1. What was the character of worship in the Apostolic Church? See Bible and a Church history (Kurtz).

2. What are the principles of Christian worship (see Horn's Liturgics).

3. Difference in worship in Reformed and Lutheran Churches. Consult Kurtz's History, and use in thse answers available material. Hymn 52 (have quartet render this).

Address (fifteen minutes), The Ministry in Relation to Worship.

Hymn 56.

Recitation, "Vo'k A-Comen Into Church." W. Barnes in Palgrave's Treasury of Sacred Song.

Hymn 46.

Close as in "Closing Service" in Topics.

17th Week after Trinity. September 29, 1912. Honesty

Exodus 20:15; Isa. 33:13-16.

Hints for Leaders.

Open as in "Opening Service" in Topics.
Hymn 64 (Luther League Hymnal).
Psalm 72 (read responsively).
Gloria Patri.

Collects: "For Grace to Use Our Gifts," and "Thanksgiving" (on pages x and 14 in Luther League Hymnal).

Scripture lesson (Exodus 20:15; Isa. 33:1316), read by leader.

'Hymns 157, 222.

Remarks by leader (summarizing discussion in Topics and REVIEW).

Repeat the Seventh Commandment in concert.

Have some one repeat Luther's explanation. Questions given out in advance for brief

answers:

I. What is stealing?

2. What is implied in this Commandment? 3. Can a person steal from himself?

4. May not every one do what he pleases with his own property? (For answer to 3 and 4 see Balfour's Pontoppidu's Catechism). Quartet 158 (Luther League Hymnal). Recitation, "Honest Poverty," Burns, or other selection.

Hymn 107.

Bible reading:

1. What is enjoined in the Seventh Commandment? (Acts 20:34,35; Hebr. 13:16; I John 3:17, 18).

2. How is fraud and dishonesty practiced? (I Thess. 4:6; Jer. 22:12; Hab. 2:6; Prov. 11:1; Lev. 19:15.

3. What are some of the blessings promised

keepers of this Commandment? (Luke 6:34, 35; 12:33, 34; Prov. 19:17; Hebr. 13:16).

Question: Is it a sin to be a partner with a thief? (Prov. 29:24.) Example of honesty: Abraham giving Lot his choice. (Gen. 13). Remarks by pastor on the subject. Hymn 31.

Close as in "Closing Service" in Topics.

A Live and Active League (Continued from page 17.) League $246, most of which was used to purchase a supply of the Book of Worship for the use of the congregation.

The League's seventeenth anniversary was appropriately celebrated May 26 last. The sermon on this occasion was preached by Rev. W. D. C. Keiter, D. D., of Muhlenberg College. His text was "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of the children." (Isaiah 54:13.)

In all its teaching the League emphasizes knowledge of religion, consecration to God, fervor in service, the blessedness of the worker's reward. And the teaching of these ideas undoubtedly accounts in a great measure for the gratifying success of this League.

This year the officers are: President, Warren H. Davidheiser; secretary, Miss Emma W. Fritz; treasurer, Clarence H. Swavely; organist, George H. Romig.

Luther League of Minnesota
(Continued from page 15.)

by Dr. Trabert, of Minneapolis, on “Our Home Mission Field-the Outlook."

He said in part:

We should not be slack in sending missionaries to foreign lands, but while sending we must be careful that our own country becomes not heatenized-our Church not to hide her treasure in a napkin. It has been given to Lutheran Church to defend the faith. We have a positive religion, not negative. There may be a reaction, but Lutheran Church will be brought tog ther by oneness of faith. We need, first, more theological students to fill gap; second, more liberality; third, active lay workers; fourth, broader outlook, see not only our own city, but State and country.

Rev. Luther Malmberg, of St. Peter, then spoke on "The Will of God and Our Luther Leagues' Life Work."

Is it God's will that heathen should be without Gospel? It is the same as it is for us. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not per. ish, but have everlasting life." "God would have all men saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth." Our life work-what it is. Is it not to save them that it is God's will to save?

Rev. Gruber then read a greeting from Miss Margaret Haupt.

The convention closed with the singing of the Luther League rally hymn.

