# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1904_S13
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The Lutheran Pioneer.

18

“Is Your Mother Still Living ?’’

It was Sunday morning. The bells were ring-
ing, and the people were on their way to church.
Opposite the church there was a tavern, in front of
which sat a sailor, smoking his cigar and looking
with contempt on the people as they entered the
house of God.

An aged man with his hymn-book came towards
the tavern, and the sailor looked at him with a pity-

mother, and his home, and his childhood days.
Then he arose, threw away his cigar, crossed the
street, and also entered the house of God.

That word ‘‘mother’’ had touched his heart.

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Thanking God for All Things.

Said a rich man to his poor neighbor, ‘‘I hear
you sing every evening, ‘Now thank we all our
God.’ Have you so much to thank God for? You

Jacob’s Dream.

ing smile as if he thought, ‘‘You fool, what are you
going to church for!”

The old man saw and understood the contemp-
tuous look. He stood still and said to the sailor,
‘“‘Wriend, will you not go along to church?”

‘*No!?? was the sailor’s rough answer.

The old man continued, ‘‘Friend, you must have
seen evil days. Is your mother still living?”

The sailor stared at the stranger and was silent.

“If your mother were here,’’ said the old man,
“she no doubt would be very sad!’? and having said
this he crossed the street and entered the church.

The sailor sat for some time thinking of his

(Gen. 28, 12—17.)

are a poor weaver and have a large family to sup-
port, and I am sure you must often live very
poorly.”’

“Tt is true, neighbor,’’ said the poor weaver,
“but, you see, for that which we have we thank
God, because, though it is little, it does us much
good; and for that which we have not we also thank
God, because we do not need it and can well do
without it.”’

I woutp not give one moment of heaven for all
the joy and riches of the world, even if it lasted for
thousands and thousands of years. — Luther.

‘