# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1884_S23 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) The Lutheran Pioneer. 23 Philip and the Ethiopian. The Bible story which our picture illustrates can be read in Acts 8, 26—40. The Ethiopian was aman of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians in Africa. He had come to Jerusalem for to worship. On his way home to Afriea and sitting in his chariot, he read the prophet Isaiah. Philip, one of the} deacons of the Church, was ordered by the Holy Ghost to join himself to the chariot of| the officer. Having promptly obeyed the di- rection, he asked him whether he understood what he was reading. ‘‘How can I,’’ was the reply, ‘‘except some man should guide me?”’ And he desired Philip that he would come up| and sit with him. The place he was reading was the fifty-third chap- ter of Isaiah, which so clearly and beautifully sets forth the atoning work of Christ. And Philip began at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus. He told him all about Jesus, and showed him how all the things of which the prophet speaks have been fulfilled in Him, and that God has raised Him from the dead to be a Saviour for all men. The Ethiopian accepted the Gospel in true faith, and upon his confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God he was baptized and ‘went on his way rejoicing.”’? His thoughts were not occupied about himself, but about Christ and His finished work of redemption, in which alone he trusted, and hence he pursued his journey filled with peace and glad- ness. How great is God’s loving care for a single soul! He took Philip away from the crowded city of Sam- aria, in order to provide the needed “Couldn't Burn those Ten Chapters.” A. Romish priest in Ireland one day met a little boy coming across a field from the parish school with a Bible in his hand. ‘Do you go to that place?’’ asked the priest, pointing to the Protestant school. ‘Yes, your reverence,’’ replied the boy. “TY thought so,’’ said the priest, ‘by the book you have in your hand. It is a bad book; give it to me.’’ “That book is God’s Word,” said the boy, “and it teaches us the way to get to Heaven when we die.”’ “Come home with me,’ ’ said the priest. A Story of the Bible. Some years since, an American ship, sailing on the South Pacific Ocean, struck a hidden rock, and speedily filled with water. The cap- tain and crew, seeing she would soon go to pieces, took to the long boat and started out to find land or a friendly vessel. For two weeks they went on without seeing either sail or shore. On the morning of the fifteenth day, an island rimmed with coral reef came into view. As they drew near this, they saw the people of the island thronging the beach. The sight of these people filled their minds with the greatest anxiety. They knew that The boy did so, and on entering his study} the inhabitants of many of the Islands were instruction for the African on his way home in the desert. We must not despise small audiences or even a single hearer, | the priest took the poor hoy’s Bible and threw but gladly preach the Gospel even to ‘‘a con- gregation of one.” <> > Who Made All That? It is related that when Napoleon Bonaparte was returning to France from his expedition to Egypt, a group of French officers, standing one evening: on the deck of the vessel that bore them over the sea, entered into a discussion concerning the existence of a God. Filled with the infidel spirit of the times they all denied this truth. It was at length proposed to ask the opinion of Napoleon on the subject, who was standing alone, wrapt in silent thought. On hearing the question, ‘‘Is there a God?” he raised his hand, and pointing to the starry sky, simply said, ‘‘Gentlemen, who made all that?’’ _ Ooo MEN of prayer are men of ‘power. it on the fire. “You shall never read that book again,’ said the priest; ‘‘it is a bad book; and, mind, I shall not suffer you to go to that school again.” The Bible was soon in flames, and the poor boy at first looked very sad; but as the priest grew more and more angry, and told him there was an end of it all now, the boy began to smile. ‘Why do you laugh?’ asked the priest. “T can’t help it,” said the boy. “J insist upon your telling me why you laugh!’’ said the priest. : “I can’t help laughing,” replied the boy, ‘for I was thinking your reverence couldn't burn those ten chapters I’ve got by heart.”” Happy boy! He could say with good King savages and cruel; and situated as they were, they were afraid to ven- ture towards the shore, lest a worse fate than that which had already befallen them might be theirs. If these half-naked natives were only waiting to murder them, or sacrifice them to their gods, it was better for them to still trust the chances of the sea. While they were thus debating the matter, one of the natives dashed down through the surf, and, holding a book aloft, cried, in good English, and with a loud voice, ‘‘Missionary! Missionary!’’ In an instant their fears were gone, and they turned towards the shore. The book they felt sure was the Bible; and the missionary had been there, to teach its blessed truths. Nor were they disappointed. The natives rushed to meet them, helped them through the surf, and, when they had gotten safely to land, provided for all their wants with Christian kindness and love. Just such assurances does the Bible ever bring to human hearts. In- fidels may scoff at it and make light of its teachings; but to the doubtful and fearing, its presence is always a delight and its power a sure defense. God help us to prize His blessed word more and more. —Y. P. M. ++ oo “Was it Our Jesus?” A little three-year old girl stood at the win- dow one Sunday ‘watching for papa,’ who was at church. Soon she spied him coming; as he entered, she said: “Papa, what did Mr. R—— preach about this morning?” Her father replied, ‘“‘He preached about Jesus.”” ; : ‘“‘Papa, was it our Jesus?”’ she asked. ‘“-Yes,’’ said her father, it was our Jesus.’ The eyes brightened at the thought that papa’s minister knew her Jesus and spoke David, ‘Thy Word have I hid in my heart, | about Him to his congregation. that I might not sin against Thee.” Do you, dear reader, claim this Jesus as yours?