# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1851 03 18_S119
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

119

and worship the same?" "Oh no, no!" he cried out, "that I would not do; for I know that my LORD Christ sits in heaven at the right hand of the Almighty Father, the Creed tells me so, which we pray together, but if I had a picture of Him, then, since I cannot read, it would always remind me of Christ, and the Word which you tell and relate to us Indians of Him would come to my mind thereby, and when I looked at it, my heart would go far, far away, thither where Christ was crucified for us, and thither where HE now dwells and where I also, because He died for me, may soon go, and when I looked at it, I could show it to my children, and could say to them: "Beware of sin; do not do as we old Indians did before God's Word came to us; behold, God's Son for my sake and yours had to become man, had to suffer so much under Pontius Pilate, and die the wicked death of the cross, that we might be redeemed and saved; therefore beware of sin, for it pleases not God, and brings you to destruction, in this world, as we were in it, and into hell. "See," he added, "for this I should like to have a picture of the LORD Jesus Christ on the cross; because I cannot read God's Book, I could look at this and it would do my heart good." Ah, thought I, thou noble simplicity, thou! thou dear [illegible] Indian soul! although thou hast never yet seen a picture of thy Redeemer on the cross, but hast only heard of it, and indeed from such as use it as a weapon against the Lutheran Church, (namely the Methodists), and wanted to make it suspicious to thee; yet thou wouldst so gladly have it in thy house, and wouldst know how to make so fine a use of it! while I, but a few years ago, though I can read God's Word, which thou canst not, was often and much offended at this picture out of a false understanding; and while thousands with me, who bear Christ's name on their foreheads, are still ashamed of this picture today, are offended at it, and decry it as Romish heresy! but it is so true, as it is written: "Unto the pure all things are pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled." Titus 1, 15. This occurrence was so wholly unexpected to me that I could not sufficiently wonder how this old Indian had come upon such thoughts, since formerly it was painted quite black before the eyes of the Indians, and by the slanderous Methodist missionaries was depicted as a dreadful abomination, "how the Germans worship images and not the living God!" But the reader sees also from this that where the pure doctrine and the clear confession of the faith is at home, one there, whether he has been brought up from youth in the Christian Church, or has been but lately gathered out of the heathen by God's grace, by the Holy Ghost through the preaching of the divine Word, and brought into the same, is equally far removed from all superstitious use of images, as from all unbelieving abolition of them. The right use of a crucifix this old Indian could surely teach many a Christian; the horror of a picture which awakens in us the most solemn and holiest thoughts would soon vanish, if we should set it up everywhere in churches and houses for the purpose which the Indian had in view; and above all, no one would any longer find anything Romish in it, but would rather leave it to Christian liberty to use the same or not.

The reader perceives from this narrative that the Word of God also among the Indians of this country proves itself mighty, and as a power of God makes alive all who believe on it; he sees that here and there a little seed springs up which promises to bear fruit; that old Indians rejoice in the redemption from their sins through Jesus Christ, comfort themselves therewith, and desire to die in this faith; he certainly rejoices over this with us who labor among the heathen, when out of the seed-time of tears a little grain only sprouts, and to the honor of our God and Saviour grows green; he lives also certainly with us in the confident hope that the LORD, who has begun His work in these Indians, will perform it until the day of our LORD Jesus Christ; and when he lifts up his heart in prayer to God, he will not forget, also for these Indians, according to God's Word to do "prayer, intercession and thanksgiving!" But may God the Holy Ghost graciously call, gather, enlighten and sanctify and preserve in the right, one faith more and more also out of the heathen of this country! and let none of us fall away "from the comfort of the true faith." Amen.

Our Indian school is flourishing more at the present time than in the last two years. The old Indian chief Noktschikomy sends his children regularly; others of his band follow his example, so that we have 14 — 18 children always about us; may the good seed of the divine Word, sown in their young hearts, spring up and bear fruit to God's honor!

The congregation at Shibahyonk wished very much that I should move to them and devote myself exclusively to them; but Sibiwaing is not yet ripe for giving up, and I have lately more hope again for the Indians here; also the Germans here have given me a call, namely that, so long as there is not a strong congregation here, I should exercise the care of souls among them in the accustomed manner; and this spring 4 — 6 families with many children are coming hither, who all have a churchly mind and from the heart desire my staying; what shall I now do? — — At all events a dwelling-house must be built in Shibahyonk, and that congregation be specially cared for; and these Indians we must not lose out of sight, but must rather go on and hope against hope, whether the LORD will give grace, and lead them to the knowledge of Himself. Pray, dear Reverend President, for me, that the LORD may enlighten and govern me through His Holy Spirit! Amen.

In much love, your humble fellow-laborer in the LORD:

J. J. S. Auch.

(Contributed.)

Ps. 84, 12. 13.

For God the Lord is a sun and shield, the Lord giveth grace and glory; He will let no good thing be wanting to the godly.

Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee !

The Lord is my sun,
And not merely morning star!
O, exceeding joy,
He is never far from me!
The earthly sun goes
At evening from me away:
The eternal Sun stands
By me on way and path.

Though I must often lament
In this vale of tears, —
Though clouds of tribulation tell
Of great distress and anguish:
The Sun abides forever,
My Jesus, my joy;
Therefore I fear not ever
In the greatest woe.

The earthly sun sinks
Oft before noon:
But my Sun shines
When I am in the dark.
He will not be ashamed of me,
My Jesus remains mine:
Why then should I grieve,
And be so anxious?

And though the heat oppresses
In many a time of trouble:
His shadow refreshes me
Even in the sorest strife.
The arrows of the foe fly
With scorn, persecution, mockery;
Yet I shall conquer at last:
My Jesus helps me already.

My Shield He is named
In His precious Word:
Therefore I abide unsevered
From my faithful Refuge!

My heart can only be wounded
By him who first pierces His heart:
He remains unconquered,
Therefore I also fall not.

And though He makes as if
He heard not their threatening:
Yet He fells them,
He laughs at them already!
Why do the heathen rage
In their mad mind?
My Jesus reaches with joy
The palms of victory to me!

Indeed I have deserved nothing
But sheer punishment and pain:
Yet He has reconciled me,
Now grace alone avails.
God has given the Son,
So all is mine!
When my heart thinks on this,
Must I not be blessed?