The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1882, Page 19

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

(For the ‘‘Lutheran Pioneer’’.)

Eddy Wood.

Our mission-school in. ‘Sailors’ Home’’ at
New Orleans has lost one of its brightest and
most beloved little pupils. Eddy Wood de-
parted this life on the 30th day of March, 1882,
aged 6 years, 10 months, and 1 day. Eddy
was the second son of Arthur and Jane Wood,
a respected family residing on Franklin street.

When he was four years old, his parents,
whose highest zeal it is to give their children a
good Christian education, sent him to our school
with his elder brother George. Little Eddy,
as he generally was called, took hold of the
alphabet with a will and energy that was both
astonishing and delightful; he was very soon
the head and leader of his class. Older schol-
ars, to whom the ABC for a long time appeared
to be a perfect riddle, looked with amazement
at the little fellow that could master it so easily.
One Sunday last summer, when the Pio-
neer and Child's Paper were distributed to
the more advanced pupils of the Sunday-
school, Eddy wished to have one too, but
being informed that these papers were
given to these children only who could
and would read them, Eddy turned away
a little sad. A few Sundays later he again
asked for the paper, and this time more
cheerfully and also with more success.
Upon receiving the same refusal, he looked
the speaker earnestly in the face and said :
««Mr. —, I can read, I have been reading
very hard ever since that Sunday you
told me, I could have the paper, if I only
knew how to read it.’’ To prove what he
said, he was obliged to read a few lines;
he stood the trial and got the paper; soon
after he was provided with a new book
and transferred into a new class.

Through the Catechism, Bible History,
Hymns and selected passages from the Bible,
in which even the smallest children of our
school are daily instructed, Eddy became very
fond of every thing he could learn concerning
his Saviour. Within a comparatively short
time he had committed to memory the whole
Catechism, many histories from the Bible,
which he related: almost word for word after
having heard them once.

But Eddy was not only a bright and talented
little boy, he also loved the word of God, pon-
dered and kept it in his heart. During his
illness, which lasted about two weeks, he fre-
quently spoke of ‘‘the faithful saying that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin-
ners.” The Saviour whom he learned to know
and to love in school, was his comfort and
strength, his all in all; he prayed to him at all
times. In the silence of the night, when his
parents thought he was sound asleep, he folded
his little hands and prayed with a loud voice:
“Our Father who art in heaven,” &c. Some-
times he would say to his brother: ‘‘George,
pray with me,” or, “Let us sing: Blessed
Jesus, we are here,’ or, ‘God be with us,

for the night is closing,’’ or, ‘Jesus sinners
doth receive.’’ These were his favorite hymns
which he used to sing on the play-ground as
well‘as at home. At the funeral service, which
took place the following day, the missionary
spoke words of comfort to the sorely afflicted
parents. Eddy’s mortal remains were followed
to their last resting place by teachers and pu-
pils of the Mt. Zien Ey. Luth. School, and by
numerous relations and friends of Mr. and Mrs.
Wood.

May the blessing of God rest upon the be-
reaved parents and comfort them in the time
of sorrow. May He who has begun the good
work open the eyes and the hearts of the col-
ored people in New Orleans that they may see
and appreciate more fully the blessings which
God through our mission confers upon them
and their children. N. B.

(For the ‘‘Lutheran Pioneer.’’)

“Yo haye received the Spirit of adoption, whereby
we cry, Abba, Father.”
(Rom. 8, 15.)

Lord God, who art my Father dear,
I pray in Jesus’ name, O hear,
What, trusting in His sacred word,
I humbly ask of Thee, good Lord.

Grant us Thy word, Thy Spirit give,

That by His grace we godly live,

Give shelter, peace, good friends, and food,
Protect our native land, O God.

Save us from sin, and Satan’s fraud,
Deliver us from evil, God,

Be near us in our dying hour;

Thine is the Kingdom, glory, power.

Lord, at Thy word Amen I say,
Increase my feeble faith, I pray;
Thou lead'st me with a father's care,
O let me be Thy child and heir.
(AL. John Matthesius, 1564. Tr. by A. C., 1882.)

—~+ eae oe

The Blood of Christ.

An old herdsman in England was taken toa
London Hospital to die. His grandchild would
go and read to him. One day she was reading
in the first chapter of the First Epistle of
John, and came to the words: ‘‘And the blood
of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all
sin.’ The old man raised himself up and
stopped the little girl, saying with great earn-
estness:

«Ts that there, my dear?”’

“Yes, grandpa.’’

“Then read it to me again—I never heard it
before.”’

She read it again: ‘‘The blood of Jesus
Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.’’

“You are quite sure that it is there?”’

‘Yes, quite sure, grandpa.”’

‘‘Then take my hand and lay my finger on
the passage, for I want to feel it.’’

So she took the old blind man’s hand
and placed his bony finger on the verse,
when he said:

“Now read it to me again.””

With a soft, sweet voice she read:
*‘And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son,
cleanseth us from all sin.”

“‘You are quite sure that it is there?”’

“Yes, quite sure, grandpa.”’

‘‘Then if any one should ask how I
died, tell them I died in the faith of these
words: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, His
Son, cleanseth us from all sin’.’”’

With that the old man withdrew his
hands, his head fell softly back on the
pillow, and he silently passed into the
presence of Him whose blood cleanseth
from all sin.—TZestimonies.

0-0-2

Who does not Pray?

An aged gentleman one day attended a wed-
ding, and found himself in the company of a
number of young and jovial people. When
sitting down at the table, he silently offered up
prayer to God.

One of the guests, intending to have some
fun with him, said: “I suppose at your house
all pray, do they not?”’

“No, not that I know of!’’ was the reply.

‘What, do not all pray there?”

“No, I have two hogs in my sty—they never
pray when they are fed.’’

The young man was silent, nor did he at-
tempt to speak another word with the aged

Christian.
———. +o

Lutner says well:—If you would believe,
you must crucify that question “Why?’’ God
would not have us so full of wherefores. Abra-
ham subscribes to a blank when the Lord calls
him out of his own country. :

———+ + oo

Tose who die in their beds do not always

die the best death. - made

ae a STV IST ee BEE TEE