The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1887, Page 2

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

The Lutheran Pioneer.

The Bell in the Sea.

In a traveller's account of his voyage we read
the following:

Of the coast of Wales a large bel] has been
placed in the sea to warn vessels against too
near an approach to the shoals above which it
swings. It is so placed that at every motion
of the waves, however slight, it sends forth its
sound. The people of a town that lies along |
the shore, more than a mile distant, may not
hear it among the din of business; or if they
hear, they may not heed it, because used to its
tones, as the ticking or striking of a clock in}
our room is after awhile totally enntticedl
But whether forgotten or remembered, the bell |
is sending forth its signals of danger or its
softer notes, day after day, and night after
night, and hour after hour. |

Sometimes when the gale has rushed across}
the bosom of the Atlantic it rings a wild and!
rapid alarm; sometimes it almost
seems to shriek amid the sullen
moanings of the storm; some-
times at the touch of the rip-
pling breeze it tells of gladness,
like the chime of marriage bells;
and sometimes as the wind is
sinking into a great calm its
melody steals over the water like
sweetest music. Merchant ves-
sels may speed along the track
of trade; tempest tossed mari-
ners may struggle to gain the

i port; pleasure parties may sail
around it with song and shout;
funeral barges may pass it with
the remains of the dead; but its
voice is never silent, and to all
it conveys a lesson if they have
ears to hear.

The bell in the sea reminds us

‘ of ‘‘the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever,’’ (1 Pet. 1, 23). Although too often

unheard or unheeded, it is sounding its solemn

warning and its tender entreaties each day of

the year. Without it the soul would be stranded

and wrecked upon the dark shores of a hopeless

eternity. y

Its terrific declarations of God’s
wrath against sin are the notes of warning to
arouse sinners from their deadly slumber. Its
assurances and promises are the notes of silvery
sweetness that come floating across the waters
to delight the child of God. They are heard
every morning as he renews his voyage heaven-
ward; every evening as he lies down toslumber,
a day’s sail nearer home; in every hour of
trouble; in every night of sorrow; in every
time of trial, ringing out more and more clearly
as he approaches ‘‘the shining shore.’’ May
the Lord lead us to listen to the word, only to
the word, constantly to the word. And may
we recognize in it God’s own voice and yield
to His will a happy obedience in all things!
‘Blessed is the people that know the joyful
sound,’’ (Psa. 89, 15). i

The Wealth of Heaven.

The wealth of heaven never perishes, never
departs, never ceases, never brings with it care
or envy or blame, destroys not the body, cor-
rupts not the soul, is without ill-will, heaps not
up malice; all which things attend on earthly
wealth. That honor lifts not men into folly,
doth not make them puffed up, never ceases
nor is dimmed. Again, the rest and delight
of heaven endureth continually; ever being
immovable and immortal, one cannot find its
end or limit. Nothing which comes to an end
is much to be desired; whatever ceases, and
to-day is, and to-morrow is not, though it be
very great, yet it seems little and contemptible.
Then let us not cling to fleeting things which
slip away and depart, but to those which are
enduring and immovable.— Chrysostom.

‘The Infant Saviour.

As with gladness men of old

Did the guiding star behold,

As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward, beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee!

As with joyous steps they sped

To that lowly manger bed

There to bend the knee before

Him whom heaven and earth adore,
So, may we, with willing feet,
Ever seck Thy mercy seat!

As they offered gifts most rare

At that manger rude and bare,

So may we with holy joy, ’
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,

All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus every day

Keep us in the narrow way,

And when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

An African New-Year’s Card.

Of course all boys and girls know what the
cactus is—a green, grotesquelooking plant, al-
most covered with spines and bearing a most
gorgeous flower; but I am sure they do not
know all of the uses to which the cactus can
be put, nor do I believe that the most ingeni-
ous guesses could come near to the truth.

It is a native of America, but it has been
taken to Europe and Africa, and now grows in
the latter country in great profusion. But,
after all, the oddest use of the cactus prevails
in Cape Town, South Africa, where its leaves
are made to serve the purpose of visiting-cards.
Fancy carrying about in your coat-pocket a lot
of thick leaves covered with spines as sharp as
needles! But, waita moment. The leaves of
the particular kind of cactus so used are not
very prickly, and, moreover, they are not
carried about, but left growing on the plant,

which stands at the foot of the

front steps.

When a lady calls she has
only to draw out one of those
ever-ready hat-pins, with which
ladies are always provided, and
with the sharp point scratch her
name on the glossy, green sur-
face of a leaf. A gentleman
generally uses the point of his
pen-knife. The lines turn sil-
very white and remain on the
leaf, clear and distinct, for years
and years. On New Year's day,
these vegetable cards are espe-
cially convenient, and ladies who
wish to keep the calls of that

* day apart from those of other
days, appropriate a branch of
the cactus to that purpose.

One gentleman in Cape Town
has a cactus plant which is nearly fifteen feet
high. Its great thick leaves are almost all in
use as visiting cards, so that he has a complete
and lasting record of his visitors. It cannot
be said that this practice adds to the beauty
of the plant, but then it is oddity and not
beauty that is desired in such cases.

-There is one cactus, not so plentiful as that
just described, which is of a very accommodat-
ing character. It not only has smooth leaves,
but the spines it has are so large and stiff that
they can be used as pens for writing on the
leaves.—NV. J. ;

7 <Po o

Gop’s presence is enough for toil and enough
for rest. If he journey with us by the way, he
will abide with us when night fall comes; and
his companionship will be sufficient for direction
on the road, and for solace and safety in the
evening camp.

THERE are two words that should take up
most of our thoughts and cares; namely, time
and eternity. Time, because it will so soon be
at anend; and eternity, because it will never
come to an end.