The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1929, Page 165

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

165

bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” No
hymn-books, excepting a few “Gospel-hymnals” in
the hands of the choir. All others were silent. They
did not know the hymns, nor did they have books.
The attention in both Sunday-school and services
while I spoke was very gratifying. Expressions of
having been pleased with the sermon were numer-
ous. You will understand this remark. I am trying
to give you an idea of facts and reactions of people,
not to tell you about the “greatness” of my sermon.
Old “Brother” Collins told me in the afternoon that
he was sick and tired of this shouting and jumping
religion. He furthermore said he now had some-
thing to think about for the week, having silently
and quietly listened to a sermon. Others expressed
themselves in a similar manner.

Meeting Sunday Afternoon.

In the afternoon meeting I took a rear seat next
to Collins. One Jerome E. F. of Iowa lectured on
Africa. He is a man of about thirty-five years;
I referred to him already above. The man is to be
pitied. He came to this country when twelve years
of age and with the help of some kind woman was
enabled to enter the Southern Christian College. He
also went to Drake University, obtaining an A. B.
and L. L. B. It looks to me that that is all he got,
for his religion is worthless. He is going back to
Liberia in November with a “vision of service” to
help his people. That phrase occurred again and
again in his talk. I made up my mind to talk
to that man.

I had occasion to speak to him after his lecture
and told him about our intentions of getting into
Africa, the move that started among our colored
Lutherans, the offerings we are trying to get for this
purpose, and what has already been done in this
respect. Finally I got to the main point. I asked
“him about his understanding of Christianity and the
way to life. Here are his words as well as I can
remember them: Christianity is service, doing what
Christ taught, spending one’s life in carrying out
His commandments. I drew him out, but got no
satisfactory word from him concerning Jesus, the
Savior. He told me that in his opinion to get to
heaven one must have behind him a life of service.
That explained to me his continual use of the word
“vision of service.” Here, then, was 2 man who had
spent years in this country in preparation for the
work of the Church in Africa. Sixteen years he had
spent in this country, and now he was ready to return
with nothing but an A. B. and L. L. B. and a “vision

of service.” It may interest you to know that I told
him of an experience I had while on my vacation in
Chicago this summer.

How a Poor Sinner was Saved.

In a home next to where my sisters live a young
man lay dying. He had served in the Army, had
been gassed and returned to the Veterans’ Hospital
of Uncle Sam at some point in this country. He
was discharged from the hospital as cured and was
warned to avoid dissipation. He did not heed the
warning, but gave himself up to dissipation and
other sins. The doctor told him it was only a mat-
ter of days. Here, then, was a young man without
a “vision of service,” without having spent his life
in the service of Christ, rather a poor sinner, with
nothing good to boast of. I asked, “What about
that man?” F. said, “I’d tell him to change his
heart, to give his life to Christ from now on and
serve Him.” When I reminded him that the young
fellow’s life was already spent in the service of the
devil, I’. said, “I guess there’s not much hope for
such a one.” Finally it seemed to dawn on him
what I was aiming at, and he said, “Yes, that’s
right; the Bible does speak of the dying thief, —
that is one case where a man was saved without hav-
ing served.” I spent a good fifteen minutes in show-
ing him how Jesus saved harlots, publicans, sinners
of the grossest, meanest kind, and that He saved
them purely and alone by grace, through His blood.
He saw the point, and then I asked him, “Now, are
there two ways to heaven?” He agreed there was
only one and said it must be through the blood of |
Jesus. Whether he really accepted and believed
what I told him, I do not know; but he said he had
never looked at it “just that way.” I also informed
him of the happy hours spent with that young man
in Chicago, how he finally rejoiced in Jesus, the
Savior of sinners, and how, after I had left Chicago,
he was given a Christian burial by Rev. N. N. Late
that night when I bade him good-by (he left Mon-
day morning, and so did I; I left before him),
I urged upon him to tell his people in Africa the
story of God’s love in sending Jesus, His only-
begotten Son, into the world to save sinners.

Lecture on the Lutheran Church.

Sunday evening at seven o’clock, upon the sug-
gestion of Mr. Jones, I lectured to the students and
to about fifty visitors about the Lutheran Church.
I did not expect such a wonderful opportunity so
early to do what I was longing to do. It was really
not a service, rather an informal lecture. I told one