The men and women who have consecrated their lives to missionary work and have toiled on missionary fields, whether foreign or home, until they have become old and feeble, are entitled to the love and care of all the churches. Nearly all those enjoying the benefits of our ministerial relief funds have been active pastors or they have been missioners either on the home or foreign field. They have received meager salaries as a rule. The nature of their work and the smallness of their financial remuneration has made it impossible for them to provide for the period of advanced years and disabling infirmities. It is the aim of the Church to conduct this work along lines that are just and to make it worthy of the larger and more generous support of our people. This is not a charity. It is a recognition of

to sustain her veterans until the end. Their just claim ends only with death. Provision is made for the veterans and their widows based upon services and need. To the extent of available funds aged and infirm ministers in regular standing should be entitled to consideration when age and disabling conditions disqualify them any longer for services. This is a recognition and honor due them from the Church. In all respects except in the amount provided it may justly be classed with the Carnegie Foundation for teachers. Our veteran ministers constitute a roll of honor. They are not paupers. They are veterans of the holy war against the powers of evil and darkness. They should be loved and honored by all the churches. The denominations should take great pride in providing for them generously and graciously.

God, who has taught us to ask for daily bread, can make all grace abound, but at the base of Christian giving is the necessity of giving our own self to the Lord. Our giving should be an expression of our faith and love and obedience to God, who takes into account the spirit of the gift far more than the size of the gift. Too often both the dignity and purity of the Church is marred and corrupted by methods of giving that are secular and selfish. Often, too, the humble, lowly saint rather than the rich disciple is a great give: when the offering is a mere mite because of the method and spirit manifested in the gift.

"It has been our privilege frequently to officiate at Church dedications. After the discourse, some other brother, supposed to have rare gifts for the work, has taken his place in chancel or pulpit and, with preliminary statements disposed of, he has commenced what to some in the audience was the fun of it. After the deliverance of such wit and humor as he could command, and the tossing of the debt from one side of the house to the other as a rubber ball, and a real good

time, it was announced that the debt was provided for, and to the Church at large the fact was proclaimed as a great success. No! it was not a success; it was a failure, for the Holy Ghost had nothing to do with it. The Holy Ghost never identifies himself with such performances, and as for the sermon, it had as well not have been preached, for all impression made was dissipated. This was neither an obedience to Scripture nor an expression of faith in God. All unscriptural giving closes instead of opening the heavens to the descent of God's blessing. Whenever the Church comes to believe and honor God's Word here as elsewhere, there will not be an empty Board and Church treasury in our Zion, and there will never be a full one until this faith and obedience become a more general experience among us."

Giving should be a proof of sincerity. Worldly methods of securing money for the Church dry up the fountain of beneficence, and sap the vitality and spirituality of the Church. "Often a little sacrifice of the cost of some pleasure or luxury which we really did not need might, if given to some needy one or to the missionary cause, spread happiness and joy." The great motive in giving must be love out of a pure heart. God the Father gave us Jesus Christ to die for our sins, and his gift has ever been an example of the way to give our money and our service for his kingdom.

Simplicity is freedom from complexity. In the conduct of mind and heart there is no mixing of desert and craft. 、 Artificial ornament, parade and pretense are wanting. There is plainness of dress, sincerity of heart, and in conduct there is nothing artful, cunning or tricky. We observe simplicity in the universe. There is, also, in the great and powerful machine a simplicity which catches the eye. Among the Presidents of the United States, Fiske tells us Mr. Madison was distinguished by "that rare dignity of unconscious simplicity which characterizes the earnest and

lay aside certain vices. He must have a desire for something that will not offend against brotherly love. Instead of this, the Christian should cherish and nurture a childlike spirit. The likeness given in the Scripture is that of a baby. The mother is the child's natural nurse, and the infant feeds on the milk without questioning. Suppose that before the child would take its food it should insist on having its mother's milk sent to a chemist to analyze it. It would not be a meek and simple baby. It would astonish you by such ridiculous conduct. An old church father says: "Heretics mix chalk with the milk." As Christians, men and women, who have been born again, we don't want chalk mixed with the Gospel, nor in our conduct do we want to mix vices common to the world. A taste for the sweet word of truth and a life unmixed with hollow show is best for real Christians.

