed Savior has said: “Ye
have the poor always with you, but Me ye have not |
always.” And who would deny the fact that we
have the poor with us to-day? We have the
poor with us not only in the large congre-
gations of our cities, we have them with us also in
smaller rural churches. And if a poor church-
member is taken sick, what then? Can such a poor