Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-15
Rey. P. NJ. Lindberg
My First Sermon"
81 felt rather shaky. But after l had
offered prayer and read the te1t,
all fear disappeared"

As far back as | can remember l was told
that my parents had consecrated me to the Lords
service On especially solemn occasions mother
would tell me, "When you were baptized, father
of the gospel" Raised under the influence
of Christian home, my highest ambition
was to become an ambassador OF the Lord
Ny confirmation pastor was a spiritual and
godly man, and the instruction he impaired was
very helpful in giving the catechumens correct
understanding of their personal relation to God
Under his pastoral care | experienced the terrible
guilt of sin, the condemning power Of the law and
the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus. At the
age of IS was confirmed, and two years later
finished my high school course. Up to this time
my parents had supplied all my wants, but after
this had to paddle my own canoe.
The following year | studied five months at
ST. Ansgers academy, East Union, Mimi, and
taught parochial school at three different places
While teaching at the last OF these places / was
urged to commence preaching. | can well remem-
Der the school house where I preached my first
sermon. 1t was newly built log house way out
in the woods in Minnesota. A goodly number OF
homesteads in the woods, and their greatest con-
Germ was the training of their children in the doc
trine of Christ and the preaching of Gods Word
among them. Pastors were scarce in those days,
and they had been able to arrange with the near
est pastor for only one visit every six weeks.
regular visit and at the Sunday services he intro
duced me to the congregation. Now that they
had school teacher among them, it seemed self
evident to them that he should also be their
preacher
With fear and trembling listened to their
arguments, and, there being no way out Of it,
finally consented. The text for the following
Sunday the seventh Sunday after Trinity was
Luke 14:12-l5. I endeavored to concentrate my
thoughts on the words, when thou makest
feast call the poor the manned, the lame, the
blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot
recompense thee: for thou shalt be .recompensed
at the resurrection of the just" During the week,
at my spare moments, tried to prepare as COM
plete outlines as possible.
In order to have my earnings for the college
course, which intended to start upon in the fall,
l had accepted the offer of rooming and boarding
with the families of the church, living one week
at each place. 1t now so happened that when
Sunday came I had nine miles to the school
house and my host could not take his horses
out because one of them was sick, and the only
wagon he had was lumber wagon. The day was
one Of the warmest in July, and no one in the
family seemed willing to walk to church that
morning. With my grip well packed with books
and other belongings, since was also to change
boarding places, started out on the woody path
rather gratihed that had few hours entirely to
myself before was to appear in the presence of
the congregation. The heat was very oppressive,
the mosquitoes, deer flies and other insects rather
bothersome. But came nearer to Natures God,
who is also the Christians God and my lonely
walk through the woods was great help in the
line Of preparation for my first attempt at preach
ing.
The school house was pretty we'll filed with
people, and l felt rather shaky when l entered
and while conducting the liturgical part of the
service. But after had offered prayer and read
the text and looked into the eyes Of my sincere
and faithful people, all fear disappeared, and the
Lord gave me strength to talk, independent of
my notes. from heart to heart, on "The Blessing
of Christian Charity"
IN A,szM