# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1855 03 13_S119
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119

at Augsburg to give account of himself. When he there boldly confessed the truth, he had to swear never again to let himself be found in the city of Memmingen, and to shun the land forever. He begged that at least two or three days' respite be given him to put his household in order, since his wife would soon be a mother again. This was refused him. So he went, leaving wife and child behind, into exile. But his wife, so dear to him, took leave of him in a letter with these words: "Farewell, my heartily beloved husband, and take heed that thou do not, for my sake and for the sake of our little children, forsake the defense of the truth."

The Origin and Downfall of the Black Rabble.

In the year 1572 a crowd of godless and impudent riffraff banded together in the Upper Country, who called themselves the Black Rabble. They wished to be nothing else than the followers and servants of the black devil. They made rules and articles of their order or brotherhood, which they pledged themselves by oaths to keep among themselves.

1) They would offer no prayer nor thanksgiving to God.

2) Cursing, tormenting, wounding, and wishing evil should be their daily practice.

3) They would be averse to all chaste words and works, and would utter only coarse filthiness, each one to the best of his ability.

4) They would cut no hair on head or beard, and no nails on the fingers.

5) They would not wash and cleanse body, feet, hands, and face.

6) Before women, children, and maidens they would use only nasty, shameful words and offensive gestures.

7) They would wish and do good to no man outside their company.

8) To whomever they came, or with whom they were, they would stir up strife and contention and leave an evil odor behind them.

But as they began, so it ended. They all perished miserably in the wars and campaigns in France and the Netherlands, one after another was shot or stabbed, and so they went to their order's father in the black, smoking, and burning hell. — There is nothing new under the sun.

Dithmar.

Rain of Bread.

When in the year 1580 there was in the Mark of Brandenburg great dearth and famine, so that many people languished, ran into the fields and woods, fetched grass, roots, herbs, and leaves of trees, ate them raw and boiled to ward off hunger, and thereby also fell into all manner of sickness and sighed miserably to God, behold, God looked upon the need and sighing of the poor, and showed His fatherly love and almighty power, and let corn rain from heaven about Palm Sunday in the region of Havelberg, Kyritz, Wüsterhausen, Neustadt, Perleberg, Plönitz, and all round about, so that it lay quite thick upon the ground and was gathered up in abundance by the people and diligently used for grinding and baking bread, some also sowing their fields with it. It looked like dried malt, with blue, red, and yellowish streaks, and has yielded very fine, savory bread for men; but, which is a wonder, no bird, cock, dove, or beast would smell or use it.

Three Ways of Being Kept from Sin.

Augustine writes in his Confessions: I remember that I was kept from sin in three ways: by removal of the occasion, by strength given to resist, and by directing my love and affection toward wholesome things.

Give us good shepherds, and we shall have good sheep. —

Ambrose.

Church Notice.

After Mr. Anton Wagner, candidate of theology at Fort Wayne, Ind., had been called by my former filial congregation in Watertown, Wisconsin, as its pastor, he was solemnly ordained and installed by the Rev. President of the Northern District Synod, Pastor O. Fürbringer, with the assistance of Pastor Fleischmann of Milwaukee and of myself, on Sunday Estomihi.

May the Arch-Shepherd of our souls make this servant also a faithful shepherd, and preserve him therein to the increase of God's honor, to the salvation of many souls, and to his own eternal joy and honor.

C. L. Geyer.

The address of the dear brother is:
Rev. A. Wagner
Watertown, Wisc.

"Illustrirte Abendschule."

This paper, devoted to the instruction and entertainment of the more mature youth, edited by Pastor C. Diehlmann and published by the engraver Mr. H. Tubesing in Buffalo, was already (Jahrg. 10, No. 10) most warmly recommended in the "Lutheraner" to all readers concerned at its first appearance. Now, after the completion of the first volume of that paper, we have not only no cause to regret our recommendation, but feel constrained to repeat our most hearty recommendation of it. For those who have already taken the paper we of course do not say this, since among these there will surely be few to whom the paper has not become indispensable. But those young men who have not hitherto had their attention called to it we should like hereby to have reminded. Whoever, to whatever calling he may devote himself, has a mind to be furthered in all manner of useful knowledge, and seeks fruitful entertainment for hours of recreation, finds in the United States no paper equal to the "Abendschule," let alone more suitable. Parents, teachers, preachers, and masters should be concerned to put the paper into the hands of their younger wards, and young men into the hands of their youthful friends. Through the surveys of political and other important events of the present, which have for some time been taken into the paper, it has made every other political periodical dispensable for most readers, and so, to great blessing, has partly driven out many bad newspapers written in the spirit of irreligion and immorality, and partly barred them entrance. The paper, indeed, can no longer be furnished for fifty cents per volume, but from now on costs seventy-five cents; yet even this is so low a price that it can come into consideration with only very few. Besides, the paper has not only been beautified, in that it now appears in four sheets each, of which a volume makes a handsome book, it also contains in its new form considerably more instructive matter than before. As we hear, the Publisher, in spite of a not small number of subscribers, has nevertheless had to lose considerably thus far, since the pictures, simple as they are, raise the cost of the paper not a little. Whoever is concerned that the dear youth, who here are more fond of reading than elsewhere, should not be deprived of a means of satisfying this desire not with poisoning of the heart but with true profit, should also take it upon himself to spread the "Abendschule."

The Western District of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States will hold its sessions this year in the First Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul's Congregation at Chicago, from the 25th of April to the 2nd of May inclusive.

Aug. Selle, Sec'y.
Crete, Will Co., Ills., March 2, 1855.

Receipts and Thanks.

With hearty thanks to God and the kind givers, I acknowledge having received, for my support in the seminary here, the following gifts of love:
Through Pastor Föhlinger, from several friends in Fort Wayne $10.50
From Mr. Kanne $5.00
From Mr. Frosch, Allen Co., Ind. 94
Through Pastor Hüsemann, from some members of his former congregation in Lanesville, Harrisson Co., Ind. 2.00
Through Pastor Fick, from the Young Men's Society in Detroit, Mich. 4.00
From Pastor Köstering a violin.
May the faithful God richly repay it to the kind givers, according to His promise.
Fort Wayne, the 22nd of Feb. 1855.
W. Engelbert.

With hearty thanks I hereby acknowledge $3 received from Pastor Kühn in Euclied, Ohio.
Fort Wayne, the 22nd of Feb. 1855.
J. K. L. Moll.