The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 31

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

31

to leave these ladies do what is necessary.” When
the room was cleared, two American women knelt
with tears beside the rough coffin of this lonely
Swedish apostle. Interment took place in Constan-
tinople on January 21, 1927.

Anders proved that the door to the cities of
Turkey is open to suitable bearers of the good
tidings. —

How the burning zeal of this simple Swedish
peasant to spread the glad tidings of the redemption
in Christ Jesus puts us to shame, who are so often
unwilling to give our pennies or take a few steps
to help bring salvation to the souls of our fellow-
men! If only a spark of the fire that burned in
Anders Ohlsson’s heart were in the hearts of all
of Christ’s nominal disciples! F. J. L.

Making Use of Our Opportunities.

More and more the spiritual need of the un-
churched living among our church-members is be-
ginning to appeal to them and their pastors. There
is no denying the fact that our Christians are grow-
ing in “Home Mission-mindedness.” In this fact
we should rejoice. We were led to make these re-
marks by what we read in a recent number of the
North Wisconsin District Messenger: —

In North Wisconsin there is a small village bear-
ing the name of Sheldon, and in Sheldon we have
a young pastor named Marten. Not so very long
ago this pastor gathered and confirmed several
classes of adults. A few months ago he baptized
fifteen children, ranging from five weeks to fifteen
years in age, as a result of intensive mission-work;
for the parents of most of these children are not
members of his church. Excepting the infants in
arms, Pastor Marten had first gathered the children
into his Sunday-school, and through the Sunday-
school they had been won for Baptism. At the time
of this writing this zealous home missionary is again
instructing two classes of adults, with fourteen per-
sons enrolled. Though Pastor Marten’s communi-
cant membership numbers only about fifty, he has.an
average attendance of a hundred hearers at his
services. This fact shows that almost half of his
hearers are non-members of his church; and this
again bears witness to the work that is being done
among the unchurched of that community.

This young pastor is giving a practical lesson of
what should be done in every community. Every

-one of our congregations, its pastor and its indi-

vidual members, should be ““Home Mission-minded”
and be filled with the desire to bring in those who
are without. If we are what we ought to be, we
shall be witnesses of Christ and His salvation in our
home communities. The unchurched people living
in our communities are so many poor people lying
at our doors, and the spiritual need in which they
are should make the strongest appeal to us to urge
them to come into church and become partakers of
Christ’s glorious salvation. Our earnest efforts to
bring souls to Jesus should begin in our homes, and
then these saving activities should extend to the
community in which we live and from our com-
munities go out farther and farther till they have
gone to “the uttermost part of the earth.’ There
are “acres of diamonds” in our back yards, as it
were, if we will but go and get them. There are
precious redeemed souls at our very doors whom
Jesus would have us bring to the knowledge of their
Redeemer. The real Call of the Hour is that every
pastor and every member, no matter where he lives,
in the East or in the West, in the North or in the
South, in the city or in the open country, bear
witness of Christ. The real Call of the Hour is that
each one of us go into the “streets and lanes” of the
cities and into the “highways and hedges” of the
country and by gentle, earnest persuasion “compel”
those he finds to come to the Great Supper of sal-
vation which God has prepared for all sinners
through the work of redemption of His Son. As we
think of our happiness in Jesus, as we think that
in Him we have forgiveness of sins, life, and sal-
vation, should not a holy urge take possession of
us that would not let us rest until we have made
the most of our opportunities? God grant it!
F. J. L.

BOOK TABLE.

(By the Evrror.)

Missouri Synod’s Synodical Reports, 1931. No. 13.
Southern Illinois District. Doctrinal papers: Das
hohepriesterliche Amt Christi. “The Prophetic Office
of Christ.” 84 pages. Concordia Publishing House,
St. Louis, Mo. Price, 40 cts.

- Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther.

Third Edition. By Prof. Geo. Mezger, D.D. Concor-
dia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. Blue cloth
binding; 192 pages. Price, 50 cts.

This third edition brings the Doctor’s original exposi-
tion of Catechism truths, though here and there a few
changes were made. A welcome addition is the text of
the Small Catechism. The “Christian Questions and An-
swers” and the “General Confession” have also been added.
In the preface Pastor Wm. Luke gives some vi useful -
suggestions on the use of the book, which will prove wel-
come to many. Pastors should find this book very useful
in instructing adult classes. May God continue to bless
the use of this fine book!