The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1929, Sheet 37

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

After rendering this decision, the principal took
Barnabas into his office, lent him the required half-
rupee and said: “I hope you will know what to say,
Barnabas, when you hand the boy this money.”
Barnabas nodded his head. Now the Hindu boy was
called in. The opponents faced each other for
a moment in silence. Then Barnabas said: “Brother,
I hope you will forgive me for having spoiled your
shirt; please take this money and buy yourself
a new one.” The poor heathen boy was speechless.
This request for forgiveness was beyond his com-
prehension. It was a petition that came to him from
another world. The sincere words of his Christian
fellow -pupil overpowered him. “No, brother, it is
I that should ask you to forgive me; for I began to
disfigure you with the crayon. Under no circum-
stances will I accept the money.” Then'they shook
hands and left the principal’s office as friends.

“Jesus Christ Is True God.”

The missionary enters the heathen village school.
All the children respectfully arise, for he is regarded
as being a kind of school superintendent. After
a few preliminary qustions the missionary comes to
the subject of religion. He asks the children: “Have
you ever heard of Jesus Christ?” “O yes,” comes
the joyous and ready response from the lips of ‘not
a few of the pupils. “Whois He?” “Jesus Christ
is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity.”
The missionary is astounded at the answer, and his
astonishment does not vanish until he learns that
the village school teacher, though not a professing
Christian, is the proud possessor of Luther’s Small
Catechism and that he takes the opportunity to tell
the children Bible stories after the regular school-
hours, if they choose to stay and listen.

“Our Father, Who Art in Heaven.”
A missionary had spent the day preaching in
a certain city upon the occasion of a great heathen
holiday. And now the night had come. Man and
beast had gone to rest. The missionary decided to

_take one more walk along the long line of tents. He '

thought of the many thousands of poor heathen who
had heard him preach that day, he thought of the
wearisome task which was his, and his heart grew
sad and heavy. Suddenly he heard a child’s voice
in one of the tents. He stopped to listen. Oh,
blessed sound! Oh, blessed words! “At hamare
bap, jo asman par hat.’ “Our Father, who art in
heaven.” The Lord’s Prayer from the lips of a child!
His work has not been in vain! The missionary
gratefully folded his hands and with deep emotion
_ prayed: “Father, I thank Thee for the words of this

35

child! If the children in this heathen country are
beginning to pray to Thee in the name of Thy Son,
we may hopefully look forward into the future;
then we may rest assured that here also children
innumerable like the stars of heaven will be born
unto Thee through the Gospel preached to them.”
F. J. L.

A Retrospective Look over a Period
of Thirty Years.

By the grace of God we have been permitted to

\see the ushering in of the year of 1929. In view of

this fact there is reason enough for every Christian
to take a retrospective look. But for us the ushering

Original St. Paul’s Chapel at Lutherville, La.

in of 1929 suggests another important thought. For
this year links our memory so intimately with the
year of 1899, The event which binds our memories
into an unbroken chain for a period of thirty years
is the organization and dedication of our church to
the service of God. The regular preaching of God’s
Word and the unhindered teaching of Luther’s
Small Catechism in their truth and purity for
thirty years among us far surpass and overshadow
‘any other event which may have occured within this
period. Therefore, with Samuel of old we shall set
up our Ebenezer and on Pentecost Sunday celebrate
the thirtieth anniversary of our church; for we, too,
must say : “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” How
much more vivid the recollection of the past would
be if the services of the founder or of one of the
pastors of former days could be secured to preach