The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 110

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110

‘THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

like Tamil, — well, try it some time for yourself.
But there is always this redeeming feature — the
answers are written by boys and girls — however,
very few of them girls — on a subject of tremendous
interest alike to the teacher and to those who are
taught the Word of God. The classes at Vadakan-
gulam, East India, usually show a preponderance of
Hindus; I mean there are more non-Christians en-
rolled than Christians. (In a sense we may call all
people of India Hindus; but normally we dis-
tinguish between Hindus and Christians.) But
whether Hindu or Christian, they all receive re-
ligious instruction every day, and this instruction
is urged as the one big thing offered in the school.
Boys often come who want nothing but a secular
education, and we do not always succeed in interest-
ing them in the good news of Jesus and His atone-
ment; but not one of them leaves the school
ignorant of the Bible and its Gospel. And many
boys, quite indifferent or even hostile at the outset,
gradually warm up to the Word and by the opera-
tion of the Holy Spirit come to know and love Jesus
and to trust in His blood.

This fact is well illustrated, I think, by the ex-
cerpts I am giving below from the test papers sub-
mitted by two boys, Kandaswami and Gopala-
krishnan. We began Gospel-preaching in their
village, which is four miles from Vadakangulam,
about five years ago. They finished the three-grade
school there and then came on to Vadakangulam.
There are about twenty from that one village alone
who walk the distance back and forth daily. Kan-
daswami, aged about twelve, reads in Class Five;
Gopalakrishnan, aged fourteen, in Class Seven.

Now follow some answers by Kandaswami: —

Question 1: “Why do men, when they are in-
vited to the great feast of God’s mercy, offer so
many vain excuses ?”

Answer: Because they, not admitting their sins,:

do not repent and because they do not hear, learn,
and believe God’s Word.”

Qu. 2: “Why does the heavenly Father receive
repentant sinners?”

A.: “Because with Him there is mercy and be-
cause He waits, saying, ‘When will the sinner
repent?” ”

' Qu. 3: “Why was Dives lost and Lazarus saved?
How may we be saved ?”

A.: “The rich man was lost because he would
not heed, but despised, the Word of God; Lazarus
always studied and believed the Word. So we
should learn gladly and believe the Word of God;
_ then may we achieve salvation.”

.

Qu. 4: “Why was the Pharisee’s prayer unac-
ceptable, the publican’s prayer acceptable, to God?”

A.: “The Pharisee thought proudly: I have
done virtue; I have not done much evil; God is
pleased with me; I have kept the whole Law. The
publican humbled himself much; he prayed and be-
lieved that God would have mercy and forgive
his sins.”

Qu. 5: “How did Zacchaeus show in deed that
his repentance was real?”

A.: “Zacchaeus had received bribes from the
people; afterwards he restored them fourfold, about
Rs. 10 for Rs. 24%; therefore he showed that, hav-
ing confessed his sins, he truly repented.”

The answers written by Gopalakrishnan are still
more interesting, not chiefly because he is older and
more advanced, but principally because he uses his
own words, not the words of the book, in setting
down his beliefs : — :

Qu. 1: “Why should, according to the Bible, all
men receive Baptism? And why should even small
children be baptized ?”

A.: “By Baptism death and the devil’s power
are removed; besides, everlasting life comes to us;
therefore all men should be baptized. Because even
little ones are flesh, they must have rebirth. Even
children are able to believe.”

Qu. 2: “What is your reply if some one says,
‘There is no use in pouring water on a child’s
head’ ?”?

A.: “The water poured on the children’s heads.
is not empty water. Because it is a bathing by
water in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
and (therefore) the water of the Trinity, it is the:
life-water by which it is brought to life, —not
washing the child’s body, but the heart’s filth.
Therefore the child joins the heavenly kingdom.
How very useful it is!”

Qu. 3: “How may we kill the Old Adam
within us?”

A.: “Tf, subduing our evil ways, we repent, we-
may drive out the old man within us. Then, in
order that the New Man, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
may always remain in our heart, if we believe in.
Him, the old man will leave us and flee.”

Qu. 4: “What miracle greater than raising the
youth at Nain is Christ able to perform upon us?”

A.: “Jesus raised only the body of the young
man from Nain. He did not forgive his sins. But
with us, not raising our body, he raises our soul and!
performs this great miracle to let us enter heaven..