The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1929, Page 82

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82

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

The Mission at Our Door.

The following impassioned plea for doing more
mission-work in our large cities is made by Pastor
F. C. Streufert in the columns of the Northern
Illinois Messenger. What he says of the need of
Chicago and the missionary opportunities it offers is
true in a greater or less degree of every large city in
our country.

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the
glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” O Lutheran
Zion, “the Gentiles are come to thy light and kings
to the brightness of thy rising.” Lutheran Zion,
“lift up thine eyes round about and see: All they
gather themselves together, they come to thee.”
They come to thee from the uttermost parts of the
world. The Gentiles in the far East and West as
well as they of the North and South shrouded in
spiritual darkness have been privileged to hear the
Gospel as it is laid down in the Scriptures and
promulgated by our dear Lutheran Church; the
Gospel set forth in all its richness, fulness, and
purity. They come and worship with thee the only
true God and Christ Jesus, His Son and our only
Savior. And all because you heeded the call of the
Master and sent your messengers of peace to far and
distant countries to lead them from darkness unto
light. Glorious work indeed.

But, Lutheran Zion, once more I call upon thee
to lift up thine eyes round about and see. “Get thee
up on a high mountain” and then gaze and ponder
upon your immediate surroundings. And as you
gaze and ponder, think of the past, meditate upon
the present, consider the future. A remarkable spec-
tacle opens up before your eyes. Look and see.
Before you lies the great city Chicago with its un-
told opportunities — industrial, educational, and
religious opportunities.

A little more than a hundred years ago the terri-
tory now covered by Chicago and its beautiful
suburbs and the adjoining fertile farm-lands were
largely the roaming-place of the Indians. But how
quickly was all this changed when the white settlers
came in! They came and tilled the soil; they came
to live in the villages. In leaps and bounds this city
of ours grew until now it numbers more than
8,000,000 inhabitants. We naturally ask, How did
this phenomenal growth, this remarkable expansion
come about? ‘The answer is that Chicago is the city
‘of opportunities. And it is a city of opportunities
use of its ideal location, in the very heart of the
“great and most fertile lands of the Mississippi

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Valley, reaching out to the East and West and
North and South, situated on the shores of beautiful
Lake Michigan, a link in the chain of Great Lakes
of this country. And being in the very heart of the
glorious United States, it could not but become the
largest railroad center of the world. The rapid
transportation, the excellent freight and express ser-
vice afforded by the railroads, naturally created an
outlet for factory and farm, and not only for
factory and farm of the immediate vicin-
ity, but also of the adjoining States, yea, of the
entire world. Friend, do you realize what this
means for Chicago and its industries, and what it
means to you and the Lutheran Church?

It means that here in this great city of yours
people gather from all parts of the globe. Here they
are gathered from every nation of the wide world.
Or is there any nation not represented? Men of
every nation, of every language, of every race and
color, are walking in our midst. And if you ask
what attracted them, what it is that brought them
here, we answer: the wonderful opportunities offered
them in industrial and educational lines, the oppor-
tunities afforded them in gaining a livelihood, ac-
quiring the treasures of this world, and at the same
time enjoying the pleasures and pastimes here
offered.

Friends, do you realize what this means that
vast throngs of every nation are assembled here, and
assembled here for one purpose only —to gain the
things the world offers, to satisfy the carnal desires
of their hearts and that they are intent on obtaining
these at any cost? It means that this city of oppor-
tunities offers the greatest opportunity to the Prince
of Darkness to pursue his hideous work of leading
men into the mire of sin and iniquity, on to eternal
damnation. Lifting up your eyes and gazing-upon
this beautiful city of ours, pondering upon its
remarkable growth, upon its wealth, upon its out-
standing advantages, its glorious opportunities, must
it not fill your heart with deepest gloom to perceive
the doleful workings of that Prince of Darkness,
who grasps every opportunity to lead men on to
greater wickedness? ‘Tell me, is there any com-
mandment of God’s holy will that is not transgressed
in the most vile manner? Who is it that fears
God? Go out into the streets, into the workshops
and offices, and you will hear the vilest of profanity
among men and women; instead of prayers you will
hear scoffing. The pews of many churches are empty,
many because that pure old Gospel is no longer, or
never was, preached from the pulpits; mere husks
being offered instead. A generation of disobedient