The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 131

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER 131
ing the subject, Professor Scherf showed that the the regular or the irregular attendants?” It is

heart of the discussion was found in the following
two exhortations: 1. Adhere to the Church of the
pure Word of God; 2. avoid all false churches.

Pastor G. M. Kramer and His Last
Confirmaton Class.

In the Friday morning session Professor Scherf’s
paper on “The Image of God” engaged our atten-
tion. ‘The afternoon session of this day was de-
voted largely to the discussion of plans for the
entertainment of the General Conference to be
held here in June, 1933. The General Conference
Entertainment Committee, consisting of Chairman
Luecke, Teacher W. B. Seeberry, and the writer,
submitted its plans. These plans, providing to the
minutest detail for the entertainment of our fellow-
workers in the vineyard of the Lord, were adopted
in detail and as a whole by the conference.

According to present plans the General Con-
ference will begin on the second Wednesday after
the closing of our schools, the second Wednesday
after the second Friday in June, 1933. Further
information will be given from time to time in
our periodicals.

After the disposal of this matter concerning
General Conference, Miss Craig’s paper was re-
sumed.

In the second open meeting, Friday evening,
Professor Scherf conducted an open forum. This
feature of Luther Conference is usually highly in-
teresting and instructive. Questions previously
submitted and bearing solely on Scripture and
religion are studied and answered by the brethren.
As examples of the contents of the question box
note these questions: “Will an unbaptized child be
saved?” “If I cannot persuade my wife to join
the Lutheran Church, am I a participant in her
sin of worshiping in a false church?” “Which
members are in greater need of pastoral visitations,

apparent from such questions that many matters
may perplex the minds and trouble the hearts of
our members, matters of which the pastor may have
no inkling at all.

The last closed session was held on Saturday
morning. Professor Scherl’s paper was completed.
Though it contained heavy doctrinal matter, the
discussion was very lively, at times even tense.

Miss Craig’s paper was also completed in this
session. This paper, a truly excellent and timely
one, was treated under three heads: “1. The edu-
cational status of our schools in the community.
2. The great difficulties under which we labor in
dispensing Lutheran education. 3. Factors which
may play an important part in keeping our children
interested in our schools.” The key-note of Miss
Craig’s paper, as the writer understood it, was this:
If we persist in being educational mossbacks, using
antiquated and discarded methods of instruction,
take no notice of the great strides in public edu-
cation around us, and do nothing to counteract the
effects when we do observe them, we shall sooner
or later find ourselves in the situation of Rip Van
Winkle. We shall wake up, looking for the king
of England, while those around us will be hailing
the President of the United States.

The closing service took place on Sunday
evening. The sermon was delivered by Professor
Scherf. In a forceful address the speaker exhorted
the large gathering on the basis of Ps. 127, 1.

With this service Luther
Conference was brought to a
close. We shall meet again,
God willing, with our breth-
ren of other fields, here in
New Orleans, June, 1933.

However, kind reader, this
report would be woefully in-
complete were we not to men-
tion the kindly, loving service
of Bethlehem Ladies’ Aid and
of the Bethlehem Choir. In
spite of the depression, which has for so long
gripped the people of our entire country, these two
organizations provided us with delicious, satisfying
meals at each day’s session, the ladies’ aid entertain-
ing one day, and the Bethlehem Choir the next.
May our Lord Jesus, in the interest of whose glo-
rious kingdom the conference was convened, reward
their labor of love!

In addition to the service of the choir at the

Teacher Aaron Wiley,
Bethlehem, New Orleans.