# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1965_S20
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

20 CLOSING ADDRESS

“Surely I come quickly.” The day is drawing nearer
when we shall hear our Savior say: “Come, ye blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world.” O wondrous day
when God shall wipe away all tears, when there will
be no more pain — only fullness of joy forevermore in
the presence of God.

However, as we lift up our eyes in joyful expecta-
tion of this day, let us be mindful that over 43 million
people die each year and two thirds of these die unto
eternal perdition, without faith in Jesus Christ. No
wonder the voice of Him who says: “Surely I come
quickly,” is crying:

Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?

Without merit or worth on our part, God has en-
trusted the Word of Life to us, “the Gospel which is
the power of God unto salvation to everyone that be-
lieveth.” What are we going to do with this Gospel?
In view of our Savior’s command that we proclaim it
and in view of His promise: “Surely I come quickly,”
dare we in complacent self-satisfaction live in cedar
houses and stretch ourselves on beds of ivory uncon-
cerned about the millions living and dying all about
us without faith in their Savior? We dare not— and
pray God, we will not!

In a century which conceived the atomic bomb in
despair and delivered it in horror and self-reproach;
in an age of hatred, suspicion, fear, and sudden death;
in a day which elbows the individual out of the way
to be lost in the crowd; at a moment in history when
men imagine they know everything but believe nothing:

Cleanse the hands

That hold the Bread of Life.

Make them bloodless by Thy blood.
Take the faithless terror

From our minds,

Trembling the hands

That seek to feed the world.

Cleanse the lips

That would speak Eternal Truths.
Teach them the humble grace

Of simple honesty.

Restore the old meanings

Of great, good words, O Lord.
Once again let yes mean yes

And love mean love.

Cleanse our hearts

To do Thy will, O God,

When Thy will commands the loss,
The change

Of all we wish to be Thy will.

And grant the grace to say

Not ours, O Lord,

But Thine be done.

O God, let there be no comfort
Save one

In our mission:

That we are Thy church

In the world,

A sent people.

And Thou art still at work,
Mystery of mysteries,

Even in us!

let us with the power of God’s Holy Spirit straighten In response to this our prayer the Savior speaks to
every question mark of “Yea, hath God said?” with each one and says: “As My Father hath sent Me, even
the exclamation point of “Thus saith the Lord!” in so send I you.” “Surely I come quickly.”
a bold, fearless, aggressive, and urgent proclamation “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Amen
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the prayer: , , ° .

O Lord,

Cleanse the feet

That would carry Thy Word of love.
Make them beautiful

On the mountains of hope,

On the wide horizons

Of the sad world

Once more.