# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 10 01_S22
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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schools, with more than 1000 children, and a seminary for the training of native teachers and preachers with about 70 pupils (from which already 3 well-trained and pious men have been set apart by holy ordination for the office of preaching). But the labor among the heathen, which goes forward chiefly through the hand, as skillful as it is blessed, of our worthy Mylius, advances so freshly and joyfully that in the last 9 months alone 258 Hindus have received holy Baptism, and still one harvest follows upon another, and one harvest-jubilee of the reapers upon another. Therefore we rejoice also, as in the time of harvest. But you, dear brethren, rejoice with us, and forget for a moment that the church at home resembles a weeping Rachel. But if you cannot do that, then at least take this comfort from it, that it is a small thing to the LORD of the Church to build His Church where He will. — Our connections extend far beyond the Lutheran churches of Germany, to Russia, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, North America, yes, since a short time even to Holland and England. And even if in most Lutheran churches only a small handful as yet prays, speaks and gives for us, we rejoice if but One heart glows for it, One hand opens, One foot stirs, One mouth is opened. But that is not all. East Indian British Christians presented us some years ago with the station Mayaveram, with all appurtenances of lands and buildings. Soon after, the late King of Denmark transferred to us the entire Halle-Danish mission in the Tranquebar territory, with all appurtenances of lands and buildings and the enjoyment of the interest of the legacies destined for the East Indian mission. In the course of this year, however, the North American missionaries in South India, because they lack the strength, placed their mission at Puducottah, flourishing, as they themselves say, with 5—6 little congregations, together with all appurtenances of lands and buildings, into the hands of our Tranquebar missionaries. And the congregation at Vepery (Madras), gathered by our fathers, with 5—600 souls, has begged most urgently for readmission into the Tranquebar mother church."

That is a brief survey of our East Indian mission, the blessed inheritance from the blessed Ziegenbalk. But while I write this here, it will already look different there, new crowds and perhaps new congregations will have been added. For the voice of heathen under instruction, who are being prepared for holy Baptism, has in more than a year never been wholly silent, and there were not merely a few, but when often 10, 20, yes up to 50 were baptized on a Sunday, there still remained for the next time as many or even more. From afar they come in families and ask for instruction and admission into the Christian Church. And the newly baptized burn with zeal first to bring their friends and kinsmen also to the blessedness which is in Christ Jesus. Thus one man has brought 50 of his kinsmen, another 18, and so forth.

And now, my dear reader, does not your heart leap for joy over these great deeds of God, which He does to His Church and to the poor heathen? Does it not impel you to praise God for it, and also to vow to Him, for your part, first to give yourself wholly to the LORD, and then also gladly to lend to Him, for the spreading of His kingdom, what God has entrusted to you of earthly goods? Surely, He will give it back to you a thousandfold in this and in that life.

Indeed He could accomplish His work without your gold and money and that of all men, but it is just His holy will, His gracious condescension, that His children shall take part in the great works of His kingdom, for the sake of the reward of grace which He has promised for it, and for the sake of the blessedness which in such doing even here fills and gladdens our heart, but hereafter will fill and gladden it unspeakably more and without end. Oh, that no one, out of sinful love of mammon, or out of vain care for the future, which is forbidden (Matt. 6, 25—34), might neglect the exercise of this right of his sonship, and rob himself of the promised reward of grace and of the exceeding joy, temporal and eternal!

"And the teachers are adorned with much blessing, they obtain one victory after the other, so that one must see that the true God is in Zion," so it is, praise be to God, on our mission in East India. Of our still so young mission here in this land we cannot, to be sure, yet report anything so gratifying. We still go "through the valley of Baca, and make wells in it here and there." Among us the sowing in tears still lasts, which also in East India had its time, since without it there is nowhere a harvest of joy. But yet the faithful God does not let us lack gleams of sunshine of His grace. In particular the little Indian congregation at Shiboyang gives us joy and hope, because of its decided and eager-to-learn spirit. Here also at Bethany the dear God has not yet grown weary in His merciful shepherd-faithfulness. For in spite of the storm which the malice of picked traders brought upon us, in spite of the fact that just in this distress we saw ourselves forsaken by the interpreter, and in spite of the ever-spinning-on web of lies of the Methodists, the little congregation has nevertheless not only been preserved, but also, by the Baptism of three women and a boy, increased. And I must confess, to the glory of God, of the little congregation now numbering over 20 souls, that it assembles diligently to hear the divine Word, not only on Sunday twice, but also on Wednesday and Friday. May God preserve them further in grace, strengthen, fortify, and ground them in His truth, and keep them with Himself to the end in the right united faith. Moreover it has pleased the faithful God to open to us here also a new door, in that a whole band has declared that they would let themselves be instructed in the way of life, if we will at once give them a teacher. That is, if one knows and considers our circumstances here, beyond asking and understanding. But this sweet love of God also has a bitter human after-taste. For we do not indeed lack the willing, but the performing is wanting to us. Our means do not even suffice to support the existing 4 stations, Frankenmuth, Sibiwäing, Shibogang and Bethany; and where shall we get a messenger to bring these poor heathen the message of peace? You see, dear reader, that here too again it is said: "With our might nothing is done." And yet the word of life must be dispensed to these hungering heathen, if they are not to languish and perish. Yet we must enter through this open door, if the near wolf is not to break in and scatter and destroy everything, and if we do not wish to lay upon our heart and conscience, instead of joy and blessing, grief and heavy responsibility. — Therefore let us be up and doing, dear reader, and in one spirit and faith cast ourselves down before the throne of the grace of our God, to praise Him for all the great things which He has done in His Church, and for His Church, and through His Church; but also to beseech Him that He would further let His countenance of grace shine upon us, that He would further prosper the work of our hands, and that He would also for the newly opened door give us means and ways and a faithful and willing messenger. — Let us pray in hearty humility, for we are worthy of none of it; let us pray in right faith, for to the doubter no promise is given, and let us pray with right confidence, for our LORD, who does not lie, has promised (Matt. 18, 19): "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." — Behold, we are still on the way with the poor heathen, we can still entreat and exhort them: "Be ye reconciled to God!" But soon our way will be at an end, soon our day run out, soon the night will be at hand in which no man can work. When then they and we shall be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive the reward of our works; then he who is condemned will be condemned indeed for his sin, but woe then to every one who has not done what he could do to convert the ungodly, especially the ignorant heathen, from the error of his way. — God be gracious to us and let this woe be far from us, let us not incur it. Amen.

Baierlein.