The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1883, Page 47

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‘The Lutheran Pioneer.

Luther’s Christmas Tree.

Our picture shows us Luther on Christmas
Eve in the family circle. His home in Witten-
berg was a happy Christian home. And espe-
cially on Christmas Day there was joy in the
home of the Reformer, through whom God re-
stored to the Church the pure Gospel of the
Saviour born at Bethlehem. Luther had been
taught in the Romish church to look upon
Christ as an angry Judge, whose favor the sin-
ner must try to gain by his own good works.
He himself says that he became pale and
terror-stricken whenever he heard the name of
Christ mentioned. But God in His mercy led
him through the Bible to the blessed knowledge
of Jesus, in whom there is a free and full sal-
vation for all sinners. And through Luther
the Church again learned to bow with joy, and
thanksgiving, and child-like trust at the man-
ger of the Saviour at Bethlehem.

We adopt the following description of our
picture from the late Dr. Krauth: The Christ-
mas tree blazes in all its glory in the centre.
On Luther's lap kneels his youngest child, clasp-
ing him around the neck. Its little night-cap
and slip and bare feet show that it has been
kept from its bed to see the wonderful sight.
On Luther’s shoulder, and clasping his hands
in hers, yan oat with the light of love,
that light, which can beam only-from the eye
of a devoted wife and mother, shining upon
him. The oldest boy, under Melanchthon’s di-
rection, is aiming with a cross-bow at an apple
on the tree. At the table cousin Lehne is
showing 2 book of pictures to the second boy;
the third boy clasps his father’s knee with one
hand, in which, however he manages to hold a
‘string also, by which he has been drawing
along a knight in full armor on horseback,

ses ee

while with the other hand he holds up a hobby-
horse. Madeleine is clasping in her hand, in
ecstacy, the little angel, whilst the doll at her
side is forgotten. ‘The full light from the tree
is on her happy face, in which, however, there
is an air of thought, something more of hea-
venly musing than is wont to be pictured upon
the -face of a child. Oh, happy. Christmas!
thou mayest be the prelude to wailing. The
little coffin may follow the Christmas tree
within our door. The candles of the Christmas
tree of 1542 were not mirrored in the eyes of
the beautiful and darling Madeleine. Those
gentle eyes had been closed by her father’s
hands three months before. And when the
Christmas of 1546 came, Luther himself stood
by the Redeemer’s side in glory.

——2~4 eae +

Christ’s Presence.

Chrysostom, one of the church-fathers, beau-
tifully says: ‘‘I have a pledge from Christ—
have His note of hand—which is my support,
my refuge, and heaven; and though the world
should rage, to this security I cling. How
does it read? ‘Lo, Iam with you always, even
unto the end of the world’. If Christ be with
me, what shall I fear? If He is mine, all the
powers of earth to me are nothing more than
a spider's web.”

Tue life and the faith of children is the best,
for they have only the Word; and to it they
hold fast, and simply give God the honor of
believing that He is truthful, holding what He
promises for certain.—Znither.

; ——. +o oe

‘‘CiRISTMAS comes but once & year, é
And when it comes it brings good cheer.’’

Elsie’s Christmas Eve.

Those whose hearts are filled with the
true Christmas joy will make others
joyful too in the merry Christmas time.
Let me tell you a story.

In a large house there lived a year or
two ago a little crippled girl. She had
in her room the loveliest things you
could imagine—a chair which went on
wheels, a golden-winged bird who sang
enchantingly, a little gray kitty, a
white Spitz dog, and a gray parrot with
a pink ruffle around its neck. She had
four Paris dolls, and a whole library of
books, and her papa and mamma tried
in every way they could to make her
happy. Yet sometimes when Elsie Dean
sat by the window, and saw the little
streetsweepers clearing paths through
the snow, she thought that she would
willingly exchange places with them, if
she could have their straight limbs and
active feet. She saw that they often
looked hungry and cold and she knew
that if they took time to think of it,
they must fancy she was far better off
than they, as they watched her, up there in her
seat among flowers and birds.

One day she asked her mother if she might
do just what she pleased with her Christmas
money.

“‘Certainly, my love,’’ replied Mrs. Dean,
glad to observe that any plan could brighten
her darling’s pale face.

“Well, then, I would like to buy a Christ-
mas tree, and dress it all up magnificently, and
invite the guests I want to spend Christmas
eve.”

A few days after that, the cold was intense.
Pat and Tim, whose shoes were out at the toes,
and little Mumbo Jumbo, the colored boy who
had no jacket, were nearly frozen. But they
were much surprised when Ernest Dean, Elsie’s
brother, came out and invited them, and half
a dozen little fellows besides, to spend the even-
ing with his sister. They went, though they
did wonder at first whether Ernest was in
earnest or in fun, for he asked them, as boys do,
alittle bit bashfully, and went to making snow-
balls the next moment. And what happiness
they had! ‘There sat Elsie like a little queen
in her chair. ‘There was the tree, and its
branches were loaded with oranges} cakes, ap-
ples and candies, and for every boy there was a
pair of new shoes, and a new comforter, and a
stout jacket. After Elsie had read the Christ-
mas story from the second chapter of the Gospel
according to St. Luke, the boys sang of Jesus
and Elsie seemed to hear Him say, ‘‘ You have
done it unto me.””

—< + om +

‘Tre Son of God was made human that we

might be made divine.”’
a a

He is a brave man who dares to wear old

clothes until he is able to pay for new.