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Conducted by I. S. RUNYON

SEND IN THE NEWS. -Under this heading we aim to give the fullest reports possible of all District and Local Leagues. Secretaries and other officers are earnestly solicited to send in reports and items of news promptly.

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..Chicago, Ill.

LUTHER LEAGUE OF CONNECTICUT-
President, LOUIS RECKNAGEL........
Cor. Secretary, MISS ANNA SMITH..

.New Britain

All communications regarding membership, constitutions, etc., should be addressed to the General Secretary.

Finance Committee

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.Philadelphia, Pa. Valatie, N. Y. Whitestown, Ind.

.......

HENRY D. BRANDES........... ..New York City, N. Y. HARRY L. HUNGERFORD............Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Publication Committee

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Hartford

..Seattle, Wash.

Fremont

.Hastings

.Humberstone ......Galt

LUTHER LEAGUE OF OREGON-WASHINGTON-
President, PROF. KARL F. MILLER...Chehalis, Wash.
Cor. Sec., MISS CLARA A. GOKE.
LUTHER LEAGUE OF NEBRASKA-
President, REV. F. C. SCHULDT.
Cor. Sec., MISS HELEN TOEDTER.
LUTHER LEAGUE OF CANADA-
President, F. C. HESSLER.
Cor. Sec., MISS LAURA VOLLMER.
District Leagues in States Not Organized
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LUTHER LEAGUE-
President, H. R. FELLINGER..... Washington, D. C.
Cor. Sec., HARVEY A. BENNER... Washington, D. C.
LUTHER LEAGUE OF CEN. CALIFORNIA-
President, MYRON HESTORFF..
Secretary, MISS GRACE STEVENSON..

NEW YORK

New York City District.

.....

Salinas San José

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pressively of the great need of men for the Gospel ministry, referring to the large number of vacant Lutheran pulpits as proof of his claim.

At the close of the meeting refreshments were served by the young women of Gustavus Adolphus Society.

-At its regular meeting on October 27, St. John's Social Union was addressed by Mr. James Gear and Mr. Paul C. Holter in the interests of the Inner Mission cause in general and of the New Lutheran Hospice in particular. December 10 to 13 the Union will hold a bazaar for the benefit of the Church.

-The Luther League of Holy Trinity Church will hereafter hold its business meeting in connection with one of the devotional meetings, and has in other respects rearranged its plans to meet new and changed conditions. One of its plans for this season is to study the lives of some of the men and women who have made unusually deep and strong impressions upon the people in non-Christian countries among whom they have labored.

Brooklyn District.

-The Luther League of St. Matthew's Church, Brooklyn, Rev. G. B. Young, D. D., pastor, is very active this season. At their last meeting they selected for the coming year the following officers: Clarence C. Dittmer, president; Joseph C. Dittmer, vice-president; Edith Andrews, secretary; Francis A. Lord, treasurer. The president promptly appointed the various committees necessary for the full development of the work for the coming year. The chairman of each committee was impressed with the responsibility of the office to which he had been appointed. The devotional committee has already had two meetings, and they have laid out the plan for the devotional meetings for the year. On November 24, Mr. I. S. Runyon delivered a very interesting address to the members of the League: The entertainment committee held a social on the evening before Thanksgiving. Every one considered it the best they have ever attended. Last year the Luther League concentrated upon the subject of Home Missions, raising $50 for this work. This year the League is giving particular attention to the work of Foreign Missions. The presence of Rev. Jose Arnold of this church in the African field makes the members all more deeply interested than ever before in the great work of Foreign Missions.

Albany and Susquehanna District.

-At the annual meeting of the Luther League of St. John's Church on November 21 the following officers were elected: President, William Eck; vice-president, Rev. Oscar Krauch; recording secretary, Miss Elsie Seigel; corresponding secretary, Miss Emma Pauli; financial secretary, Ernest Zimmerman; treasurer, Paul Kinne; pianist, Dorothy Cable. The society has a membership of 537, a gain of 23 over last year. Delegate to the State Convention Miss Emma Pauli gave a report of the recent convention. A Watch Night social will be held on New Year's Eve.

MEMORIAL

& CHURCH WINDOWS

A. C. GRIMM

155 East 23rd Street, New York, N. Y.

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia District.

-At the last meeting of St. Stephen's Luther League a movement was started for the League to provide the pews for the new church building. Mr. Frank Herr was elected president of the League.

-The Luther League of the Church of Our Saviour celebrated its fifth anniversary on Sunday evening, November 10th. The president, Mr. Harry Hawthorne, read the report of the year's work, and the address of the evening was delivered by Mr. Francis C. Leupold, president of the Philadelphia District Luther League. Remarks were also made by the pastor, the Rev. C. M. Sandt. The League has an active membership of seventy, and is doing much to assist in the work of the parish. Northeastern District.

-With an enthusiastic gathering of Lutherans that was marked by many noteworthy features, the fortieth semi-annual convention of the Northeastern District was held in St. Luke's Church, Noxen, Pa., on October 24th. Preparations on the part of the local League included a bountifully laden general table, profuse decorations in both church and dining hall, special musical features, and several ingenious devices for furthering the social side of the convention. A carefully arranged and timely program by the executive committee met a general hearty and intelligent response. These features would have convinced the doubter that the old time convention is still potent to create and foster a healthy spirit among church people.