Sociability has been and is a factor in Christianity. Sociability belongs to what is best in man. Most men enjoy friendly and agreeable company. Men who are frank and companionable and who can carry on a friendly conversation are men we like to know. The Christian life affords opportunities for sociability. By sociability we mean a disposition for the society of others. Christian sociability was something new to the old heathen world. Christians, in the dawn of Christianity, accepted conditions which existed in that day and developed an inclination for the society of their fellow Christians that made them grow very rapidly.

It is said, and with great truth, that "isolation, a want of intercourse with other men, stiffens and narrows the intellect and paralyzes the will." Something like this is true of churches and factions in a denomination. "We

In Some of Our Large Cities

New York.

-The cornerstone of the new edifice of St. Mark's Church, Jamaica, was laid June 23. The stone was laid by Rev. J. F. W. Kitzmeyer, president of the Southern Conference of the New York Synod, and several neighboring pastors participated in the ceremony.

-The new Church of the Redeemer, Brooklyn, was incorporated July 8. This mission, located on Troy avenue, near Eastern Parkway, is a child of Calvary Church, whose pastor, Rev. E. J. Flanders, has resigned after three years' service to devote his time exclusively to the new mission.

-St. Peter's Church, Rev. A. B. Moldenke, Ph. D., pastor, is preparing plans for a worthy celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of its founding, to be commemorated in a few months. The introduction of English services in the morning has been successful.

-The Lutheran Hospital of Manhattan will get about $23,000 from the estate of the late Dr. Berry, according to his will. This bequest and the one of $500 made by the late Mrs. Fennell indicate the practical interest the project is awakening. Several sites are in view and one will probably be selected in the Washington Heights section of the city and will be purchased in 1913, if not sooner.

-St. Barnabas' Church, Brooklyn, has purchased a fine site at the corner of Bedford avenue and Fenimore street. Chicago.

-Rev. T. F. Dornblaser, D. D., pastor of Grace Church, offered the prayer at the opening of the National Progressive party convention in this city August 5.

-Concordia Church, this city, will erect a new church building, at a cost of $30,000.

-Nebo Church, West Irving Park, will this year erect a new building, to cost $10,000. Philadelphia.

-The cornerstone of the new building for St. Stephen's Church, Rev. Dr. T. W. Kretschmann, pastor, was laid July 28.

Washington.

-By the will of Mrs. Margaret Niehaus, St. Mark's Church, of which she was a member, will receive $12,000. The pastor of St. Mark's, Rev. J. L. Frantz, will receive $500.

-The heirs of the late Daniel Eli, who bequeathed from $25,000 to $30,000 to Georgetown Lutheran Church, attempted to break the will, but the courts sustained it, thereby confirming his bequest to the church and one of a similar amount to the German Protestant Orphan Asylum of that city.

-A very generous gift of $500 was recently made to the National Lutheran Home for the Aged, at Washington, D. C., by Mrs. Harriet J. Wright, a member of the Luther Place Memorial Church.

St Louis.

-Grace Lutheran congregation, of the Missouri Synod, has laid the cornerstone for a new

church which is to cost $100,000. It is the first English church of the synod to be built in this city. Pittsburgh.

-Mt. Zion Church, North Side, is planning for a new building, to be erected soon. Buffalo.

-The Church of the Redeemer, Rev. J. L. Sibole, pastor, has broken ground for its new building at the corner of Elmwood avenue and Ferry street. Syracuse.

-Rev. H. M. Schroeder, of Brooklyn, has been called to the pastorate of St. Peter's Church, of this city. Harrisburg.

-Rev. Thomas Reisch, formerly of Hollidaysburg, has accepted a call to Christ Church. Trenton.

-Rev. J. E. Hopkins has resigned the pastorate of Christ Church, of this city. Columbia.

-Capt. John C. Seegers, who died recently, the bequeathed $5,000 to Lutheran Orphans' Home, Salem, Va.; $5,000 to the endowment fund of the Theological Seminary, Columbia, and provides that for several years the estate be kept intact, and then one-tenth of the income during that time be devoted to religious and charitable purposes.