The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1884, Page 31

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

31

It’s Just as God Sent it.

A Christian merchant of London once sought
rest from the cares and labors of his business
in the country. He spent some weeks in his
native county of Cumberland. One day, while

enjoying his holiday, and walking through a| believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye
most beautiful part of the country, he went on}

and on. The blue sky above and the high
hills around made him think of the many won-
ders of his merciful God in the work of cre-
ation.

we were yet without strength, in due time
Christ died for the ungodly.’’ ‘For God com-
mendeth his love, in that while we were yet
sinners Christ died for us.’’ And again, ‘“He
that believeth hath everlasting life.’’ And,
“These things have I written unto you that ye

may know that ye have eternal life.’’ While
thus earnestly begging her to take them, as
from God himself, whose word it was, the
truths were brought home to her soul; and
soon the old lady began to he glad, and at the

Tasting Death.

In a time of great darkness, when Romish
priests were doing their worst to suppress
divine truth, a party of soldiers, under a very
cruel leader, were one day riding along a road
in Scotland, when they met a lad carrying a
book. Upon being questioned as to the nature
of the work, he replied with a fearless upward
glance—

“The Bible.”

“Throw it into the ditch!’ shouted the

At length he found out that he had lost his| same time to wonder she should have read her | fierce commander.

way, as people say, and soon feel-
ing weary by the walk, he began
to look about him for some house,
where he might get food and rest,
and also be shown the right road.
Well, on he went till he came in
sight of a farmhouse, toward which
he at once bent his steps. Upon
asking the kindly-looking folks to
allow him to rest, and give him
some bread and milk, he was at
once invited inside and made to sit
down.

While the refreshment was_be-
ing prepared, he looked around
him, and noticed an old woman
sitting in a corner, with a large
Bible before her, and a big pair of
spectacles on her nose. The milk
and bread were soon before the
traveler; upon which he bent his
head to ask a blessing upon the
food. The old woman, on seeing
him bend his head, thought he was
examining the milk and was doubt-
ing its sweetness. She therefore
said, ‘The milk is good, man, it’s
just as God sent it; drink it up,
man!”’

The traveler assured her he did
not for a moment doubt the sweet-
ness of the milk and would gladly
“drink it up,” and, in return, asked
her whether she did the same with
the ‘‘sincere milk’’ of God’s Word,
which He had sent to her, and

“No,” said the boy, ‘‘it is God’s
Word.”

A second order to the same effect
only caused him to grasp his treas-
ure more firmly. A very cruel
command followed.

“Then pull your cap over your
eyes,’ was the mocking retort.
“Soldiers, prepare to fire!’’

For a moment the soldiers hes-
itated, but their leader’s face was
stern. The lad never flinched; he
was not afraid to face death, or
taste its bitterness, because he
knew he should pass through it
into the immediate presence of the
Lord who loved him, and who re-
deemed him at the cost of his own
precious blood. He heard a voice,
unheard by others, whispering to

A SCENE IN AFRICA.

which she then had before her? did she simply | Bible so many years, and not have seen such
believe it, and thus drink it up, as her own to| sweet and glorious truths before.

live upon and grow thereby?
‘Yes, I hope I do,’’ said the old lady.

A happy time these two had together over
that old Bible—our friend delighted to be thus

“Well, then, you know, of course, that all} used of God; and the dear old woman, with

your sins are forgiven, that you have eternal
life, have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, and are just waiting for God’s
Son from heaven?”’

“No, no,” said the old lady, ‘I can not say
all that; I wish I could. Indeed, man, I think
no one can go as far as all that.”

Our friend asked her to turn to the third
chapter of John’s gospel, and lovingly pressed
her to “drink up just as God sent them,’’ the
14th to 18th verses; then other Scriptures
were looked at, such as ‘‘Being justified by
faith, we have peace with God.’ ‘For when

tears of joy, thanking God that the traveler
had been permitted to lose his way, that she
might find the Saviour to be to her “‘the way,
the truth, and the life.”

And now, dear reader, let me ask you, have
you drunk it up, just as God sent it? I mean
His loving, simple Word as you find it in the
Bible. It isno human cistern, no broken cistern
which holds no water; it is the deep, deep well
of God’s love, it is the great stream which lies
before you in that sweet Word of God; by Peter
spoken of as the “sincere—pure—unadulterated
—milk.’ Oh! drink it up, just as God sent it!

his inmost soul, ‘‘Be thou faithful
unto death, and I will give thee a
crown of life.’’

“T will not ‘cover my eyes,’’ he
said, firmly. ‘‘I will look you in
the face, as you must look me in
the face at the great judgment
day.”’

Wonderful words from one so
young at such a time of peril.
Another moment, and he lay shot
through the theart, but his spirit
was with the Lord who gave it.

Dear readers, nowadays few are
called upon to die for their faith;
but do you esteem God’s Word
your dearest treasure? Would you have all
fear of death removed? ‘Then look in simple
trust to him ‘‘who by the grace of God tasted
death for every man.”

Praying Together.

The Governor of Surinam once asked his col-
ored people, why they were so desirous of being
together when they prayed; each one might
pray for himself. - It so happened that he was
standing by a fire of coals. An old colored
woman said to him: Dear Master, if you lay
each of these coals to itself, it will die out; but
see what a glowing fire they give when they
are all together.

—> eo

Ler not thy tongue say what thy heart denies.

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