The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1885, Page 43

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

43

“God Says | am Saved.”

Not long since, writes a Christian physician,
I was asked to visit a young girl, about seven-
teen years of age, who had injured herself, and
was thought to be dying. I had known her fur
some time, and was aware she was very del-
icate, but on calling learned she had fallen out
of bed, and received an injury to the back of
her head, which would eventually prove fatal,
it was judged. Being under the care of another
surgeon, I had nothing to do with her treat-
ment, so after making a few inquiries as to her
bodily suffering, which was great (specially
when moved by others, for she was almost
completely paralyzed), I began to speak to her
about the state of her soul.

‘Are you quite happy?”’ I asked.

“No, sir.’’

“Why? Are you not saved?’’

“T am not sure.”’

“But why are you not sure?
do you believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ?’’

“Yes, but I don’t feel saved.”

“Do you feel lost?”’

“Yes, I do;’’ and she now
began to weep.

“Why do you know you are
lost?”’

“Because Iam a sinner, and
God’s Word says so.’’
——UThon-you-_boliove His Word,—
do you?”’

“Oh! Yes, sir, indeed I do.’’

“Well, then, His Word says,
‘Look unto Me, and be ye
saved ;’ do you believe that?’’

“Yes.”

“But are you looking to Je-
sus?”’

“Yes, sir, but I don’t feel as I
should like to.’”

“Granted; but does it say,
‘Look unto Me and feel saved??’’

“'No.”’

“What then?’’

“Be ye saved.”

‘What?’

‘Be ye saved.”

‘When is that, to-day or to-morrow?”’

“When I look.’’

“But are you looking?”’

“Yes, I am really looking to Jesus.’”

“Then are you saved.’’ She paused a mo-
ment and then firmly replied:

“T don’t feel it, but God says I am saved.
Isee it now.’’ The next moment her eye lit
up, and her pallid face told the tale of a new
spring of joy having been opened to her.’’

‘‘Well,’’ I said, ‘if any one were to come in
and ask you now if you were saved, what would
you say?’’

“T would say ‘Yes.’”

‘‘And if they asked you how you knew it
and were sure of it, what would you say?”

God says in His Word, that whosoever believeth |
in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting
life; and though I don’t feel it, I do believe
what God says.”

“Then you rest your soul on Jesus and on
God's Word?’’

“Yes, sir, Ido; and I could die happy now.
I'd like to go at once to Jesus.’’

“You have uo fears?”’

“No, none.”’

“No doubts?”’

“No; why should I? I see it all clearly.
I'm only a poor sinner—and Jesus died for me—
and I believe in Him—and God says I’in saved
—and so I know Iam.”

I had a little more conversation, and called

THE LAST JUDGMENT.

the joy the knowledge of God alone can impart.
Leaving town for a few weeks, I found, on my
return, that she had lingered about a month,
giving a constant bright testimony of Christ
to all about her, and full of quiet, calm rest
and joy in Christ until the end, had at length
passed to be forever with Him.

And now, dear reader, a word with you
about the state of your soul. Are you saved—
or lost? Which? Don’t shirk the question.
It must be answered soon. The longest life
has its end. Who has given you a lease of
long life? A long eternity you shall have.
Where will you spend it? Another day may
find youin it. Gone forever from earth, where
Christ died, ‘suffered for sins once, the just
for the unjust that He might bring us to God.”’
Gone where? With Christ? Or without Him?
Would it be without Him? You tremble to
say ‘“‘Yes.”’ List the voice of love speaking
to you—speaking from heaven—‘Come unto
Me”’—‘‘Lovok unto Me’—“I am Jesus’’—‘‘By

“JT would say that I do believe in Jesus, and| Me, if any man enter in he shall be saved.”

You have naught to do but take your true
place as a lost sinner now before God. Acknowl-
edge your sin. It’sall summed up in the sweet
confession of the dying girl. May you this
day be able to say like her, ‘I’m only a poor
sinner—Jesus died for me—I believe in Him—
God says I am saved and so I know Iam.”

“Rise my soul! behold 'tis Jesus,
Jesus fills my wondering eyes;

See Him now, in glory seated
Where thy sins no more can rise.”

A Story of the Bible.

Some years since, an American ship, sailing

two days after to find her truly filled with joy|on the South Pacific Ocean, struck a hidden
jand peace in believing. Her face shone with| rock, and speedily filled with water.

The cap-
tain and crew, seeing she would
soon go to pieces, took to the
long boat and started out to find
land or a friendly vessel. For
two weeks, they went on without
seeing either sail or shore. On
the morning of the fifteenth day,
an island rimmed with coral reet
came into view. As they drew
near this, they saw the people
of the island thronging the beach.

The sight of these people filled
their minds with the greatest
anxiety. They knew that the
inhabitants of many of the islands
Were savages and cruel; and sit-
uated as they were, they were
afraid to venture towards the
shore, lest a worse fate than that
which had already befallen them
might be theirs. If these half
naked natives were only waiting
to murder them, or sacrifice
them to their gods, it were bet-
ter for them to still trust the
chances of the sea.

While they were thus debating the matter,
one of the natives dashed down through the
surf, and, holding a book aloft, cried, in good
English, and with a loud voice, ‘* Missionary !’’
‘‘Missionary!’’ In an instant their fears were
abated, and they turned towards the shore.
The book they felt sure was the Bible; and the
missionary had been there, to teach its blessed
truths. Nor were they disappointed. The
natives rushed to meet them, helped them
through the surf, and, when they had gotten
them safely to land, provided for all their
wants with Christian kindness and love.

Just such assurances does the Bible ever
bring to human hearts. Infidels may scoff at
it, and make light of its teachings; but to the
doubtful and fearing, its presence is always a
delight, and its power a sure defence. God
help us to prize His blessed word more and
more.—Young People's Monthly.

WHATEVER is worth doing at all, is worth é

doing well.