The theme of the convention, "An Educated Laity," was presented in a four-fold division, "Its Importance and Necessity," "Its Promotion by the League," "Its Results in Activity" and "Its Results in Loyalty." The papers, of the highest order both as to thought and literary composition, precipitated a lively and helpful discussion, in which the lay members intelligently and effectively participated. One could not be indifferent, as he looked into the eager and attentive faces of the listeners, to the evident careful thought and earnest purpose shown. It was unconsciously a very practical exhibition of the fact expressed in the convention theme. The salient points of the discussion were the definition of education, in which stress was upon the development of a harmonious whole in man's being, including not only the intellect but also the will, the moral and religious instincts. Loyalty and activity were agreed to be fruits of such education, as it was tersely put in one of the papers: "Active and loyal to the Church in love as he has knowledge of it, and not in fear as though ignorant."

At the evening session the Rev. H. A. Weller,

D. D., of Orwigsburg, as the speaker, discussed the subject, "The Responsibility and Opportunity of the Lutheran Church," and in an emphatic and convincing manner impressed the convention that this opportunity and responsibility lie largely in the demand that the age is making on the Church. Referring to the comparative isolation of fifty years ago in the economic, political and social elements in the life of the citizen, he maintained that changed material conditions that affected his life had given rise to a well developed community sense. Religion has concerned itself vitally with the individual rather than the community. But the cry is insistent that the units make the mass, and it is the religious emotions that will affect and eventually determine the social enèrgies. Pre-eminent in Christendom, the Lutheran Church must heed the call to maintain the true perspective, for essentially and almost exclusively, in spirit she is diametrically opposed to religious and denominational tendencies to consider the community rather than the individual the object of her care. Keen and alert to true and substantial progression, but with no proclivity to temporizing, faithful to the everlasting truth unchanged and unchanging, yet with no measure of consent to fossilize, her opportunity lies in her awakened and awakening consciousness that she must keep pace with the

age.

Resolutions were adopted pledging the support of the District to the Home Mission Week, November 17th-24th, and urging the local Leagues to do all in their power to make it a success. A committee consisting of Mr. P. W. Banker, president of the State League, and the Revs. L. Lindenstruth, D. D., and L. D. Ulrich, was appointed to devise an effective educational plan in the doctrines and history of the Church for the local Leagues. A publication of a résumé of the convention proceedings of such a nature as would be of general interest to the rank and file of the local Leagues was intrusted to the president, John Griener, Jr., the secretary, Miss Sophie Ecker, and the chairman of the Press Committee, the Rev. W. J. Nelson.

The fund of the Luther League Hall, to which the District has already subscribed and paid $762, received further encouragement in a resolution pledging an additional $100. The report of the treasurer, Mr. Martin F. Rau, showed satisfactory financial relations between the locals and the District League, and that of the statistician, Mr. Clyde Kelble, a flourishing condition of the general work of the locals.

A helpful feature of the concluding business session of the convention was an "institute" in which in a very informal way successes and failures, ways and means of the work of the locals were discussed. The president calling unexpectedly upon their representatives received a very general co-operation in the spirit of the institute. The reports that were discouraging were in a great minority to those which though unpretentious were encouraging, and which showed that the Luther League is doing an effective and noble work.-W. J. Nelson, chairman, Press Committee.

Allentown District.

-A reception was given to the Lutheran students of Lafayette College by the Luther League of St. John's Church on Monday evening, November 4. Addresses were delivered by Dr. Owen, who is at present acting president of the college on account of the illness of Dr. Warfield, and by Prof. B. Frank Sandt, teacher of Latin in the Easton High School. Mr. Sandt welcomed the boys in behalf of the congregation. A large number of students were present. There are nearly seventy Lutheran students attending Lafayette College this fall.

Pittsburgh District.

-The forty-first semi-annual convention of the Pittsburgh District Luther League was held in Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, McKees Rocks, Rev. John J. Myers, pastor, on Tuesday, November 19. The keynote address, "The Spirit of the Times," by Rev. J. I. Shaud, of Ambridge, who was unable to attend, was read by Mr. Charles Jordan, of Pittsburgh. The officers and various standing committees offered reports which showed that seventy-six local organizations comprise the district with a total membership of over 3,000. The delegates from local organizations made brief reports of their work. The report of the State convention at Harrisburg was made by Miss Clara E. Keitzer, of Homestead. Rev. E. A. Trabert and Mr. K. J. F. Wilharm reported on the Luther League national convention at Albany, N. Y.

