The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1883, Page 1

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The Lutheran Aioneer.

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

Pousiisaep By tHe EvaneruicaL Luraeran Synopicat CoNFERENCE OF

Our New Volume.

By the blessing of God we are enabled to
open a new volume of our paper, expecting to
pay our regular visits to our readers as usual.
During the past year some doors were closed
upon our little Pronger in certain quarters.
And some of our former friends, we are sorry
to say, could not close their doors without call-
ing us all kinds of bitter names. Well, we
still are in our editorial chair and our little
Pioneer still has upwards of 5000 homes to
visit. And we know that if God is pleased to
own our paper in the coming year, He will
open new homes to our little traveler. Trust-
ing in Him we go forth to proclaim the pure
Gospel of grace. This Gospel of salvation by
grace alone may not be popular since it casts
down all the wisdom and all the selfrighteous-
ness of man. But we don’t care a broken
straw for popularity which is gained by flatter-
ing man’s sinful self. We know of no good-
ness in the corrupt nature of fallen man by
which he in any way could aid in the work of
salvation. ‘There are no select few whose na-
ture is different from that of others. ‘There
is no difference; for all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God; being justified freely
by His grace, through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus,’ Rom. 3, 28—25. We know
from the Bible that every man’s nature, be he
colored or white, is so totally depraved that he
can be saved only by God’s free grace through
faith in the finished work of the Redeemer.

So on then, my dear little Pronzer, and call
sinners to this grace of God offered to them in

the Gospel of Jesus.

‘ in!?’—the poor, the wretched,
3 CSin-stained, wanderers ae the fold;
ardon freely offer—
se Ga a veigh their worth in gold?
‘Call them in!’—the weak, the weary,
‘Laden with the doom of sin;
Bid them come and rest in Jesus,
He is waiting—‘ Call them in!
—the white, he colored;
tranger to the feast;
g Call them in! the rich, the nobles
From the highest to the Jens ee
¥orth the Father runs to mee at >
He hath all their sorrows eek 15
Robe, and ring, and royal sane aa
Wait the lost ones—

«¢Call them in! ”

in!’

R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor.

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

St. Louis, Mo., January, 1883.

*¢¢Call them in!’—the broken-hearted,
Cowering ’neath the brand of shame;
Speak love’s message, low and tender,—
“Twas for sinners Jesus came.’
See! the shadows lengthen round us,
Soon the day-dawn will begin;

Can you leave them lost and lonely?
Christ is coming :—‘ Call them in!’”?

———s +a oo

New Year’s Message.

The New Year's Gospel brings us this sweet
message: ‘‘When eight days were accomplished
for the circumcising of the child, his name was
called Jesus,’ Luke 2, 21. It is the gladdest
New Year’s message; for that name of Jesus
alone can render the new year happy, and can
brighten even its darkest and gloomiest days.
It brings us all we need for the coming year.

In the name of Jesus we have forgiveness of
sin. ‘‘ Repentance and remission of sin should
be preached in his name among all nations,”
Luke 24, 47. Hence the apostle Peter opens
the door to the Gentiles, saying, ‘‘To him give
all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remis-
sion of sins,” Acts 10, 43.; and the aged John
sends the sweet message, ‘‘I write unto you,
little children, because your sins are forgiven
you for his name’s sake,” 1 John 2,12. How
precious that name must be in which we have
forgiveness of sin. _

In the name of Jesus we have salvation.
‘© Thou shalt call his name JEsus,’’ said the an-
gel to Joseph, ‘‘for he shall save his people
from their sins,’ Matth. 1, 21. Without this
name our life in the coming year would be but
a journey to endless woe. ‘For there is none
other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4,12. But
by faith in this name the greatest sinner can
find salvation and enter upon the new year as
upon a journey to endless bliss. The Holy
Ghost describes the vilest characters, and then
adds, ‘‘Such weré some of you; but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justi-
fied in the name of the Lord Jesus,’’ 1 Cor. 6, 11.

In the name of Jesus we have eternal life.
‘‘These are written, that ye might believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that,
believing, ye might have life through his name,’’
John 20, 81. ‘‘These things have I written

Norra AMERICA.

unto you that believe on the name of the Son
of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal
life,’ 1 John 5, 13. If the believer's life in this
world ends before the close of the new year, he
will be forever with the Lord through faith in
the name of Jesus. And therefore he enters
upon the new year without the fear of death.
He knows he has eternal life; and he knows it,
not by what he feels or what he does, but by
what is written. He knows it from the Word
of the true God, on which he rests with full
confidence.

In the name of Jesus we have the power of
prayer. ‘‘Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,
that will I do, that the father may be glorified
in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my
name, I will do it,’’? John 14,13. 14. ‘Ye
have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,
and ordained you, that ye should go and bring
forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:
that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it you,” John 15, 16.
Well may the believer enter upon the new
year full of joy. Days of sorrow and trouble .
may come, he can cast all his cares upon the
Lord in prayer. If the feeblest believer will
sincerely and believingly whisper the name of
Jesus in prayer, it will go straight to the heart
of God, who hears all prayers in the name of
His beloved Son.

In the name of Jesus we have the security
of acceptable worship and of a godly life.
‘cWhere two or three are gathered together in
my name, there am J in the midst of them,”
Matth. 18, 20.; ‘‘ Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ,’’ Eph. 5, 20.; ‘‘What-
soever ye do in word or deed, do all tn the name
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and
the Father by him,” Col. 3,17. We have
work to do in the coming year. If we had to
do it in our own name, we would surely fail.
But doing our work in the name of Jesus we
may be sure of success. We may not see the
fruits of our labors, still we know that every
work done in His name, however humble, is
not done in vain. It is acceptable unto God
for Jesus’ sake.

Tn the name of Jesus we wish all our readers
a, Happy New Year.