# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1881_S29 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) Ghe Lutheran A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. PuBLISHED BY THE EVANGELICAL LuruERAN SynopiIcAL CoNnFERENCE OF Norta AMERICA. Entered at the Post Onice at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter. St. Louis, Mo., August, 1881. Vol. Ill. The Gospel Stream. “TI was once stopping,”’ says a lady, ‘‘at a village on the Welsh coast, where the people had to bring all the water from the well.” “Ts the well ever dry?” I asked a young girl, who came to draw water. “Dry? Yes, ma’am; very often in hot weather.”’ “And where do you go for water then?” “To the spring a little way out of town.” “And if the spring dries up?’’ ‘‘Why, then we go to the stream higher up —the best water of all.’”’ ‘But if the stream higher up fails?” “Why, ma’am, that stream never dries up, never. It is always the same, winter and summer.” I went to see this precious brook which ‘never dries up.’’? It was a clear, sparkling rivulet, coming down from the high hill—not with torrent leap and roar, but with soft mur- mur of fulness and freedom. It flowed down to the highway side. It was within reach of every little child’s pitcher. It was enough for every empty vessel. The small birds came down to drink. The sheep and lambs had trod- den down the little path to its brink. The thirsty beasts of burden, along the dusty road, knew the way to the stream that ‘‘never dries up”? And as I stood by the little stream, I thought of the waters of life and salvation, flowing from the ‘‘ Rock of Ages’, and brought within the reach of sinners;—the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every other brook may grow dry in the days of drought and sorrow; but this heavenly spring—the Gospel stream— never dries up. Dear reader, have you drank from the Gos- pel stream? ‘Those fresh and sparkling waters of a free and full salvation flow for all sinners in the Word of God and in the holy Sacra- ments. In these means of grace eternal salva- tion is brought to you, and by them God works in your heart true faith with which you take the free gift of God. Thirsty soul, come and drink! Wearied and fainting, lingering dis- Appointed around the broken cisterns of human hope and human consolation, Jesus calls you to Himself. ‘‘If any man thirst let him come Gospel stream that ‘‘ never dries.” ean say: ‘‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters,”’ Psalm 23. R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor. unto Mr and drink.’’ The water from Jacob’s well was refreshing! but to the sinful woman of Samaria, coming to that well to draw water, Christ offered living water. her, ‘‘Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into ever- lasting life,’ John 4, 18.14. This water of salvation Jesus offers to you in the clear and full Gospel stream. bride say, Come. say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,’’? Rev. 22, 17. Jesus said unto And “the Spirit and the And let him that heareth Dear reader, have you drank from this Then you ——_2s--e-<3 e+ oa The Rainy Sunday. It is Sunday morning. The churchbells are ringing. The pastor, who so joyfully worked at his sermon during the -week, looks rather gloomy as he leaves his study. it is a rainy Sunday, and he knows this rain Why? Well, will make the church rather empty. The church-members, it is true, all know Luther's explanation of the Third Commandment: “We should fear and love God, that we may not de- spise preaching and His Word; but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it.’” And they know that there is preaching on rainy Sundays. Yes, they do. And the rain ona week day will not prevent them from attending to their business. Oh,no! The umbrella can protect them from the rain on such a day, but a Sunday rain—well, a Sunday rain seems to be an extra kind of a rain, against which the umbrella can give no protection. It is strange that a little rain and heat and head-ache will not keep men from attending to their business during the week, but will keep them from at- tending the Lord’s services on Sunday. There was Miss Susan. She was an ex- cellent singer. In fact, the congregation could No. 8. hardly get along without her. But on a warm or rainy Sunday Miss Susan did not attend the services. And the folks were sorry to miss her; for, as I said, she was the best singer they had. Well, on a cool Sunday evening Susan was present. The hymn was given out. Miss Susan threw back her head and sang away lustily: Through mighty floods and burning flames I'll pass when Jesus leads.”? After services old Uncle Brown, passing up the street with her, said, ‘‘I was glad to see you in church this evening, Miss Susan, we missed you badly Sunday before last.’’ ‘Well, Mr. Brown,” said she, ‘‘ you know it was such a rainy Sunday, I could not come.”’ ‘And last Sunday ?”’ said old Uncle Brown. ‘Last Sunday? Oh, yes. Last Sunday it was so hot; it was so very hot, Mr. Brown.” ‘‘Well, suppose there had been ‘ mighty floods’ Sunday before last and ‘burning flames’ last Sunday, what then, Miss Susan, what then?” said the kind old Uncle, as he slyly looked up to the young lady. Miss Susan passed on silently, and on next Sunday—it was a rainy Sunday—she was in her seat. Old Uncle Brown was glad to see her there. She had learned a lesson from what he had told her. a+» + o-oo God Not Dead. At one time I was sorely vexed and tried by own sinfulness, by the wickedness of the world, and by the dangers that beset the Church. ~ One morning I'saw my wife dressed in mourn- ing. Surprised, I asked her who had died. ““Do you not know?” she replied; ‘‘God in heaven is dead.’’ ‘‘How can you talk such nonsense, Katie!’’ I said; ‘‘ How can God die? Why, He is immortal, and will live through all eternity.’’ ‘‘Is that really true?’’ she asked. ‘Of course,’’ I said, still not perceiving what she was aiming at; ‘““how can you doubt it? As surely as there is a God in heaven, so sure is it that He can never die.” ‘‘And yet,’” she said, ‘‘though you do not doubt that, yet you are so hopeless and discouraged.’? Then I ob- served what a wise woman my wife was, and mastered my sadness.—Luither.