The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 19

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER 19

brought to those patients who are confined to their
beds. The Government Hospital at Sunmount has
the same convenience. Needless to say, our mis-
sionary makes many bedside visits and thus tries to
make the message of salvation as personal as pos-
sible. He has thus made thousands of personal
contacts.

In Saranac Lake he has established a Bible
class. A nurse who had come to be cured and was
cured, suggested the organizing of such a class to
Missionary Sieker. He reports that he derives much
pleasure from teaching this group of people, among
whom are even Christian Scientists.

The missionary speaks very enthusiastically of
the fine reception he has everywhere received from
the officials of the public hospitals and
sanitaria and from the doctors con-
ducting the private nursing homes.
Almost without exception the patients
give him a joyous welcome. They
gratefully recognize the comfort, en-
couragement, and instruction he brings
them. Some of them have already
been instructed and confirmed and,
after leaving the Adirondacks for
their homes, have identified them-
selves with the churches of their home
towns. Only one patient, we are in-
formed, has so far refused the minis-
trations of Pastor Sieker.

Our whole Church should feel
gratified to hear of the fine work that
is being done by our representative
among the consumptives in the
Adirondacks. No one can deny that
it is a most necessary work, and no one dare deny,
after reading the above, that it is a most promis-
ing work which is being done in Saranac Lake and
vicinity. A fact that must not be lost sight of in
connection with this missionary venture is that most
of these tubercular patients are young people, who
may look forward to many years of life after their
cure has been effected. ‘These young people, if
gained for Christ, will then in many cases be active
workers for Christ, pursuing the course which Jesus
mapped out for the healed man of the Gergesenes
when He told him, “Return to thine own house and
show how great things God hath done unto thee.”

We are sure that our readers will be pleased to
hear that our Church is leading all others in this
fine personal mission-work among the consumptives
of the Adirondacks upon which God is so visibly
showering His blessings.

One more thing we must mention concerning
this mission. It is concerning the cost. It costs the
Atlantic District $10 a day to carry on this work.
The daily expense includes the missionary’s salary,
rent, automobile up-keep, and other incidental ex-
penses, probably also the purchase of tracts, Testa-
ments, and Bible parts. We have been informed
that some good Christians are individually taking
upon themselves the maintenance of the mission for
a day or a number of days and that in some cases
such maintenance is undertaken in memory of some
loved one who has departed this life. Surely the

latter is a beautiful way of creating a memorial of
hallowed remembrance for such a loved one.
About two months ago we received a letter from

Keeping His Scrap-Book up to Date.

Pastor G. Albert Schulze of Albany, New York, in
which occurs the following passage referring to
Pastor Sieker’s work among the consumptives that
are seeking a cure in the Adirondacks : —

‘Last summer I spent part of my vacation in
the Adirondacks. On Sunday morning, of course,
I felt the urge to go to church. Pastor Sieker being
the nearest Lutheran pastor, I drove about seventy
miles to Saranac Lake. Upon my arrival at the
missionary’s home I was very much disappointed
to learn that on account of the fact that no place
was available for public worship that morning there
would be no regular service. But we had a most im-
pressive and inspiring service in private.

“About the time when our Christians are wont ©

to assemble in their places of worship for their
Sunday morning services, we drove to Raybrook
Sanitarium to call for a young lady, a patient at