Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-04

Albert Burnstedt. Munterville.
Freda Anderson, Charlton.
i Selma Lindell, Chicago. Ill. a
Esther Pohlson, Chicago, III.
Mrs. F. w. Peterson. Munterville.
I Mr. and Mrs. Eric Aronson, Beck.
with.
Carl Ericsson, Fairfield.
Edward Johnson, Lockridge.
Joe Nelson. Lockridge.
Glen Hasselrooth. Munterville.
Elmer Larson, Munterville.
Ethel Gustason, Munterv1lle.
Edgar Gustason, Munterville.
| Geneva johnson, Charlton.
Anna johnson, Charlton.
Freda Larson, Charlton.
r. A. OVAL Munterville
Roy Pearson, Munterville.
Alex Peterson, Munterville.
"a Good Lutheh Lacquer"
What Constitutes Good Luther
Lacquer" was the subject that John
Larson Of Charlton 80 ably handled in
the session at the church Saturday
evening The paper was plain and d.
rect and contained forcefulness that
impressed all. The speaker told of the
three classes to be found in the Luther
league the shirker, the jerker and the
worker. He touched but lightly on the
first two named, saying they were dead
1 ones and known to all. He urged all the
1
| did not shirk duty, aid, self-sacrifice OF
anything for league betterment. Fol-
lowing IL his excellent paper complete:
| "A former pastor in our congregation
| spoke to>our league one evening shortly
after his arrival among us on the sub
ject The Shirker, the Jerker and the
Worker and the memory OF this
paper, What Constitutes a Good Luth-
er Lacquer You can easily guess
which OF the three would make the
! ideal Luther league member.
There are in the church and its
various branches, as we'll as in the
| community In which we live, three
j kinds OF people We will designate them
as shirxers, jerkers and workers.
The Shirksr q Dead Ono.
There is not much to be said OF
the first named. They are dead, that is
all there is to it. Their names are on
the roll Of the church and the Luther
league, but they themselves are absent.
Whenever duty is given them to per-
form they always shirk. They are gen.
orally absent from the meetings, and
are never known to contribute any
thing, either financially. socially or
morally for the good Of any cause. The
only question concerning them is
whether to keep their names on the
membership roll or drop them entire
ly. Although once in a while a dead
one may come to life and make use
full member of the league, in the ma
jority Of cases they remain permanently
dead, never to be resurrected.
Then, there are the jerkers. They
constitute another distinctive class Of
members Of the church and league.
They work spasmodically; they are all
enthusiasm for a while, and probably
take deep interest in some project In
which they can gain glory and honor
for themselves. They are regular In
ties Of the church and league at GER
tain times, but they cannot always be
depended upon to faithfully perform
the duties exacted Of them. They cause
the pastor much worry and discour-
agement. because just as he counts on
their presence and helps they are alb
sent
"They have probably been offended at
something the pastor or some fellow
member has said, or probably it has
been suggested that they contribute
little for the support Of the church
work. They are not willing to sacrifice
anything, either money or talents, I'M
less 1t be to further their own inter-
ests, or for their own glory. Their
hearts have never been touched by the
grace Of God, and the tendency is
among this class Of members to be sell
fish instead Of sacrificing. Although
selashness is one of the Characters
tics of this class, it is also universal
vice, against which every one Of us
should be on our guard.
Luther League Workers Needed.
There Is still another class Of Luth-
er league members. The workers. They
are the ones who can always be de-
pended upon to faithfully perform any
duty which the league asks Of them.
Reliability and punctuality are the
traits which characterize this class.
They realize the necessity OF perform
i..g each and every duty entrusted to
them however small that duty may
seem.
DUTY generally means sacrifice Of
some kind, and IS always more or less
linked with difficulties, and in order to
perform the duties placed before us we
are sometimes compelled to give up
some cherished amusement or social
event. But the duties placed before us
as Luther league members are trivial
in comparison to many other duties Of
life, and the difficulties standing in the
way Of duty II met with courage, al
ways vanish. and these little duties now
faithfully performed, may bring glory
in the future.
But the true worker in the Luther
league as well as in the church does
not perform these duties for his own
glory or advancement. Other ambitions
than to win honor takes possession of
him. Not only duty in performing his
various tasks but also sacrifice. The
only true glory then which he can have
will not be the glory which he seeks,
but that which is thrust upon him.
1--WE have many persons in history
who bv their steadfast determination to
duty, have made their names immortal
men like Moses, Luther, and in our
own land, washington and Lincoln.
Their glory consists in their unselish
devotion to duty and the service rem
dered to their fellow men. They did not
work for money or for their own inter
ests or ambitions. We then, IS Luther.
leaguers should follow such mems ex
amples and although our duties seem
trivial In comparison, these little tasks
now faithfully performed, may lead to
HIGHER duties, and some who are now
comparatively obscure, but who are
busy doing their duties, may some
time. in, the future render the world
some great service.
IL