The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1885, Page 47

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‘The Lutheran Pioneer. 4%

The African Boy and the Christmas Gospel.

Isaac is the name which in baptism was given
to the little African boy of whom our story
treats. He lived in Africa and one day watched
his father’s sheep. In the field near by there
was another boy—a stranger. As children are
wont to do they soon came together to chat
and play. After a while the strange boy took
a book out of his bag and began to read. Now
little Isaac_at_that time was a heathen child
aud did not know anything about reading. He
was afraid of the book and wanted to run away
as if it were a snake. But the strange boy ex-
plained the matter to him. He told him that
the black letters in the book were put together
to form words and these words would then tell
stories and other things. He invited him to
sit down and he would show him how it was
done. He then read from the second chapter
of the Gospel according

~to St. Luke-the-beauti-

ful Christmas _ story
about the Babe of Beth-
lehem. Little Isaac list-
ened attentively and
then said, ‘*That must
have been a wonderful
child. Where is itnow?
Can I see it?’”’ “Oh,”
said the other boy, ‘‘Je-
-sus~is-always-near. us,
although we see Him
not. If you want to
hear more about this
Child, go to the mis-
sionary station, where
the teachers will tell
you more about this
Child Jesus.”’

Little Isaac, with the permission of his father,
soon left -his flock of sheep like the shepherds
of-old and hurried away to the distant missio-
nary village to find the Saviour of Bethlehem.
He arrived there on Saturday évening and was
given a home by a kind Christian woman. On
Sunday morning little Isaac for the first time
heard the ringing of the church bell and saw
the people hurry away with their books. He
did not know what it meant. In the after-
noon the bell rang again and the people left
their homes. Isaac now followed them and
soon entered the missionary church where he
heard the congregation sing a Christmas hymn
and listened attentively to the missionary’s ser-
mon on the great love of God, who gave His
only-begotten Son to a sinful world, that who-
soever believeth in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life.

After the services he went to the home of
the missionary who told him more about the
Saviour of sinners. By the grace of the Holy
Spirit little Isaac became a child of God. The
Bible, which was presented to him, was his
greatest treasure. At one time, pressing the
Bible to his heart, he said, “I cannot give this

book away; it has led to the Child of Bethle- |
hem, in whom I have found and still find all I}
need.”” He proved a blessing to his family |
and to many others, and remained faithful to|
the end. He often said, ‘‘In Jesus, who is the |
light of the world, the true God and eternal |
life, we find strength to bear the burdens of |
this life, and peace and salvation. He who!
does not believe in Him is poor even if he has|
all the treasures of this world; he has no com- |
fort in life and no hope in the hour of death; |
for there is no other salvation and there is}
none other name under heaven given among |
men whereby we must be saved but the name
of Jesus.’’

Reader, we need not, like people in heathen
countries, make a long journey to find the
Saviour of Bethlehem.
midst and is brought to us in the manger of
the Gospel. Believe in Him and be saved.

He is preached in our}

about sin and of Him who was born in Bethle-
hem as the Saviour of sinners. He rejoiced in
the Christmas story and confessed his faith in
the Saviour. After having partaken of the
Lord’s Supper he lay with folded hands—an
image of perfect peace. I left the boat and
passed through the streets to my home. People
were coming from the market with their Christ-
mas presents, and in many a home the Christ-
mas tree was lighted, and I thought of old
Simeon down on the river and of the beautiful
Christmas present that was prepared for him.
Before morning he had fallen asleep in Jesus

}and had gone to be with the Saviour forever.

It was a blessed Christmas night.
—s—+ oo > oe

For Jesus’ Sake.

One of the little orphan boys in John Falk’s
German Charity-school said at the supper-table

Bethlehem, the Saviour’s Birthplace.

A Blessed Christmas Night.

A pastor in one of the river towns relates the
following: :

It was Christmas Eve. Our Christmas-tree
was ready to be lighted, and the children were
waiting with eager hearts, when some one
knocked at the door. A tall woman stepped
in and called for the pastor. She looked at me
intently and seeing my white hair she said,
““Yes, you are the gentleman whom he wishes
to see.’’ I still did not know what she wanted.
At last she said, ‘‘We live in a boat down on
the river. We have often come to this city
and my father has always attended your
church. He now lies on his dying bed and
wishes to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Please
come quickly.”’ I went with the woman down

their usual grace:

“Come, Lord Jesus,
be our guest, and bless
the food Thou hast pro-
vided.”

A lad looked up and
said:

“Tell us, teacher,
why the Lord Jesus
never comes.”’

“Dear child, only be-
lieve, and you may be
sure that He will come
to us some of these
times; for He always
hears us.”

“Then,” replied the
bright lad, ‘“T’ll set a
chair for Him;’’ and he
put one by the table.

By-and-by a knock
was heard at the door. A poor traveler was
admitted, and asked for food and lodging. The
little fellow looked at the stranger a few mo-
ments and then piped out:

‘Ah, I see! Jesus could not come to-night,
and so He sent this poor young man in His
place. Is that the way, teacher?”’

“Yes, my boy, that is just it. Every cup
of water or bit of bread we give to the poor
and hungry for Jesus’ sake, we give to him.
Inasmuch as we do it to the least of our
brethren we do it unto our Saviour.’

——s+o- or oe

A Child’s Faith.

A mother, with her three children, was cling-

to the river. ‘There we live,” she said, point-| ing to the wreck of the steamer Bohemia, when

ing to one of the boats. We stepped into the
boat and in the cabin I found an old man with
a kind and friendly look. He had lived a
long life; he had fought in the battles of his
country and had made many a voyage. All
that was left to him now was his widowed
daughter and a grandchild. I spoke to him

the mother said she must let go and be drowned.
Her little girl replied, ‘“Hold ona little longer,
mother. Jesus walked upon the water and
saved Peter, and perhaps he will save us.’”’ The
little girl’s words so strengthened her mother
that she held on a few moments more, when a
boat was sent to their rescue.