The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1888, Page 37

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Ghe Autheran Pioneer.

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SSIONARY MONTHLY.

PUBLISHED BY THE HvaNcELIcaL Luraeran SynopicaL CONFERENCE OF Nortu AMERICA.

R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor.

Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-clzes matter.

Vol. X.

St. Louis, Mo., October, 1888.

Reformation.

When Rome had shrouded earth in night
God said again, Let there be light!
And Luther with the Gospel came

~ To spread the truth in Jesus’ name.

When Rome the saints of God oppressed
And burdened souls could find no rest,
Through Luther God deliv’rance sent
By His pure Word and Sacrament.

Though hosts against us stand arrayed,
Christ bids us still, Be not afraid!
Though all its powers the truth assail,
The gates of hell shall not prevail.

To-day with joyful hearts we sing
The guardian care of Christ our King,
Who through His chosen instrument
To us hath this salyation sent.

O Lord, whose mercies still endure,
Preserve to us Thy Gospel pure;
Let it alone within us reign,

That Thine the glory may remain.
Selected.
+ © <a ©

The Reformation Festival.

Lutherans celebrate the festival of the Re-
formation with becoming gratitude for the many
“blessings secured for us by this work of God.
The Reformation was God’s work, and Luther
was the instrument in God’s hands to restore
the pure Gospel to the church of God. When
Luther was born, all was darkness; for the
light of God’s truth lay hidden under the rub-
bish of Romish errors and superstitions. The
“pope and his priests pointed the people to other
“saviours than the Lord Jesus Christ. The
Gospel truth which makes men free was cast
aside, and falsehood which leads to slavery was
‘preached in its stead. The way of salvation
was darkened and those who should have been
guides into that way were intent on leading
souls into by-paths in which they must be lost.
‘Luther himself, anxious for his soul’s salvation,

“became a monk and a priest of the Romish

church. He tried hard to find peace for his
poor troubled soul in all the false services of

‘the pope’s church. But no peace could he find

until God opened to him the Bible. From
‘God’s Word he learned that Jesus is the only
Saviour of sinners. In the Gospel of Jesus he
found peace and rest. By the light of that

No. 10.

Gospel he saw what wicked things the church
of Rome taught the people to believe instead
of God’s truth. This Gospel, whose saving
power he had experienced in his own heart, he
loudly proclaimed for the salvation of sinners
and boldly defended it against all its enemies.
He set forth the pure truth and warned against
all false guides. He preached Christ as the
only name by which salvation can be obtained.
He made plain the way of justification by faith
in Jesus. Luther thus brought the Gospel to
the people, and by this Gospel God Himself
carried out the work of the Reformation. Lu-
ther says: ‘I did nothing but teach and preach
the pure doctrine of Christ and translate the
Gospels, and then laid me down and slept aud
rose again. The Holy Spirit did the rest through
the Gospel. ” Thus the victory.was won.” We
still enjoy its fruits and its blessings. We have
the pure Gospel now, and celebrate Reformation
Day with becoming gratitude. But a gratitude
which bears no fruit is worthless. The true
children of the Reformation, enjoying its great
blessings, will help to bring them to others,
whilst they give praise to the Lord who gra-
ciously bestowed Een:

What Then?

Iam a Christian. What then? Why, Iam
a redeemed sinner, a pardoned rebel, all through
grace, and by the most wonderful means which
infinite wisdom could devise.

Iam aChristian. What then? Why, Iam
a temple of God, and surely ought to be pure
and holy.

Iam aChristian. What then? Iam a child
of God; and I ought to be filled with filial love,
reverence, joy and gratitude.

Iam a Christian. What then? Why, I am

a disciple of Christ, and must imitate Him who,

was meek and lowly in heart, and pleased not
Himeelf.
Iam a Christian. What then? Why, Iam

an heir of htaven, and hastening on to the

abodes of the blessed, to join the full choir of
glorified ones in singing the song of Moses and
the Lamb; and surely I ought to learn that
song on earth.—

Shining as the Stars.

A recent English paper gives an account of
the rescue of a youth from drowning in the sea
by an humble but brave young man, who for

this heroism was elected a member of the Royal

Humane Society. He was of course invited to
attend the annual meeting of the Society, and
found himself in the midst of Lords and Ladies
and Earls and Countesses and distinguished
personages, from whom he would have con-
sidered it the highest honor to receive recogni-
tion. More than thirty persons who had been
saved from drowning were the guests on the
occasion, and at a given signal these marched
through the opened ranks of the illustrious
company. assembled. A youth was noticed to
look eagerly into the faces of the crowd as he
passed, until suddenly breaking from the pro-
cession, he threw his arms about the neck of
the young man, kissing his face and calling
him. his deliverer, amid the tears and plaudits
of noblemen. This young man shone as a star
that evening, and was more than repaid for his
kindness and courage. How will it be with the
believer who reads this? Will no one step out

|from the vast throng of the saved to thank the

Lord for a kind word spoken, for a single
effort to lead the soul to Christ?
———>~+ <> >

Rain from Heaven.

Once a little girl came to her clergyman with
three dollars and fifty cents for missions.

*«How did you collect so much? Is it all
your own?”’ asked the clergyman.

‘© Yes, sir; I earned it.’’

“But how, Mary? You are so poor.”

‘©Please, sir,’’ answered the child, ‘“‘ when I
thought how Jesus had died for me I wanted
to do something for Him, and I heard how
money was wanted to send the good news out
to the heathen; and as I had no money of my
own, I earned this by collecting rain-water and

| selling it to washerwomen at a penny a bucket-

ful; that” is how I got the money for mis-
sions, sir.’

‘My dear child,” said the clergyman, ‘I~

am very thankful that your love to your
Saviour has led you to work so long and pa-
tiently for Him.”