The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Sheet 158

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

Synod, “Nothing doing.” You don’t like the sound
of this phrase. Can you deny that Synod’s action
amounted to just this? It is high time to advance
again on all fronts. The gates of hell are assailing
the Church everywhere. Hundreds of young men
well trained are eager to enter the Master’s service,
_ but are told to stay at home. Why? No money.
What a pity and what a shame! Let your penitent
hearts dwell on this, you lukewarm members of our
Church.- It was the niggardly support of his coun-
trymen which made Washington’s bitter, special
efforts necessary. It is the disinterested member,
congregation, and pastor whom we have to “thank”
for our sad plight. But “boast not against the
branches.” Our righteousnesses of giving, too, are
like filthy rags. Let us learn to give more regularly,
more liberally, both individual members and entire
congregations. If the member does this, his church,
in turn, can and should give regularly to Synod.
The time ought to come soon when remittances to
Synod are made as regularly as the pastor’s salary
is paid. Some congregations, including that of the
writer, have the rule that Synod is paid as regularly
as employees of a firm. Every missionary is our
employee, too, and the laborer is worthy of his hire.

Time to Die?

“My men never retire. They go forward, or
they die.’ So spoke Colonel William Hayward of
his heroic colored lads of the 369th Infantry. Such
heroes our pastors and missionaries should be. Give
up a field and join the ranks of the unemployed?
Nay! Withdraw not your hand from the plow.

Advance! Spare not! Nor look behind;
Plow deep and straight with all your powers.

Are your people poor? Eat and drink what they
have, however meager the fare; die rather than for-
sake them. Such should be the spirit of our mis-
sionaries. But, on the other hand, the pastors of
our larger congregations should be willing to fare
even as the missionaries fare and should see to it
that remittances for their salaries are made as regu-
larly as he draws his own.

Lakewood, O.. Kart H. Exters.

Bethlehem Station’s Annual Visitor
Returns.

Well, what a pleasant surprise! Our interested
friend has come to visit us again. Let me see. It
was in February of last year when you paid us your
first visit. I remember because you said that,

- vice ?

though you were from the North, you found our
Southern cold more penetrating than that of the
North. You say you cannot stay so long with us
this time? Only one day? That is too bad! Last
year you remained a week. We are very fortunate
to have you to-day. No, we are not celebrating our
fiftieth anniversary. We have some six or seven
years yet to go before that event. To-night we are
rededicating our church and school. You would
like to look our renovated buildings over before ser-
Good. Let’s start now. Darkness comes on
very rapidly. ‘To the school first.

Now, where is that key? Sorry to say, I for-
got it. Pardon me. T’ll run home and get it. No,
not far. Just around the corner.— Here we are.

All the rooms have been renovated and repaired
just like this one. Yes, they are beautiful. You
say you like the color scheme? The walls are light-
green, the wainscots light-brown, and the desks a
darker brown. No, that is not a solid wall between
these two rooms. Those panels can be removed. If
that is done, we have a large auditorium in which
to hold our annual school entertainments. Yes,
those electric fixtures are also new. You say it
doesn’t seem as though it were the same building?
You’re quite right. Everything has been repaired
and painted.

Now for the chapel. I thought you’d notice the
change in the altar the very first thing. The old
pulpit and altar always struck me as a funny thing
—all in one piece. When I was younger, it always
appeared to me as something that started coming
into the chapel from the vestry and then went back
out again. You say the altar is beautiful now?
Yes, a real altar. And look at the appropriate little
pulpit just to the side of it. Indeed, the color
scheme of the church is just as attractive as that
of the school — the walls a yellow tint, the altar and
pulpit a rich, creamy white. Notice the light yellow
of the ceiling and that dark brown of the floor. Be
careful. Don’t slip and fall down. Mr. Irwin Ware
waxed the floor after it had been painted. He did
the work gratis. The baptismal font? Truly, a
thing of beauty, isn’t it? No, it was not made in
a factory. It was made and given to the congre-
gation by Mr. Claude Evans, a member of our con-
gregation in Alexandria.

“Did the congregation pay for the repairing and
renovating? No; unfortunately our congregation
was unable to raise the money necessary to do the
work. As usual, our good Christian friends from
up your way gave us the necessary funds through
our beloved Mission Board. Of course, you didn’t