# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1883_S19 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ‘The Lutheran Pioneer. 19 Luther Created Doctor of the Holy Scriptures. That is what our picture shows us. Luther was called from the, cloister of Erfurt to Wit- tenberg, in the year 1508, as Professor in the new University of that city. He soon rose to high honors and gained the respect and cen- fidence of all that knew hjm. In 1510, he was sent to Rome on some business of the mon- astery. He rejoiced to have an opportunity of seeing that ‘“‘holy’’ city. But he was sadly disappointed in his expectations. He found the city of Rome to be the very seat of wickedness and sin. In vain did he try to find peace by visiting all the churches, by hearing and saying masses, and by creeping up the so- called Pilate’s Stairs with his bare knees. That passage from the Bible: “The just shall live by faith,’ broke upon his soul like a voice of thunder. God, in His mercy, opened to him the full understanding of that pas- sage, and Luther's heart was filled with joy when he at last fully under- stood the simple Gospel way of sal- Yation, when he learned that the poor sinner is made just and is saved, not by any righteousness of his own, but by the righteousness of Christ received through faith in the Gospel. On his return to Wittenberg this precious truth shone forth in all his lectures and sermons. Soon after Luther’s return, his friend Staupitz urged him to accept the title and office of Doctor of the Holy Scriptures. Luther at first re- fused to do this. He did not con- sider himself able to fill that high office. But he was at last compelled to yield to the wishes of his friends. And so Luther was created Doctor of the Holy Scriptures in the year 1512. It was one of the important events in his life. For in that title and office he in after years found much comfort, when in the midst of the battle of the Reformation the question came to his mind who had called him to wage war against the papacy. He himself says: ‘‘I, Doc- tor Martin Luther, was called and forced to be- come a Doctor from mere obedience, without any choice of mine. I was compelled to ac- cept the title and office of a Doctor, and to, swear allegiance to my beloved Holy Scrip- tures, and to vow that I would preach them faithfully and purely. While doing this, pop- ery obstructed my path and desired to stop me; * but you see what has happened to it, and worse still will befall it; it shall not hinder me.’’ —_—s o-oo Wny?—A president judge was asked why it was that by far more men than women were put into prison. ‘‘ Because more women than men go to church,” was the judge's reply. The Farmer and the Townsman. Bettie, Lie Still. A farmer, whose fields lay near the city, suf-| Old Bettie was a match-seller. She was fered many a loss at the hands of the people | brought in her old age to believe in Jesus as from town, who, when walking through his|her Saviour, and from that time thought she fields, would take whatever pleased them. One|never could do enough for Him who had |day, before harvest, he met a fashionably | washed her from her sins in His own blood. dressed person with a Jarge handful of ears of | Ever ready to speak of her Master to all she wheat, taken from his fields. The farmer sa-| met, and of unwearied kindness, she was ‘‘al- luted the stranger respectfully and admired the | ways abounding in the work of the Lord.’ beauty of the wheat. ‘‘Yes,’’ said the gentle-| But in the midst of her labors she caught cold man, ‘‘it is truly a fine sample, and does the | with rheumatism, and was confined to her bed farmer great credit who grew it.” The farmer | for days and weeks. One day a minister called on her. He was surprised to see his old active friend and neighbor so happy in her bed, and said, ‘‘I little expected to find you so patient in bed, when you have always led such an active life. It must be a trial to lie there so long.”’ “Not at all, sir, not at all, sir,’ said Bettie; ‘‘when I was well I used to hear the Lord say to me daily, ‘Bettie, go here; Bettie, go there; Bettie, do this; Bettie, do that’; and I did as well as I could. Now it seems as if I hear Him say daily, ‘ Bettie, lie still and cough.’”’ The poor woman had not only ‘learned in whatsoever state she was therewith to be content,’’ but her homely words showed that she understood the service of patience. —Selected. ———_+