# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1880_S21 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) The Lutheran Pioneer. A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. PuBLIsHED BY THE EVANGELICAL LutHERAN SyNoDICAL CONFERENCE OF NortTH AMERICA. Edited by Prof. R. A. BISCHOFF. Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter. Vol. II. St. Louis, Mo., August, 1880. No. 6. “He could not be hid.” Mark 7, 24. ‘He could not be hid”’—for the sinner would haste | gion to some future time. ’ Behind Him to-weep at the Pharisce’s feast, 3 To wipe with her hair, when she’d washed with her tears His feet, who had loved her, and silenced her fears. sin. ‘*He could not be hid’’—for the blind and the lame His love and His power would together proclaim; The dumb would speak out, and the deaf would re- call The name of that Jesus; who healed them all. ‘He could not be hid’?—for around Him would press The children of sorrow, of pain, and distress; And faith by the hem of His garment would prove What virtue there issued from Him who is Love. “He could not be hid’’—for the Widow of Nain Would point to the son, now restored her again; Would say ’t was His love, His compassion, and grace Gave back that lost son to a mother’s embrace. “He could not be hid’’—for the multitude fed Would tell ’t was His bounty procured for them bread; No hand could have multiplied thus seven-fold, But His who provided the manna of old. “(He could not be hid’’—for hark! hark! to that shout— Hosanna! Hosanna! the children cry out, hearers of God’s Word Satan wins many, many souls by whispering to them: Time enough, and by thus leading them to put off their conver- Many of those that die in their sins did not intend to neglect to the very end the sacrifice which Christ made for They were often ‘‘almost persuaded ;”’ but they never got beyond the almost. They wished to enjoy this or that sinful pleasure, to transact this or that worldly business before they would yield to the pleadings of the Holy Spirit. So they put off their conversion from day to day until Death grasped them and dragged them into eternal damnation. Sinner, the curse of a just and holy God, whose law. you have trans- gressed, is upon you! The Gospel brings you the only Saviour, who has redeemed you from the curse of God by His precious blood. In this Gospel the tender voice of the Spirit speaks to you and tries to win you for Jesus and for heaven. Satan, however, tries to keep you under the curse of God and to get you into hell. -He therefore whispers to you: Time enough. Oh, do not listen to him! You might die under that curse of God and be lost eter- nally. While the devil is saying, ‘‘time enough,’’ God is saying, ‘‘Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,’’ (2 Cor. 6, 2.); ‘‘To-Day if ye will hear His And O blessed for us, though some one would have | voice, harden not your hearts,’’ (Hebr. 3, 7.). chid, That Jesus, the Saviour, can never be hid. a ee The Devil’s Council. It’s Only a Little While, Sir. ‘Well, Aunty,’’ said the judge, going up to the old colored woman’s apple-stand, ‘don’t There is an old saying that the devil once | you get tired sitting here these hot, dusty cera held a council of demons to talk about the best way of bringing men to the bottomless pit. One said that he would go about and tell men that there is no God, another that there is. no “Tt’s only a little while,’’ said she. ‘And the cold, dismal days?”’ said he. “Tt’s only a little while, sir,” answered Aunty. “And the rainy, drizzly days?” said the hereafter, another that there is no Christ, an-| judge. other that there is no sin; but Satan scoffed at this all as too shallow and too easily refuted. “It’s only a little while,’’ answered Aunty. “And your sick, rheumatic days, Aunty?’’ At last one said that he would go through the | said the judge. world, and whisper i in men’s ears, ‘time enough.” At this the prince of darkness laughed and said, “Go thy way, and thou shalt succeed better than all my hosts.’’ ‘«Tt’s only a little while, sir,’”’ said she. ‘‘And what then, Aunty?’’ asked the judge. “‘T shall enter into that rest which remains for the people of God,” said old Aunty, de- ' This is but an old saying; it teaches, how- voutly; ‘and the troubles on the way pices ever, a solemn truth. Among the readers and | don’t fret me. It’s only a little while, sir.’’ . ‘All is well that ends well, I dare say,” said the judge, ‘‘but what makes you so sure, Aunty?” ‘*How can I help being sure, sir,’ said she, ‘since Christ is the way, and I am in Him? He is mine, and I am His. Now, I only feel along the way. I shall see Him as He is, ina little while, sir.’’ “Ah, Aunty, you’ve got more than the law ever taught me,’’ said the judge. “Yes, sir, because I went to the Gospel.’’ “Well, Aunty, I must look into these things,’’ said the judgé, taking an apple and walking off. “There’s only a little while, sir,’’ said she. _—_—— +P oe : (For the “‘Lutheran Pioneer.") The Shepherd and the Lamb. The only child of two thoughtless parents died. The parents became on this account, not only sorrowful, but disposed to question the goodness of God. They went to their minister, and inquired of him, how it could be possible that 2 God of love could have dealt so hard— so severe with them as to take their only child. To this question the pastor promised a reply and he gave it as follows: “You wish to know from me why God has taken your child from you? Well, then, he is determined to have from your family at least one member in heaven. You parents would not prepare to enter heaven; and if that child of yours had been allowed to remain, you would also have prevented it from going thither.” Hear, further, a parable: “There was a good shepherd, who had pre--. pared costly fodder in his fold for his sheep, but the sheep would not enter. He gave him- self much concern to induce them to enter, but they always retreated farther backward from- the open door. Then he took a lamb from the flock, and dragged it in; and behold the par- ent sheep ran in after it! “The good shepherd is Christ; the open fold — is heaven; the lamb is your child. Have ye the hearts of parents? «Prepare to follow your child. It has been taken away from you on Ea Doee to allure you to the skies.”” ao