# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1949 08 30_S295
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

295

and one day give way to another name in which the belonging together of all the free Lutheran churches might come to expression."

As appeared from our very friendly discussion with Superintendent Martin, the point here is not so much a criticism of the article as rather the endeavor of the brethren in the "Independent Ev.-Luth. Church in Baden, Hesse, and Lower Saxony" to know themselves recognized as one with the two other free churches named.

At the pastoral conference in Gemünden representatives of this third free church were present and discussed various points that seemed important for the union with the other free churches. The "Independent Ev.-Luth. Church in Baden, Hesse, and Lower Saxony" consists, as we were told, of about 40 congregations and 30 pastors. Should these join the "Breslau Free Church" and the "Saxon Free Church," this would after all considerably increase the numbers of members belonging to the free churches. And for the sake of the cause we should indeed very much wish a strengthening of the free churches, since in the free church not only pure doctrine but also Scriptural practice can most easily prevail.

At Bad Boll we were told that in the Lutheran circles of Germany where there are neither Unionists nor Reformed, there is Lutheran preaching as well as Lutheran ministering. We cannot judge further about that, but we know how hard a pastor's ministry becomes when not only 6,000 but even 10,000 and more members belong in name to his parish, all of whom must be served by the church.
J. T. M.

A Fine Letter. When we had returned home from Bad Boll, we found on our desk the following fine letter, which a younger brother in the ministry had addressed to us:

"One of my church members calls my attention to the letter written by D. G. which is printed in the April 12 number of the 'Lutheraner.' The church member would like to help the man and order the 'Lutheraner' for him.

"If the man has already received the 'Lutheraner,' write me if another such request should reach you. Let me know also how much the 'Lutheraner' costs for readers in Germany.

"With hearty greetings to you and the other members of the faculty, I remain yours . . ."

We wrote to the dear brother at once that such charitable gifts are always welcome. Only, they are to be sent to: Dr. L. Meyer, Emergency Planning Council, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis 18, Mo., U. S. A. For Germany the "Lutheraner" costs $1.50 a year.

At Bad Boll in particular dozens of pastors asked us to help them get the "Lutheraner" to read. Others told us: "The 'Lutheraner' was sent, but suddenly it did not come any more."

Our Emergency Planning Council now tells us that all pastors who receive the "Lutheraner" should be sure to watch when their subscription expires. If the "Lutheraner" is ordered again, and that a month before it expires, it will continue to be sent. Otherwise the mailing stops.
J. T. M.

My Sheep Hear My Voice

A wonderful summer evening was settling over our dear home village, so a grateful woman reader writes us. In the afternoon a short thunderstorm had brought much rain. Now the sun was sinking over field and forest. Along the village street our old shepherd, a venerable figure with a long white beard, makes his way toward the farmyard. Behind him come all his beloved sheep, every one of which he knows. Soon night wraps everything in silence. Deep quiet lies over village and farm. All at once, light as day — crackling and roaring! The sheepfold is burning! The people hurry up from all sides to help, to rescue. They carry the sheep and lambs out of the flames, but the senseless animals run back into their destruction. Then comes the old shepherd, who has only late been awakened by the noise of the fire. Quite calmly he sounds his call. And behold, the sheep come out of the burning building. They almost tumble over one another and follow their faithful shepherd out of the danger. In our village this living experience of John 10, 27 made a great impression. How many dangers we would escape if we would hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow it!
"Christlicher Hausfreund"

From Abroad

A whole series of evangelical and Roman Catholic missionaries have already been murdered by the Chinese Communists. A Swedish woman missionary was recently accused and condemned by them because, they said, her doctrine of eternity was fraud and the gathering of collections was theft. Then she was beaten to death. Three students of a Bible school were crucified by the Communists. They died on the third day.

At a conference of refugees from the Baltic border states held in Stuttgart it was announced that up to now one million men, women, and children, in all 15 per cent of the population of the Baltic countries, have been deported to forced-labor camps in the Soviet Union. The members of the conference sent a note of protest to the International Red Cross.

The Yugoslav government granted the superintendent of the Hungarian Lutheran Church in Yugoslavia permission to open a theological seminary in Subotica. This church, which formerly numbered about 10,000 members, has grown in the last months to 40,000 souls through an influx from Hungary and Romania. The shortage of pastors is all the more keenly felt since for ten years no clergyman could be ordained and study abroad is forbidden.

As the "Deutsche Pfarrerblatt" learns, the evangelical Bishop Cobrda declared before the convention of the eastern district of the Slovak Evangelical Church in Zipser Neudorf: "The law according to which all pastors are to be paid by the State was rejected by the General Presbytery, the Association of Evangelical Pastors, the Pastoral Conference, the Center of Evangelical University Students, the congregational presbyteries, and the conventions. It represents the greatest danger for the Church at the pre-