The

The second session was opened with a Junior League service. Rev. C. A. Nauman, of Ligowork. nier, spoke on Junior missionary topic, "Combatting the Spirit of the Times," was presented in three papers as follows: (a) By Prayer, Mrs. Will Ira Guss, of Duquesne; (b) By Education, Miss Alice V. Thompson, of New Castle; (c) By Service, Mr. Theo. E. Stout, of Zelienople. A resolution was passed asking that each local organization make a special offering to a fund for defraying the expenses of officers and committee members. Attention was called to the deficit in the treasury of the National League, and Leagues were urged to make special offerings to remove the deficit before the new financial plan becomes effective; $25 was pledged as an offering from the District League. Attention was called to the Junior League literature now being published by the Junior Work committee. Two new organizations were received into membership in the District League, namely, the Senior Luther League of First Church, Conway, and the Junior Luther League of the First Church, Butler. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr. C. W. Herman Hess, of New Castle; vice-president, Mr. K. J. F. Wilharm, of Pittsburgh; secretary, Miss Margaret Strohecker, of Zelienople; treasurer, Mr. H. Edward Brunk, of Wilkinsburg; statistician, Miss Ella R. Kuhn, of Duquesne. At the evening session an inspiring address was delivered by Rev. H. C. Hadley, of Fort Wayne, Ind., on "Christian Liberty."

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Little star in yonder sky,
Shining brightly there on high,
Oft I watch your little light,
Dream of long ago, that night
Wise men, guided by your ray,
Found the place where Jesus lay.
Ah, you gleamed with holy light
On that first, glad Christmas night.
And above His manger bed
There your radiant beauty shed,
Bidding men look up and sing,
Hail with joy the new-born King!
Little star, your light so pure
Through all ages will endure;
And in countries near and far
Men will seek the Guiding Star.

Recitation:

(Eleanor Allen Schroll.)

THE CROWDED INN.
The inn was too crowded,
No room could they make
For Mary and Joseph

Ah, what a mistake!

The inn was too crowded,
The rabble cared naught,
As filled with forebodings
The manger they sought.
The inn was too crowded,
But, lo! Wondrous Light
Is flooding the manger

This first Christmas night.
The inn was too crowded,
A ble forlorn

Has offered a shelter

The Christ Child is born.

The inn was too crowded,
Ah, still we may sing;
The manger has cradled
The birth of a King.

(Eleanor Allen Schroll.) Hymn 87. "A Babe Is Born in Bethlehem."

Recitation:

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But this I surely know,

The Lord came down to save
Because He loved me so.

I'm glad my blessed Saviour
Was once a child like me,
To show how pure and holy
His little ones might be;
And if I try to follow

His footsteps here below,
He never will forget me,

Because He loves me so. To sing His love and mercy

My sweetest songs I'll raise; And though I cannot see Him,

I know He hears my praise; For He has kindly promised That even I may go To sing among His angels, Because He loves me so.

me.

(Emily Huntington Miller.)

Recitation:

THE SHEPHERDS.

""Tis_time," spake the shepherd in sorrowful tone, "For His long-delayed coming. Dost hear the sad moan Of the wind through the cave? All the signs are fulfilled;

See the close-huddled sheep, they lie as if thrilled By night's solemn mystery; their soft eyes a-glisten Like gems in massed snow, as intently they listen." "Behold," came the answer from his friend of the fields,

"Just over yon sheepfold, a light that reveals The heavens ablaze! Nay, look not so far'Tis here, just above us, the long-promised star! The flocks are safe sheltered in their innocence mild: Our vigil is ended. We must search for the Child."

Ere the shepherds had risen to go on their quest.
They heard rustle of wings, that sorely distressed
These men of the folds. But hark! a sweet voice-
"Fear not; a message I bring your hearts to rejoice
With good tidings of joy. At the coming of morn
A babe-your Redeemer-in Bethlehem was born."
"Let us find Him at once." And quickly they sped
Through twilight of dawn, by the signal star led
To the eastward; they journeyed through helds bare
and brown,

Till the star at last rested above David's town.
And 'twas there that they found Him-in a khan,

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THE FIRST CHRISTMAS DAY.

'Twas the season of the taxing

When to Bethlehem there came

The poor family of Joseph,
Carpenter his highest claim.

As the inn was found too crowded,
They in stable found retreat,
And behold earth's happy millions
The glad story now repeat:

How within that lowly manger

Mary gave the Saviour birth,

And the angels in the heavens

Loud proclaimed sweet "peace on earth"; And Hosanna, son of David,"

Thence became the glad acclaim,

As the wise men from the Eastland
Learned to "lisp Messiah's name."

As the stars that lit their pathway,

Had them shown where he was born, There they brought their gifts and incense, Nor could Herod them suborn.

Then there streamed celestial glory

From the over-arching sky, And the answer of the ages Now reveals the reason why.

In the lap of sainted Mary
Lay earth's ever sweetest child;
The youth "subject to his parents,"
And who could not be beguiled;
Aye, the ever matchless Teacher,
The Physician highest skilled;
The Rock on which forever
We our hopes eternal build.

Thus in humble cattle manger,
Amid flocks was Jesus born,
And at sunrise hosts of angels
Greeted earth's redemption morn.
As Christ came to bless the lowly,
Came the Truth, the Life, the Way,
'Tis with joy we tell the story
Of that "The First Christmas Day."
(H. U. Johnston.)

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