The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1879, Page 11

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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expectations, anxiously awaiting in perfect si-
lence the coming events. The minister opens
the exercises by reading a passage of Scriptures.
The children rise and respond. The minister
offers a prayer, and then reads the blessed
Christmas-story from the Bible. Now the
children sing: ‘Silent night, holy night.’’
Listen to them as from their joyful lips peal
forth this and other songs, all appropriate to
Christmas. As the children have all been
taught what the Bible tells us about the birth
of Jesus, and what happened immediately before
and after that glorious event, they are quest-
ioned about these things. Hear them cheer-
fully and correctly answering all questions put
to them. Thus the greater part of the evening
has passed; it seemed very short to us grown
people, so intently have we, the parents and
the friends of the children, been listening to
their singing and recitations. Now look to
yonder corner.. There stands a Christmas tree,
loaded with good things. It is now lighted up.
Beautiful! To every child is given something
from the tree and from the table: apples, candy,
books, pens, &c. Model scholars are rewarded
with extra presents. See the glad faces of the
children, and you can estimate their joy. The
teachers of the school are also presented with
many useful and kind presents. As it is get-
ting Jate, however, the joyful hum of the chil-
dren’s voices must cease. Again they sing and
pray. The benediction by the minister dis-
misses the school and its friends. Before part-
ing, however, many thanks are uttered, and
many kind and encouraging words are spoken
to the teachers by the parents present for hav-
ing spent such an evening full of joy to all, old
and young.

Such was our Christmas festival at Little
Rock last Christmas. It was Zatheran in every
respect. Have you enjoyed it? Which do you
prefer now, such a festival as you have just
read about, or the other kind, which we con-
demn? If you enjoy our way of carrying on
festivals, come back again to the next Christ-
mas festival and, if God permits, you will en-
joy the next still more. F. B.

—>—~+ oo >

(For the Lutheran Pioneer.)
The Laborers in the Vineyard.

“The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a man
that is an houscholder, which went out early in
the morning to hire Inborers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the laborers for
a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and
saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and said unto them, Go ye also into the vine-
yard, and. whatsoever is right I will give you.
And they went their way. Again he went out
about the sixth and ninth hour, and did like-
wise. And about the eleventh hour he went
out, and found others standing idle, and saith
unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired
us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the

|at a more convenient time; I shall take the

vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye
receive.”’ (Matth. 20, 1—7.)

In this parable our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ teaches us mainly three things: first, that
God, the great householder, hires men to work
in His vineyard, in His Church, not on account
of any merit of their own, but on account of
His own free grace; secondly, that those who do
not obey Him, and do not go into the vineyard,
but stand idle in the marketplace of this world,
will receive no penny in the evening of their
life; and thirdly, that those, who do work, as
the householder told them to do, receive their
penny, but not on account of their troublesome
work, but on account of the householder’s gra-
cious promise. The different times, the morn-
ing, the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hour,
denote not only the different ages in the
Church, but also the different ages in man’s
life.

An old German Preacher explained this
parable to his hearers in a quaint, but striking
manner. <A short time ago the first railroad
had been built in their country, and he there-
fore addressed them somewhat in the follow-
ing words: Did you notice the train? In
front, there is a locomotive, which pulls the
whole train. Then there are the different pas-
senger-coaches, first and second class. Who-
ever wants to go along, must be there in time,
and must have a ticket. There is a train that
leaves in the morning, one at noon, one in the
evening, and one at night.

Thus it is also in the Kingdom of God,
according to our gospel. » The train leaves for
the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem.—
The locomotive, which pulls the train, is our
Saviour.—All kinds of people travel this road;
there are, however, not many first-class passen-
gers, for “a rich man shall hardly enter into
the Kingdom of heaven,’’ but the second class
is quite full, for ‘‘the poor have the gospel
preached to them’’.—The ticket is living faith
in Jesus Christ.—The. first train leaves in the
morning, or in other words, when we are bap-
tized and confirmed. But how is it in the
morning? When we are snugly in our warm
bed, and are told to go out into the chilly
morning-air, we often say: Never mind, let
this train go without me; there is another one

later! We have not met for such a length of
time—come let us take a drink!’’—and the
train is gone. Thus it is when our wordly
friends keep us from obeying our divine Mast-
er’s call.

Next comes the evening train. When we
are getting old and feeble, when we lose our
teeth, and when our hair turns gray, then some
at Jeast hear the bell of the locomotive and
catch the train, while many a one is too weak
and feeble to get there in time, and is left be-
hind.

The last train is the night despatch, or light-
ning express. But it is very unpleasant to
travel by that train. The locomotive with its
glaring reflector looks like a demon, and the
fiery sparks fall like rain-drops, and the passen-
gers do not know what may happen to the
train in the dark and dismal night; they are
afraid of its being thrown from the track. This
lust train leaves, when a man is converted on
his death-bed. Anxiety and care surround him
from all sides. The dying thief, who was cru-
cified at the Saviour’s right hand, took this last
train, and was just in time to hear the heavenly
Conductor's comforting words: ‘‘Verily, I say
unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in
Paradise!’’ Not many, however, yea very few
only are lucky enough to catch this train; the
greater part miss it. And when this last train
is gone, then there is no other train to go by,
then it is night! Amen. (A. c.)

o-oo

The Life of Dr. Martin Luther.

ee
Luter at Errurt.

When Luther was 18 years of age, he went
to the University of Erfurt, on the 17th of
July 1501. This University at that time was
the most celebrated in Germany, having the
largest number of students, and Professors of
great learning. Here Luther studied philosophy
and law, and read many Latin books. His
father having become wealthy, he no longer
suffered any want; he had all he needed, and_
could devote all his time to his studies. And
there was not 2 more diligent student at Erfurt
than Luther. He never missed a lecture, and
his leisure hours were spent in the University
library. Here he once found a book which was
to have the greatest influence upon his life.
Examining the books of the library, he found
a Latin Bible. Although he was in his
twentieth year, he had never seen a Bible hefore
in his life. He eagerly opened it, and was
astonished to find that there was much more in
that Book than he had heard the priests read in
church. Turning over the pages of the Old
Testament, his eye caught the history of little
Samuel and his mother Hannah. (1 Samuel
1—3.) He read it with joy, and because this
was all new to him, he wished from the bottom
of his heart that God would one day give him
such a book for his own.—Shortly after this,
Luther was taken dangerously ill, so that he

next train. A shrill whistle—and the train is
gone! Thus it is, when in early life we are
called upon to follow our blessed Lord and
Master, and think, that we have time enough
to spare.

The second train is the twelve o'clock train,
the day express; that is about the time of a
man’s marriage. Again the conductor cries:
All aboard for the Kingdom of God! Some
then answer, like that man of old: I have mar-
ried a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
Others meet on the way to the depot an old
acquaintance, who asks them: ‘‘Where are you
going?”’ And if they answer: ‘I want to take
the next train!’’ they are told: “O do not
hurry, for there is another train a few hours