# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1908_S5
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The Lutheran Pioneer.

The Merchant in the Parsonage.

The coach of a rich merchant was upset, and
repairs were absolutely necessary. Being compelled
to remain over night in the nearest village, he found
lodging with the pastor of that place. In the room
into which he was shown he saw a large Bible lying
on the table. Many years had
gone by since the merchant
had looked into a Bible. The
love of money had possessed
him so strongly that his whole
time was occupied in the pur-
suit of wealth. Te now took
up the Bible and carelessly
turned from leat-to leaf.

As he turned the pages of
the New Testament he came to
the 12th chapter of St. Luke,
where he read of the rich man
whose field had yielded an
abundant harvest, and who
said to his soul, “Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for
many years; take thine ease,
eat, drink, and be merry.” The
merchant also the con-
cluding words of the parable:
“But God said unto him, Zhou
fool, this night thy soul shall
be required of thee; then
whose shall those things be
which thou hast provided ?”

These words made a strong
impression upon the merchant.
There rose within him these
questions: “If you had lost
your life to-day when you were
in such great danger, what
would have become of you?
What have you now gathered
for eternity?” “This night my soul might be re-
quired of me,” he thought; and he could not get
rid of the thought. Tor the first time after many
years he again turned to God in prayer, and vowed
that he would henceforth seek those things which
are above. Te asked the pastor to let him have that
Bible which had been such a blessing to him, and
that book became his constant companion. The
merchant. grew more and more rich toward God,
rich in faith and in the hope of a blessed eternity.
He learned to lay up treasures in heayen.

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Ye Shall Reap if Ye Faint Not.

In 1810 the London Missionary Society was on
the point of abandoning their work at Tahiti. For
fourteen years had their missionaries labored in that
field without converting even a single heathen. But
a few men of faith opposed the idea of giving up

¢ that keepeth

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thee will not
slumber.

WAACKWIEZ|

the work. ‘They contended that those interested in
the good cause should be more earnest in their
prayers, also, that the directors should write hope-
fully to the discouraged missionaries. This was.
done. Soon after the news was brought to London
that idolatry in Tahiti had been completely over-
thrown, the cause of Christ having finally triumphed.

What a lesson to all of us, amid the trials and
discouragements of church work! We could all
help the good work of the Church very much if we
would be more earnest and incessant in our prayers.