# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1911_S75
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.

A schoolteacher in Silesia, Germany, had made
it a rule to tell the history of the Reformation to
his pupils during the weeks between October 31 and
November 10. At the close of the last lesson, on
November 10, Luther’s birthday, he would sing with
the children Luther’s hymn: “A Mighty Fortress
Is Our God.”

The 10th of November, 1857, was a most beau-
tiful autumn day. Through the open windows of
the schoolhouse sounded the notes of that grand
hymn of trust: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
They had scarcely died away when the children
said, “Some one knocked at the door, teacher!”
The door being opened, an aged man entered, and
uncovering his gray head, said, “I thank you for
the comfort which you have given me by that beau-
tiful hymn.” In answer to the question why this
hymn should have so comforted him, the old man
said: “Why should this hymn not have strengthened
me? Was not God to me a mighty fortress, and
did I not often, while in prison, find comfort in
the words: ‘He helps us free from every need
that hath us now o’ertaken’? And He indeed proved
my Telper, and did free me.”

From the man’s story it appeared that he had
been innocently imprisoned for murder, and that
he was only set free after eighteen years, when the
real murderer, a wealthy landholder, had made a
confession of the crime on his death-bed. -Although
but forty-eight years old, he had the appearance of
a man of at least sixty, and was now left alone in
the world. On his way from prison he passed the
schoolhouse and heard his beloved hymn.

Deeply moved by the story, the 80 children
again sang the whole hymn.
man’s eyes as he again listened to the hymn which
had so often comforted him in the dark days of
his imprisonment. He thanked the children, and
‘told them to trust at all times in pod, the mighty
Helper i in all our need.

Faithful unto Death.

“Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast
Thou ordained strength,” Ps. 8, 3.

These words were fulfilled in a wonderful way
in the city of Cacsarea, at the time when the early
Christians were persecuted by their heathen ene-
mics. In that city there lived a boy whose young °

‘Tears filled the old --

heart was so filled with the love of Christ that the
name of his Savior was always on his lips. Neither
threats nor beatings could move him to deny his
faith. Some heathen children of his own age per-
secuted him in the streets, his own heathen father
beat him, and at last drove him from his home.
The child bore it all patiently, even joyfully, say-
ing that his father took away from him but a
trifle compared with what his heavenly Father
gave him.

The heathen governor soon heard of this boy,
and had him brought before him. In order to
move the boy to deny the Christian faith, he at first
spoke to him in a friendly way. “My dear child,’
he said, “I will forgive you, and your father shall
receive you again, if you be but-wise and consider
what is for your best. You may yet become your
father’s heir. It is for you to decide’ -The child
replied: “I suffer gladly. God will receive me.
I am not sorry that I have been driven from home.
I shall get a better home. Death I do not fear,
for death leads me;to a better life.”

The governor now fried to frighten the boy by
threats. But that also was in vain. He then grew
angry and commanded the boy to be led away to
the place of execution. Secretly, however, he had
given the command only to frighten the boy and to
bring him back again, for he hoped that the sight
of the fire would conquer the child’s courage. But
the boy was not frightened; he even looked at the
flames cheerfully. When he was brought back, the

. judge again tried to persuade him to deny the

Christian faith. The boy replied: “Your fire and
sword harm me not. I go to a better home. Send
me off quickly that I may get there soon!”

When those that were present wept for pity,
the boy said to them:. “You should rather. rejoice;
but you know not the city to which I go.”

God soon granted the boy the jéy for which he
longed. After the short pain of a cruel death he
rested with the Savior who already here on earth ~
took the little children up in His arms, put His
hands upon them, and blessed them. :

The Most Important Article.

Luther said: “In my heart reigns, and shall
ever reign, this one article alone — faith in my dear
Lord Jesus Christ, which is the beginning, middle,
and end of all my Sat thoughts by day and
by night.”