The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1881, Page 45

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he Lutheran Pioneer.

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

PusiisHep BY THE EVANGELICAL LutHerRAN SYNODICAL CoNFERENCE oF NortH AMERICA.

R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor.

Entered at the Post Oflice at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter.

Vol. III.

St. Louis, Mo.,. Decembe

r, 1881.

No. 12.

EJ The Bir

SS

th of Christ.

CHRISTMAS.

Rejoice, rejoice, ye Christians,
With all your hearts this morn!
O hear the blessed tidings,
“‘The Lord, the Christ, is born,”
Now brought us by the angels
That stand about God’s throne;
O lovely are the voices

That make such tidings known!

O hearken to their singing:
‘This Child shall be your Friend;
The Father so has willed it,

‘That thus your woes should end.
The Son is freely given,

That in Him ye may have

The Father’s grace and blessing,
And know He loves to save.

Nor deem the form too lowly
That clothes Him at this hour;
For know ye what it hideth?
’Tis God’s almighty power.
Though now within the manger
So poor and weak He lies,

He is the Lord of all things,

He reigns above the skies.

Sin, death, and hell, and Satan
Have lost the victory;
This Child shall overthrow them,
As ye shall surely see.
Their wrath shall naught avail them;
Fear not, their reign is o’er;
This Child shall overthrow them,—
O hear, and doubt no more!”
(Old German hymn, 1540.)

“| may enjoy a happy Christmas.

A Happy Christmas.

The poor shepherds who kept watch over
their flocks on the plains of Bethlehem, in the
holy Christmas night, enjoyed a happy Christ-
mas. To them the angel of the Lord brought
the glad Christmas tidings. They were per-
mitted to hear the sweet voices of angels sing
the Christmas song of praise. ‘Not many
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble are called.’’ To those poor shep-
herds it was a happy Christmas. In simple
faith they hastened to Bethlehem and saw the
Child Jesus and believed in Him as their own
sweet Saviour. Yes, to them it was a happy
Christmas. And all our readers may enjoy
such a happy Christmas. The wealth and
honor, and joys and pleasures of this world do
not make Christmas happy. No! You may
be surrounded by poverty and want, you may
be bowed down by grief and sorrow, still you
You may be
the chief of sinners, still you may enjoy a happy
Christmas. The shepherds were poor, they
were sinners, and to them it was a happy
Christmas; for by faith in the new-born Sav-
iour they found in Him forgiveness of sins,
and eternal riches, and heavenly comfort.
The same Saviour, your Saviour, is brought to
you in the sweet Christmas Gospel. Accept
Him by true faith. In Him you have for-
giveness of all your sins, eternal riches, and
heavenly comfort. Thus Christmas will be to
you a happy Christmas. And you shall also
hear the angels sing. Yes! When your be-
lieving soul wings its flight to heaven, you shall
even join in their sweet songs of praise, wear-
ing the crown of glory and striking the golden
harp. ‘Then you shall also see your dear Say-
iour in all His glory and rejoice forever in His
sweet presence. We wish all our readers a
happy Christmas!

On Christmas morning, little Annie, full of
her Christmas joy, wished to take old Mooly,
the cow, an extra Christmas breakfast. Yes,
Christmas is a season that moves the hearts of
men to deeds of kindness by which gladness
may be spread.