The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 63

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER 63

Central Africa. — The Unevangelized Fields -

Mission has found an unoccupied field in Central
Africa. It has already started with medical work
and has had gratifying results. The people are
hungry for the Word of God and are continually
asking for more instruction. Boyulu is the name
of the new station’s location.

A Centennial.— Some months ago the Malagasy
Church celebrated its centennial. Among the first
twenty Christians of Madagascar was the martyr
Rasalama. Martyr Memorial Church at Ambatona-
kanga, a fine structure, now occupies the site of the
first church, which became a prison during the long
persecution. At the time of the centennial the box
in which Rasalama kept her Bible, the first Com-
munion vessels, and copies of the first printed Mala-
gasy Scriptures were shown. Hundreds of Chris-
tian churches are now found in Madagascar where
hundreds of thousands worship.

Contributions for Protestant Foreign Missions.
The financial statistics for 1929 are now complete.
They show that in that year America contributed
$28,525,939, more than half of the _ total of
$50,693,710.

Roman Catholic Foreign Missions. — The For-
eign Missions force of the Roman Catholic Church
number 163,615 workers, namely, 46,174 priests,
“brothers,” and “sisters” and 117,441 lay assistants,
including catechists, teachers, doctors, and nurses.
The vast work of this Church includes 45,826
churches and chapels; 309 seminaries with 9,971
students; 31,418 schools with 1,521,710 pupils;
691 hospitals with 283,503 patients a year; 1,848
dispensaries with 11,066,749 patients a year; 1,525
orphanages with $1,240 orphans; 299 homes for the
aged with 11,332 inmates; 81 leper asylums with
14,060 lepers; 134 other benevolent institutions
with 9,966 inmates.

Sharing with Others.

The following item appeared in the Ohio Peni-
tentiary News: —

“We read a little story not long ago: A ragged
newsboy hopped on a street-car and sat down along-
side an old gentleman. The old gentleman engaged
the small chap in conversation, and it came out that
he was an orphan and that he had a younger brother

at home. Timmy was a cripple and could not earn ~

much, so he really had Timmy to support as well as
himself.
“That makes it hard, remarked the old gentle-

man. ‘You would be better off if you didn’t have
him to look after’

“No such thing! answered the boy in high in-
dignation. ‘Timmy is lots of help. Why, he. is
some one to go home to. What’s the use of making
money or getting things if you haven’t some one
to share them with?

“<And that, remarked the old gentleman as the
newsboy hopped off the car and went blithely whis-
tling into the darkness, ‘is better than a great many
sermons that I have listened to.’

“He who has no one to share with, no one to
care for, is the most miserable of all. He is deserv-
ing the heartfelt pity of every one. For he is miss-
ing the very greatest thing in life.

“Some one to love, some one to share with —
without this life is bleak indeed.”

Sharing with others! What a joy it brings to
the human heart! That is how the shepherds felt,
for which reason they told others what they had
heard and ‘seen concerning the new-born Savior.
That is the way Andrew felt, wherefore he went and
told his brother Simon that he had found the Mes-
siah, and no sooner had Philip found his Savior
than he must needs go and tell his friend Nathanael.
The woman of Samaria cannot keep her discovery to
herself, but must hasten into Sychar and proclaim
the fact that she has found the Promised One. So
Magdalene must tell the other disciples that she has
seen the Lord, and the other holy women must like-
wise share their happiness with the other followers
of Jesus. The apostles on Pentecost Day cannot
keep the glad tidings for themselves, but must go
out upon the crowded streets of Jerusalem and tell
the multitudes of their joy and its source.

Should it not be our delight to follow in the
footsteps of these men and women who believed in
Jesus as their Savior? As their first thought after
experiencing the sweet possession of Jesus was to
bring this same blessedness to others, so we, too,
should find the irresistible urge in us to share our
Savior and His salvation with our fellow-men. God
grant that we find it so! F. J. L.

BOOK TABLE.

(By the Eprror.)

Concordia Collection of Sacred Choruses and An-
thems for More Ambitious Choral Organiza-
tions. No. 22. In Lowly Manger. For mixed chorus.
No. 23. At the Cross. For mixed chorus. By Jfat-
thew N. Lundquist. Concordia Publishing House,
St. Louis, Mo. Price, each, 15 cts.

‘Two new numbers in this well-known and well-selected
series. Both numbers are intended for a-cappella singing;
but for purposes of rehearsal instrumental accompani-
ments are given.