# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1903_S39 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) The Lutheran Pioneer. 39 ———————————————— a nn Luther at Home. but he met his death firmly and cheerfully. To a friend bewailing his lot the martyr re- plied, ‘‘Death is bitter and life is sweet, but Luther Anecdotes. | | THE FARMER WHO WOULD BE WISER The world would have lost a great deal-if THAN GOD. | Luther had never married. It would have lost| alas! consider that death to come is more There was once a farmer who was never|one of the most beautiful pictures of home| bitter, and life to come is more sweet.’”” In satisfied with God’s arrangement of the/life that history has ever painted. There was | another conversation he said, “I am well weather and begged the privilege of control-|true piety in that home. God's Word ruled thank God; and death to me for Christ’s ake ling the elements for a while, and his prayer | in it. The Bible was more than simply an lis welcome.” was granted. The farmer began, and did as|ornament on the parlor table. It was the} His martyrdom was witnessed by a large he wished; and everything went agreeably to/| daily spiritual bread of the great Reformer’s| throng of people. The martyr was forbidden his desires. It rained and snowed when he’ household. |to address the crowd. A pardon was prom- wished, and it was fair weather when he! Luther’s home was a home of prayer and | ised him if he would recant the Bible doctrines wanted it, and everything succeeded so well) praise. The great Reformer loved music and he had preached, but he spurned it away, say- that he thought there would be the most fruit-| believed in making melody with instrument, ing, “If you love my soul, away with it!’ ful year ever known. But when the harvest| voice, and heart. Our picture beautifully | He remained faithful, although his agony was came, he found nothing but empty ears and/| represents this feature of his home life, which greatly prolonged and increased by the slow mere straw. He then thought of it, for the first time, that he had forgotten the wind. Thus it went with him who was too wise for God. THE THREE ROBINS. A man sent his serv- ant, Idleman, to hunt up the cows that were lost; but as he stayed away so long the master went after him. He asked the servant, ‘‘Have you found the cows?”’ ‘‘No,”’ said he; ‘‘but I have found something better.” ‘What is that?’’ He an- swered, ‘Three robins.’” “Where have you them ?”’ His reply was, ‘‘The one I see, the other I have, and the third I am chas- ing.’’ Where masters do not look after their busi- ness, Brother Idleman will have the sway. THE DONKEY’S SHADOW. One man hired his donkey to another, and walked beside him on their journey. The man who rode, as the sun was scorching hot, begged the other to ride, that he might also enjoy the benefit of the shadow. But he would not consent and said he had hired him the donkey to ride, and not his shadow; if he wanted the latter also he would have to pay for it. In this fable we have a picture of the world: it will do nothing without pay— not even allow a man to enjoy a shadow without compensation. TRUST IN GOD. Towards evening two birds came flying into the Doctor’s garden, where they were build- ing a nest, from which, however, they were frequently scared away by persons passing by. The Doctor, observing it, said, ‘‘Ah, dear little bird, do not fly from my heart. I wish thee well, if thou couldst but believe me. Likewise we also do not trust and believe the Lord our God, notwithstanding He grants us every blessing. He will not kill us— having given for us His Son.” was a splendid example of what should char- | acterize the Christian family life. Luther at Home. Last Words of John Hooper, the Martyr. This great preacher was born in Somerset- shire, England, in 1495, and died at the stake February 9, 1555, in Gloucester. He was a great scholar and writer, and a diligent study of the Scriptures convinced him of the errors of the pope’s church and made him an ardent advocate of the Reformation. It is said of him, ‘In his sermons he corrected sin and sharply spoke against the iniquity of the world and the corrupt abuses of the church. The people in large numbers came daily to hear him and the church would often be so full that none could enter further than the doors.”” Hooper and Rogers were the first to be cited under Queen Mary, who was called Bloody Mary. because of the many, Protestants put to death under her reign. On August 29, 1558, Hooper was thrown into prison, where he received harsh treatment, and contracted a painful sickness. In January, 1555, he was condemned on account of his Protestant faith. He had called the mass ‘‘the iniquity of the devil.» He was sentenced to die at the stake, progress of the fire on account of the green fagots, which had to be rekindled three times before they did their horrible work. oe What the Bible Can Do. Irecently read a story which I think will do my little friends good. It will show you what the Biblecando. Sometime ago there was a mis- sionary preaching to the heathen in India about Jesus. One day a man came to him and asked to be baptized. The mis- sionary was glad to hear that the man wanted to be baptized. So he asked him to sit down, ard they had atalk together. The missionary could not baptize the man until he was sure that he believed in the Lord Jesus. But how could a man in that heathen land become a Christian? It was this way. This man belonged to a band of robbers. One night these robbers got a great deal of spoil, and hid itin a woods. The next day they met to divide it. Among the things given to this man was a copy of the Bible. He had never seen a Bible before. But he had heard of it. He knew it was the book out of which the Christian missionaries preached. He felt curious to know what was in the book. So he set about to read it. But long before he had read the good Book through he learned from it that he was a simner, and that his only hope was in Christ Jesus. He quit his bad life, and was truly sorry for his sins. When the missionary had heard this, he baptized him, and the man who bad been a robber became a member of the church and a useful Christian. He then lent his Bible to his brother, who was also a heathen, and he, too, became a Chris- tian. The Bible can do wonders.— C. P. —— eee ———-——“