The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1880, Page 44

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

44

‘The iuutheran Pioneer.

ee

“Thou hast a scanty breakfast.” “Nay,

It is enough”, she quickly cried.
“The promise fails not irom day to day,
. I know my Father will still provide.

“And if so be He should want. me home,
It is a token that’s easily read:

Whenever He means to bid me come,
And not before, He will stop the bread.”

“You're happy, Nancy?” “Ay, ay’, she cried;
“And so would you if you were me.

There's never a sinner for whom Christ died
Whose life on earth should unhappy be.

“And yesternight I was dreaming, too,

A happy dream you would like to hear;
A dream, I know, which is mostly true:

I wish the end might be true and near.

“T thought I stood by a river side;
And far away on the other shore

Was the golden city, its gates flung wide:
But there was no one to take me o’er.

“T saw the ‘shining ones’ in the street;
I heard their harp-strings music pour;

I saw them waiting my soul to greet:
But there was no one to take me o’er.

“T thought I saw where the Saviour’s throne
Shone in the midst of that city fair:

Oh, how I longed to be up and gone!
And suddenly, suddenly I was there!”

She ceased; and after a pause they said,
“And what did you see in that city fair?”

No answer. The spirit to heaven had fled:
Suddenly, suddenly she was there.

(Selected.)
———> oe
The Life of Dr. Martin Luther,
x.

LurHER CALLED TO Worn.

In the year 1521 the new Emperor Charles V.
held his first Diet in the city of Worms. What
isa Diet? A Diet is a convention of princes
and others held for the purpose of discussing
the affairs of the empire. Luther was ordered
to appear at this Diet, or convention. His
friends tried to keep him from going there,
fearing that his enemies would put him to death
as they had put others to death that had
preached the Gospel. Luther, however, put
his trust in God and was not afraid of men; for
he knew that he had written and preached
nothing but God’s truth. He said he would go
and appear in the name of the Lord, even “if
his enemies built a fire which should extend
from Wittenberg to Worms and reach to the
heavens.” After taking leave of his friends,
he stepped into his carriage, and started on his
journey from Wittenberg. The streets were
thronged with people, who, in bidding their be-
loved Luther farewell, wept tears of affection;
for they greatly feared that they would never
see his face again. His journey was like the
march of a beloved prince who is going out to
some great battle for his people. At many a
place, through which he passed, the people
came in crowds to see him, and he at different
times preached the Gospel to large congre-
gations. He did not speak to them about his
own person, or about the danger he was in, or

about the Diet; but he told them the way to
heaven, he told them how sinners ean be saved
by faith in the Saviour.

When he came near the city of Worms, he
got a letter from a dear friend of his, earnestly
warning him not to go into. the city. But
Luther said, ‘‘If there were at Worms as many
devils as there are tiles on the roofs, yet would
I goin.” And he did go in.

On the morning of the 16th of April, 1521,
Luther entered the city of Worms in an open
carriage. More than two thousand people
followed him to his lodgings at the German
Hotel, and during the day many noblemen
came to see him, one of whom said to him as he
left: “If you are in the right, Doctor, God
help you!”’

On the next day, early in the morning, the
Marshal of the Empire came to Luther and in-
formed him, by command of the Emperor, that
he should appear at the Diet at 4 o'clock in the
afternoon, to answer such questions as might be
put to him. So the hour was near at hand
when the faithful witness of Jesus Christ must
appear before the mighty of the earth. But
Luther did not put his trust in men, he leaned
alone upon God, and before leaving his hotel
he sought God's help in a long and fervent
prayer, a part of which is as follows:

