# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1880_S20 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ‘The Lutheran Pioneer. Moved by Song. The simple melody of sacred song has gained victories that the finest eloquence could not have won. ‘ In one of the hospitals of Edinburg lay a wounded Scottish soldier. The doctors had done all they could for him. He had been told that he must die. He had contempt for death, and was proud of his fearlessness in facing it. A rough and wicked life with none but bad it comrades had hardened his heart. To hear him - speak one would have thought he had no pious childhood to remember, and that he had never looked upon religion but to despise it. But it was not so. e A noble and gentle-hearted man came to see “the soldier. He spoke kindly to him, and talked to him tenderly of the life beyond death. But the sick man paid no attention or respect. He bluntly told him that he did not want any religious conversation. - ‘‘I know,’’ he said, ‘‘how to die without the help of religion.” And he turned his face to the wall. Further conversation could do no good; and the man did not try it. But he was not dis- couraged. After a moment’s silence he began to sing the old hymn, so dear to the people in Scotland: : **O mother dear, Jerusalem, When shall I come to thee? He had a pleasant voice and the words: and melody were sweet and touching as he sung them. Soon the soldier turned his face again, % but its hardened expression was all gone. ‘Who taught you that?’’ he asked when the hymn was done. “My mother,”’ said the man. ‘*So did mine,”’ said the soldier. ‘‘I heard it of her when I was a child, and I used to sing it with her.’? And there were tears in the soldier’s eyes. The ice was thawed away. It was easy to -talk with him now. The hymn had opened the door. Weeping and with a hungry heart, he listened as the Christian pointed out to him the only way to heaven, and in his last moments he turned to Jesus, the sinners’ friend. ——— To confess that you were wrong yesterday is _ toacknowledge that you are a little wiser to-day. The Bible. This Book unfolds Jehoyah’s mind, This Voice salutes in accents kind, This Friend will all your need supply, This Fountain sends forth streams of joy, This Mine affords us boundless wealth, This Good Physician gives us health, This Sun renews and warms the soul, This Sword both wounds and makes us whole, This Letter shows our sins forgiven, This Guide conducts us safe to heaven, This Charter has been sealed with blood, This Volume is the Word of God. ——_s-~-o<4 o> oe The Dying Soldier and the Bible. During the war there was a soldier at City Point Hospital near his death. He wished some one to read the Scriptures and pray with him. One of the men that were present read the 23d Psalm—that sweet psalm in which David speaks of the Shepherd of our souls. When the man had read the fourth verse—‘Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear ‘no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me’’,—‘‘Stop’’, said the soldier, ‘‘read that verse again.’’ The man did so. ‘Read it again’, said the dying soldier. It was read the third time. The soldier then took the precious Book in his hand, opened it wide and gazed at it for a moment, then laid it open upon his breast, folded both his arms tightly over it, and there held it till the ‘trod and staff’? had comforted him to the other side of the valley of death. 7+ oe Bow to God’s Word. The Holy Ghost acts through the Word. The word of God is His word. It is the word of the Spirit, and therefore, if we are ignorant of the Word, we cannot know the leadings of the Spirit. Neither does the Holy Spirit re- veal truth apart from the Word. If we cavil at the Word, that is, if we foolishly try to find fault with the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit cannot teach us. The subjection of our souls to the word of God is subjection to the Holy Spirit, subjection to God. God’s word should be read and obeyed with as much reverence and promptitude as if we heard God speak. Believe that you are reading words from the lips of Jehovah, the living God; and bow to what youread. Do not play with the Scriptures as you would play with a problem in algebra. H.W. 8. —>_- oc 0 + WueEn the Apostle Paul was converted, he declared that he was ‘unworthy to be called an apostle.’” As time rolled on and he grew in grace, he said he was the “least of all saints’’; and just before his martyrdom, when he had reached the stature of a man in Christ Jesus, he exclaimed, ‘‘I am the chief of sinners.’’ ——s oe oe A PRUDENT man is like a pin: his head pre- vents him from going too far. The Carpenter’s Dream. A poor man was a carpenter; and he often said to himself and others, ‘If I was only rich, I would show people how to give.’’ In his dream he saw a pyramid of silver dollars—all new, bright and beautiful. Just then a voice reached him, saying—‘ Now is your time! You are rich at last; let us see how liberal you are!”” So he rose from his seat and went to the pile to take some money for charitable purposes. But the pyramid was so perfect that he could not bear to break it; he walked all around it, but found no place where he could take a dollar without spoiling the heap. So he decided that the pyramid showd not be broken!—and then he awoke. He awoke to know himself, and to see that he would be liberal only while he was poor. (0 9 + By putting on Christ you will put off the love of this world; you.will live above the world while you live in it. 0 0 pe “How can I best train up my boy in the way he should go?”’ said a gentleman to his pastor. “By going that way yourself’’, said the pastor. . —_—__———- <> o -— —___ Gop may “‘Jead us about’; but he will never lead us wrong. : THE saving of a soul is worth more than the conquest of an empire. Letter-Box. L. A.—You make a distinction where there is no difference. : D.—That Easter Hymn, came too late for our Easter number. : Miss E.—We are glad you find some beauties in our Pioneer; any one, you know, can point out faults where there are so many, but it takes a good eye to find beauties where there are so few. W. L. iy A.—You ought to subscribe for the Pioneer. To our Frienps.—Our friends would greatly ob- lige us by sending daily papers containing a de- scription of the celebration of our Jubilee in the different parts of.tho country. It would enable us to present 2 summary in our next number. THE SMALL CATECHISM of Dr. Martix Lurner., For Pastors and Preachers. In the translation authorized by the Evan- . pelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of orth America. Price 10 Cents. Address: “Concordia Publishing House,’’ (M. C. Barthel, Agt.), St. Louis, Mo. TERMS: Tue Lutieran Pioneer is published monthly, ayable in advance at the following rates, postage included, to-wit: 1 Copy 12 “ 25 “ Club rates only allowed if all copies are to be sent to one address. : All business communications to be addressed to »Luth. Concordia Publishing House“, M. C. Bar- saree Agt., St. Louis, Mo. et . All communications concerning the editorial de- paren to be addressed to Pror. R. A. Biscnorr, mcordia College, Fort Wayne, Ind. ee ee een MU i 2 ocartmet eS ee Ee