The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1929, Page 7

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER. 7

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of all secondary schools in North Carolina. To
obtain the rating of I-A, schools must, in addition
to mecting all the requirements Immanuel has met,
have a teaching force of six teachers and at least
130 pupils in average daily attendance.

One of the few well-kept rural church grounds
on the highway from Greensboro to Richmond is
that of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church (the Rev.
L. G. Dorpat, pastor) near Meherrin, Va., where the
ox-cart dwells together with the automobile. This
year three graduates of the day-school are at Im-
manuel.

During the Communion service on the evening
of November 11 Grace Lutheran Church in Greens-
boro, N. C., was partly destroyed by fire. The
frame building, erected in 1897, consisted of an
auditorium and two classrooms.

When the service began at 7.30 Pp. M., the writer
stepped into one of the schoolrooms to put on his
gown. At this time the air in the room was cold
and crisp and without a trace of smoke, though
the room was separated from the other classroom
where the fire started by a single partition of
ceiling board. Shortly before eight o’clock the
church began to fill with smoke, but assuming that
the smoke came from a defective stovepipe, no one
in the audience became alarmed. About half an
hour later, as the congregation was about to sing
the hymn following the sermon, a stranger walked
into the church and calmly said, “You-all’s church
is on fire? At once the members, rather few in
number, filed out and found the entire rear end
of the building to be a mass of flames. Two com-
panies of the city fire department arrived a few
minutes later and succeeded in putting out the fire
after the roof had been destroyed and the steeple,
from which the bell has since precautiously been
removed, badly charred.

As to the origin of the fire, the fire chief in his
official report wrote the word “unknown.”

Since already before the fire, arrangements had
been made to consolidate Grace with Luther Memo-
tial, the church will not be repaired, but steps are
being taken to sell the property. Until Luther
Memorial is built in the spring, the members will
worship in the college chapel. Wat. H. GEHRKE.

A True Story.

The walk near the river seemed the only cool
place; even though the sun had gone down two
hours ago in all its fiery glory,\ the earth still

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retained its furnacelike heat. Scantily clothed
Hindus squatted idly outside their huts, and the
dogs lay about panting hard, without energy enough
to snap at the flies buzzing around them.

The river looked so inviting, so cool and peace-
ful, as it wound its silver way to the sea. What
secrets, what strange sights, what sacrifices, what
worship, has this Ganges seen — flowers thrown in
profusion on its breast, sweets, money, and the
picturesque little floating lights to save lost souls.
And yet, unlike us human beings, it continued its
course as ever before!

A terrific splash, two distinct shouts of “At
Ganga, ai Ganga!” and in a twinkling the river
bank was crowded with an ever-increasing, curious
throng. From higher up the river we had a com-
plete view. Clear to the water’s edge rushed a white
man. “The medical missionary sahib,” said the
Hindus. In one swift motion he flung -coat and
hat from him, and for a single second, with closed
eyes and quivering lips, raised a wordless prayéf to
heaven, then dived straight into the swishing waiér.

The mighty struggle will be graven on
hearts, for the two who were drowning stru;
from being saved, but with God the Father 5h
the rescuer at length brought up on dry land
shivering, gasping forms, who at length looke
the old pundit and his wife. As soon as théqyl

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man could speak, he wildly expostulated and
to rush back to his watery grave, dragging his
ing wife with him, but the staying hand o
rescuer prevented him.

A police inspector dispersed the crowd, an

missionary took the old man and his wife a
“Why, old father, did you commit this sijqo
taking two lives?” “Sin?” answered the old

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Gon

“Nay; but for your meddling hand, double
would have descended on my head.” “
“My daughter is lying at death’s door. i
pointing to his wife, “and I, by giving up our TiVes
to Ganga, will assuredly save our daughter’s life,
and when we die, will we not at once be reborn?
But now, because of your act, our daughter will

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die, and our souls will be but mud. Ugh!” and —

he spat contemptuously.

“See, old father, I will bring my wife to see
your daughter. She shall not die, and your souls
Will be saved.” He, sure in the knowledge of God,
spoke so convincingly that the old man and his
wife were somewhat impressed.

Taking his wife with him, the medical mis- —

sionary went with the old couple to their home

under the big peepul-tree. Much, so much, de-

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