“O God, O Thou my God, do Thou stand by
me and support me against all the reason and
wisdom of the world; Thou must do it, Thou
alone. It isnot my cause, not mine, but Thine.
Truly, I too would prefer happy, quiet days
and an undisturbed life. But the cause is
Thine, O Lord, and it is righteous forever.
Support Thou me; I confide not in men, but
in Thee, Thou faithful, eternal God. All is
vanity and trifling; the flesh, and all that
savors of the flesh is deceitful. O God, my
God, dost Thou not hear, my God? Art Thou
dead? No, Thou canst not die; Thou only
hidest Thyself. Hast Thou chosen me for this,

as Iam sure Thou hast, then do Thou direct
all; for I never, in all my life, thought or in-
tended to be opposed to such great lords. Do
Thou, then, my God, assist me in the name of
Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who shall be
my shield and protection, yea my strong for-
tress, through the power of Thy Holy Spirit.
Come, come, my God! I am ready, even to
lay down my life, patiently likealamb. For
the cause is righteous, and it is Thine, and I
will never separate myself from Thee. The
world, with all its fiendish might shall still
leave my conscience untrammelled. And if
my body, Thy creature, should perish, the soul
is Thine, it belongs to Thee, and will remain
Thine forever. Amen. God help me! Amen.”

—_—_——s oo

“(A CurisTIAN, being only a traveller through
this world, must expect a traveller's fare—bad
roads sometimes, bad weather and bad accom-
modation; but since his journey is short and his
city is heaven, all his actions, sufferings, pray-
ers and conversation turn that way.”’

“Never.”

“T will never Jeave thee, nor forsake thee.’’
(Hebr. 13, 5.) Let every believer grasp these
words, and store them up in his heart. Keep
them ready, and have them fresh in your
memory; you will want them oftentimes.

‘Never!’ That word is of more worth than
gold. Cling to it as a drowning man clings to
arope. Grasp it firmly, as a soldier attacked
on all sides grasps his sword. Christ has said,
and He will stand to it, ‘I will never leave
thee.’’

“Never !’? Though your heart: be often faint,
and you are sick of self, and your many failures
and infirmities—even then this promise will
not fail.

“Never!’’ Though the devil whispers, “I
shall have you at last; yet a little time, and
your faith will fail, and you will be mine.”
Even then the word of Christ will stand.

“Never!’’? Should the cold chill of death
creep over you, and friends can do no more,
and you are starting on that journey from
which there is no return—even then Christ will
not forsake you.

‘‘Never!’’ When the day of judgment comes,
and the dead are rising from their graves, and
the books are opened, and eternity is beginning—
even then the promise will bear all your weight;
Christ will not leave His hold on your soul.

‘‘Never!’’ Oh, then, believing reader, trust
in the Lord for ever; for He says, “I will
never leave you.’’ Lean back all your weight
upon Him; do not be afraid. Glory in His
promise. Rejoice in the strength of your con-
solation. You may say boldly, “The Lord is
my Helper, I will not fear.’’—Selected.

—————> oo

“Ir one has served thee, tell the deed to
many; hast thou served many, tell it not to
any.’’

Our Critic’s Corner.

Luruer AND Inrant Baprism.—TuE SAcra-
MENT OF THE ALTAR, OR THE LORD’s
Supper.

These two small, but valuable Tracts, published
by Rev. F. W. Weiskotten, Bethlehem, Pa.. contain
true Lutheran or scriptural doctrine about the two
Sacraments of the New Testament. The first gives,
in Luther’s own clear and direct words, the answer
to the false assertion of the Baptists of olden and
modern times, that Luther, the great Reformer,
agrees with them regarding Infant Baptism. We
fear very much, they will hardly like the answer
given; but they should at least, after having read
it, acknowledge, that father Luther is not of their
belief. The tracts contain 8 pages 12mo, and may
be had, by addressing the publisher, at 50 cents per
100 copies. The second pamphlet, for sale by the
same publisher at 40 cents per 100 copies, gives
on its 4 pages 12mo a short, but clear statement of
the biblical doctrine respecting the Lord’s Supper
over against the Romanists and their su erstition
and the Reformed Sects and their ratiogal unbelief,
We do not think it advisable, though, to call Bread
and Wine the earthen vessels, wherein the Body
and Blood of Christ is contained. The phrase
savors of impanation, though, of course, it is not
intended to mean this, and must not necessarily be
so understood. CRITIC.

SOS
Print of the Luth. Concordia Publishing House.

ay

|