# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1884_S29 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) Vol. VI. Che Lutheran Pioneer. A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. PUBLISHED BY THE EvANnGeLicaAL Lurueran SynopicaAL ConFERENCE oF Nortu AMERICA. R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor. St. Louis, Mo., August, 1884. Entered at the Post Oftice at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter. No. 8. The Open Door. Within a town of Holland once A widow dwelt, ‘tis said, So poor, alas, her children asked One night in vain for bread, But this poor woman loved the Lord, And knew that He was good; So, with her little ones around, She prayed to Him for food. When prayer was done, her oldest child, A boy of eight years old, Said softly, ‘‘In the Holy Book, Dear mother, we are told How God, with food by ravens brought, Supplied His prophet’s need.”’ “Yes,” answered she, “but that, my son, Was long ago, indeed.” “But, mother, God may do again, What He has done before, And so, to let the birds fly in, I will unclose the door.”’ Then little Dick, in simple faith, The door threw open wide, So that the radiance of the lamp Fell on the path outside. Ere long the burgomaster passed, And, noticing the light, Paused to inquire wherefore the door Was open so at night. “My little Dick has done it, sir,’’ The widow, smiling, said, “That ravens might fly in to bring My hungry children bread.” “Indeed,”’ the burgomaster cried, “Then here's a raven, lad; .Come to my house, and you shall see Where bread may soon be had.” Along the street to his own house He quickly led the boy, And sent him back with food that filled His humble home with joy. The supper ended, little Dick Went to the open door, Looked up, said, ‘Many thanks, good Lord,” Then shut it fast once more. . For though no bird had entered in, He knew that God on high Had hearkened to his mother’s prayer, And sent this full supply. —— + oo > He that sincerely gives his heart will not deny his money. “Come As You Are.” We recently read the following story which suggests an important lesson: Early one morning a fire broke out in one of the houses in a narrow street in London. The alarm was given by a policeman on duty, and speedily the engines were heard rattling along to the scene of action; but ere they could get to work, the flames began to break forth, and rise high into the air. Presently a young man was seen to appear at one of the upper windows of the house in his night-clothes. The fire-escape, which had also arrived, was placed against the house, when a fireman went up the ladder, and called the young man to make all haste, and escape for his life. But to his sur- prise, the young man refused to come away just then, saying he wished to dress first. The fireman repeated his warning with greater earnestness, ‘(Come as you are! come as you are!’’ but in vain, for he still said he would come when he got dressed. When one below in the street heard this, he broke open the front door, and tried to go up the stairs. But the wind coming through the open door soon fanned the flames into greater fury, and compelled the man to retreat. The youth within had gone to his bedroom to dress, and the fireman could not enter through the window on account of the heat and smoke. The flames rose higher and higher, when sud- denly the stairs gave way, and the roof fell in with a terrible crash, burying the poor young man beneath the ruins. A day or two after, when search had been made for his body, it was found amid the wreck and rubbish, all charred and blackened. A sad and awful death surely! But for his own foolish refusal the young man might have escaped, if with noughtelse, at least'with his life. Reader, may not this picture forth to you the still greater foolishness of those who, from youth to manhood, and from manhood to old age, and on to death itself, refuse to ‘‘flee from the wrath to come!’? Many are convinced of their sin by the law of God. They know the danger in which they are. They know that at any moment they may be carried away into eternal death. Still they refuse to go to the know not what a day may bring forth. escape for your life! In the Gospel an Almighty Saviour stands ready to receive you, and His word is, ‘‘Come Saviour of sinners who in the Gospel calls upon them to come just as they are. do this and to do that before they come. Oh, They want to how foolish! ‘‘The time is short;’’ and you Then Look not behind you! As You Are! Come As You Are!”’ A Receipt in Full. There is a story of Martin Luther that Satan came to him, as he thought, with a long black roll of sins, which truly might make a swad- dling band for the round world. To the arch enemy Luther said,— “Yes, I must own to them all. Have you any more?”’ So the foul fiend went his way and brought another long roll, and Martin Luther said,— “Yes, I must own to them all. Have you any more?’’ The accuser of the brethren, being expert at the business, soon supplied him with a further length of charges, till there seemed to be no end to it. Martin waited till no more were forthcoming, and then he cried: ‘‘Have you any more?”’ : ‘‘Were these not enough?”’ said the fiend. “Ay, that they were. But,’’ said Martin Luther, ‘‘write at the bottom of the whole account, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.’”’ Cripples in the Church. In treating the subject of what it calls “Cripples in the Church,” the Golden Rule says that some are without arms; they have never helped any one over the rugged places in life. Some are without feet; they have never gone an inch out of their own way to serve others. Some are voiceless; they have never, even by word, encouraged any one who was cast down. Some are deaf; they have never listened to the voice ofsuffering. Some are without hearts; they do not know what sympathy and generous feeling are. What an appearance a procession of such characters would make, if they could be seen as they are on the street!