Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-04-27

ferent languages in our country, In
addition to the English, which is be-
Ing used more extensively every year,
especially in missionary work, and the
German, the language of the pioneer
Lutheran workers. In Yiddish it tells
the 1sraelite of Christ as the promised
Messiah in italian this Gospel is COM
batting the atheism and religious in
difference which is becoming so
marked among the sons of Italy in
this country; in Polish, Slovak, Lithu-
antan, Lettish, Norwegian, and Danish
1t brings the Gospel to those who have
come from the north of Europe; 1t
greets the Indian in his own tongue, and
the unfortunate deaf mutes are happy
to be under the spiritual care of men
trained to bring the message of saliva
ton in the sign language. For the past
fifty years, ever since the founding of
the SynOdical Conference, it has car
ried on extensive work among the
negroes of the black belt; it has es-
tabliShed church schools where the
third generation of colored Lutherans
is now being trained; it has built col
leges for the higher education of the
young negroes in the South. At pub
lie and charitable Institutions the mis-
sionaries of this church bring light to
the blind, balm to the sick, and spir
itual riches to the earthly poor. AT
it's own numerous hospitals, orphan
ages, infants and old folks homes,
asylums for the care of tubercular
and epileptic patients, thousands are
under the care of missionaries.
Foreign Missions
But the message which the Missouri
Synod has proclaimed has been too
powerful to be confined within the
limits of this country. 1t has been
preached for many years in Brazil and
Argentina, where some sixty mission
aries are working at present. Mission
aries Of this church have gone back to
Europe, where in Germany, England,
France, and Czecho-Slovakia the in
dependent mission congregations of
the Free Church of Europe have been
supported for many years. Assistance
has been lent to the establishment of
an active Lutheran church body in
Australia and New Zealand, and for
the last twenty-five years this Synod
has carried on mission work among
the heather, first in India, and more
recently in China. Here, in countries
teeming with uncounted millions OF
superstitious heather, the scriptural
and conservative policies of this
church have been blessed with the
same encouraging results as in this
country. During the past year ten
new missionaries and one female
teacher, as well as one doctor and
three nurses entered the mission fields
in East India, where the first native
pastor was ordained and many other
native workers enlisted. During the
same time the missionary ranks in
China were reinforced by five addi-
tiOnal missionaries, one female teach
er, and several native aids. A great
movement for the development Of this
foreign mission work seems to be I'M
der way in the Lutheran congregations
of this country which promise ever
greater activities for the future.
At home and abroad the missionaries
of this church have preached nothing
but the Gospel of Christ crucified. No
REVEALS, no trail hitting, no pr0selyt-
ing has marked the steady but insist
ent efforts Of these men. From their
pulpits have fesOunded not the issues
Of the day, but the issues Of eternity and
the hereafter. And these missionaries
have stood up for principle and have
spoken with the courage of con-
viction which knows neither fear nor
favor. Branded as antlquated, mar
row, and bigotted because of their
insistent demand of brave and open
confession of Jesus Christ as the only
but all-sufficient Savior Of every man,
woman and child who ever lived or
ever will live upon the face of this
earth. these men, with the help of
God, are bringing an unmistakable
twentieth century demonstration of
the all-conquering power of Christ's
Gospel.