The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1933, Page 117

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER 117

The essayist treated his subject under three sub-
headings: “1. The Jews’ Accusation of Stephen;
2. Stephen’s Defense; 3. The Stoning of Stephen.”

The second paper was by Superintendent
Kramer on “The Christian Home.” The essayist
principally pointed out the value of the Christian
home to both Church and State. “The Christian
home,” he said, “lays the foundation upon which
the pillars of the Church rest.”

The opening of the Question Box, an annual
feature of the conference, revealed a number of in-
teresting questions, upon which the brethren were
to knit their brows before answering them on Fri-
day night. Here follow three typical questions:
“Ts Card-playing Sinful? Why?” “Dancing —
What Is Wrong about It?” “May a Spouse who
has been Wilfully Deserted Remarry according to
Scripture ?”

Among the matters discussed at some length in

-the business sessions was that of the General Con-

ference — the pros and cons of the benefits hereto-
fore derived from it. The General Conference,
which was to have convened at New Orleans during
this summer, had been indefinitely postponed be-
cause of the prevailing economic situation. Luther
Conference resolved to take no action upon the
matter at this time.

The officers elected for the ensuing two years
are as follows: President, Teacher Aaron Wiley;
Vice-President, Pastor Luther Robinson; Secretary,
Miss Alice Robinson; Treasurer, Teacher A. V.
Berger.

The grand finale of this year’s conference, as in
those of the past, occurred on Sunday night.
Mount Zion, the largest of our local churches, was
comfortably filled. The sermon was delivered by
Pastor Paul Scherf of Concordia, New Orleans.
Choosing Luke 13, 22—27 as text, he besought his

large audience to heed the following: 1. There is’

only one strait gate. 2. Only those will be saved
who strive to enter in. 3. Even of those who seek
entrance many will not do so.

After the last half-day session, Teacher W. B.
Seeberry, on behalf of the conference, expressed
hearty thanks and appreciation to the members of
Mount Zion Congregation for the toothsome meals
provided them during all the sessions. May our
bountiful Savior amply reward Mount Zion, our
generous and hospitable host!

At the close of the service on Sunday night
Pastor Luther Robinson, of Trinity, New Orleans,

* voiced the gratitude of the conference to all who

had participated in the meetings and contributed
towards the success of its sessions.

Bethlehem Choir, a very active organization of
Bethlehem Congregation, rendered anthems at all
the open sessions and services. They were the happy
recipients of many favorable comments, particularly
upon their a-cappella singing. Bethlehem Choir is
under the direction of the writer.

Thus, dear reader, you see that in spite of the
economic crisis through which we, with the rest of
our people, are now passing, we are still pressing
onward, looking ahead and, above all, upward. We
are confident that our great and all-wise God is still
with us, guiding, helping, and strengthening us, and
that He who has sent this depression upon His
people will in due time lift it again.

Luther Conference closed its sessions in the
spirit of the word of the Lord to Moses — “For-
ward !” Aaron WILEY.

Jewish Missions.

Missions to the Jews date from the angelical an-
nouncement to the Jewish shepherds: “Behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall
be to all people. For unto you is born this day,
in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the
Lord,” Luke 2,10.11. The four gospels are records
of the evangelization of the “lost sheep of the house
of Israel” by our Lord and His apostles. All the
dramatis personae, with a few exceptions, were

. Jews.

-The early Christian Church was thus exclusively
a Hebrew Christian Church; its preachers, teachers,
converts, and martyrs belonged to the Hebrew race.
It had been built upon Jewish apostles and Jewish
prophets (the New Testament order of teachers,
Acts13,1; 15,32), Jesus Christ Himself, of the
seed of Abraham, being the chief Corner-stone, Eph.
2,20. When the clouds gathered and persecution
drove its members far and wide, the last part of
our Lord’s program of missions, “and unto the
uttermost part of the earth,” Acts 1,8, began to be
carried out, and Israel commenced to “fill the face
of the world with fruit,” Is. 27,6. We say “began”
because the work is still going on. When the
mission-field thus providently became coextensive
with the world, the Jews were not neglected.

Paul, chosen by the Lord to bear His name “he-
fore the Gentiles and kings and the children of
Israel,” Acts 9,15, made it his practise to preach
“to the Jew first” wherever he went. We find him