The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1884, Page 26

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26 The Lutheran Pioneer.

“Follow Your Orders!”

There are many who lose all interest in mis-
sion work as soon as they do not see the results
which they expected. Whenever the reports
of missionaries in a certain mission field do not
speak of Jarge numbers of converted souls, they
think that mission field should be given up.
But we say No, a thousand times, No. It is
our duty as Christians to simply obey the com-
mand of the Master: ‘‘Go, preach the Gospel
to every creature,’’ regardless of consequences.
We know that this Gospel will not be believed
by all. When Christ added, ‘‘he that believeth
not shall be damned,” He plainly intimated
that the preaching would not be always ac-
cepted. As it was with Paul who was filled
with the Holy Ghost, and was the most suc-
cessful missionary that has ever lived, s0 it is
now, and so it will be to the very end, ‘“‘some
believed the things which were spoken, and
some believed not,”’ (Acts 28, 24.). We have
nothing to do with results. They are in God’s
hands. For us there is honor enough, joy
enough in simply obeying our marching orders,
‘*Go, preach my Gospel.’’

It is related of the Duke of Wellington that
when a certain minister asked him whether he
thought it worth while to preach the Gospel to
the Hindoos, the old General asked, ‘‘ What
are your marching orders, sir?’’? The minister
said, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach
the Gospel to every creature.’ ‘‘Then follow
your orders,’’ said the General, ‘‘your only
duty is to obey.”’ :

————s +o or eo -

Luther on Private Prayer.

In the year 1534, Luther gave a good friend,
the barber, Master Peter, the following direc-
tions how to pray:

‘Dear Master Peter: I gave you the best
directions I can, and which I myself observe
with regard to prayer. May your Lord God
enable you and all others to adopt a better
course. Amen. First, when I perceive that
foreign employments or thoughts have rendered
me too cold or indisposed to prayer (for the
flesh and the devil never cease to hinder
prayer,) I take my psalter, run into my closet,
or, if day or time be suited, into the church,
and begin wholly after the manner of children,
verbally to repeat to myself the Ten Com-
mandments, tlie Creed, and, according as I
_ have time, several declarations of Christ, Paul,

eee or the Psalms. Therefore, it is a good thing to

“Tet prayer be the first thing in the morning
and the last at night, diligently guarding
against these false deceptive thoughts which
say: ‘Delay a little longer, in an hour or s0
L will pray—I must first attend to this or that;’

midst such thoughts we forget prayer, and

is neglected for that day.
works may occur which
yr better than it, espe-

cially if necessity requires them, according to a| before the Lord, but the quality of clothes is
declaration which passes under St. Jerome’s| not mentioned. The church isn’t a millinery
name: ‘All works of believers are prayers,’ | establishment ora show-room. In the old times
* © Yet are we to be on our guard lest we our-| the rich and poor met together, for the Lord is
selves at last invent as necessary, works that | Maker of them all.’’
are not necessary, and thus become negligent,| Bell—‘‘Come—come.”’
indolent, cold and indisposed to pray. People — We are better than some who go to
‘When now through such verbal repetition, | church.”
the heart has been kindled, and has come to} Conscience—‘‘ You may be much better than
itself, then kneel down, or stand with folded | some, but are you satisfied with that? Will it
hands and eyes raised to heaven, and speak or| do to tell the Lord so? There is something in
think as briefly as you can: ‘O God, my) the parable of the Pharisee and Publican bear-
heavenly father, I am a wretched and un-| ing upon this point.’’
worthy sinner, not deserving that I should raise} Bell—‘‘Come—come.”’
my hand or eyes up to Thee, or pray to Thee.| People—‘‘ We haven't any seats in church.”
But because Thou hast commanded us all to| Conscience—‘‘ Yes, there are always seats
pray, and in addition also promised to hear us, | there for all whocome. ‘There need be no fear
and besides hast Thyself taught us, through Thy | of intruding, for all are welcome, and there
dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ, both words} need be no fear of wearing out your welcome,
and forms, I come to render obedience to Thy | for you are urged to come every Sunday.”
command; and relying upon Thy gracious} And so the church bell kept ringing out its
promise, with all Thy holy Christians upon} message, ‘‘Come—come,” and some heeded
earth, pray in the name of our Lord Jesus| the message, came, thanked God for the privi-
Christ, as He has taught me: Our Father who} lege of coming, and resolved to come always.
art in heaven,’’ etc. Others still refused, and conscience went to
+ + eam - sleep, murmuring, ere it slept, ‘‘ What shall it
profit a man if he shall gain the whole world

The People’s Message. 5
P g and lose his own soul?’’— Christian Weekly.
WHAT THE PEOPLE REPLIED, AND WHAT CON- <<< o>
SCIENCE ADDED,
A Sure Sign.

The quiet of a Sunday morning was broken
by the tones of a church-bell. Over the town} A well-known physician was attending a sick
floated its full rich music, and then came back | man recently, and left him at night doing well
again the faint echoes. The bell seemed] and in a fair way to recover. The next morn-
charged with a message to the people, which it| ing when he called he found the family in
was telling with all.its might, and the message | tears, and supposed the patient had been taken

worse in the night; he did not stop to ask any
Come—|} questions, but hurried to the man whom he
come.” found as comfortable as possible, much to his

But although well understood it was not|surprise. He then sought the family and
heeded by many, and this was what the people| asked the meaning of their grief.
said who did not heed it, and what conscience] ‘Oh, my poor dear husband!’’ sobbed the
said to them: wife, with her apron over her head. ‘‘There’s

Bell —‘‘ Come —come.”’ no hope in the world for him!”’

People—‘‘ We do not feel very wellto-day.’’| ‘‘My poor son!’’ groaned the mother, ‘‘he’s

Conscience—‘‘Isn’t it strange there are so|a dead man!”
many sick people on Sunday? Many whoare} ‘‘Papa’s going to die!’’ chorused the chil-
well enough on Saturday night are unable to| dren with dismal cries.
go out on Sunday, and those who are sick on} ‘I should be glad to know what this all
Sunday recover when Monday morning comes. | means,” said the doctor angrily; ‘‘the man is
It might seem as if some weekly epidemic vis-| not nearer dying than I am; he will be up and
ited the town with a full supply of headaches, | out in a week.’’
colds, fevers and other disorders.’’ ‘Oh no, no!” sobbed the whole family in

Bell—‘* Come — come.’’ consent.

People—‘‘ The weather is too unpleasant. to-
day.” the doctor with natural curiosity.

Conscience —‘‘ Yes, the weather on Sundays} ‘‘Be-ca-cause,” said the wife uncovering her
is always wrong —too hot, too cold, too cloudy, | head, ‘‘a dog came and howled under the win-
or too windy. Sunday heats are so exhaustive,|dow three times Ja-last night, and that is a
Sunday rains are so piercing, that no one but the | su-sure sign of death!”
minister and sexton should go out to church!”?| ‘‘A sure sign,’”’ repeated the old mother,

ran thus:

““Come—come. Come—come.

Bell —‘* Come— come.” shaking her head dolefully.
People—‘‘Our garments are not good| ‘I wish I could find that dog!’’ exclaimed
enough.” the doctor, ‘‘I’d go a mile out of my way to

$ Conscience —‘ There fire a great many direc-| kick him!”? ;
tions in the Bible about how we should come} ‘The man got well in spite of the sure sign.

“T should like to know why not?’’ asked