The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1889, Page 30

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

Our Letter from Meherrin, Va.

Dear PioNEER!

As it is a part of your glorious Mission to
bear news from the Mission field to the homes
of your dear readers, your correspondent respect-
fully requests you to grant him some space in
your valuable columns. He feels convinced
that you will comply with his request with all
the more cheerfulness as you do not frequently
receive intelligence from this portion of the
Lord’s vineyard.

Thursday, April 25th, was a joyful day for

~ the little flock of Lutherans at Meherrin, Va.

On that day it received into its membership
seven adults, six by Confirmation and one by
Holy Baptism. The evening preceding, the
Candidates were examined by the resident
Missionary, Alfred Brauer, in the presence of
Rey. ©. J. OehlschJaeger of Richmond, who
had come to administer the solemn rite of con-
firmation. The Candidates made a good public
confession of their faith, answering cheerfully
and distinctly, to the joy and satisfaction of all

“present. On the morrow following the exam-
ination, they were admitted into the Commun-

- jon of the Ev. Luth. Church and with their
brothers and sisters received the Holy Supper
from Rev. C. J. Oehlschlaeger according to its
institution by Christ.

* Last January a class of 13 was confirmed,
andthe 7 on this last occasion make a total of
20 for the year. These few items show that
the Lord’s word is not being proclaimed in vain.
We need only to labor faithfully and commit
the result into the hands of the Almighty.
Patience specially must be exercised in the
reecue of the perishing in this vicinity. Dense
ignorance and gross superstition reign supreme
and can only gradually be overcome. To this
may be added the spiritual destitution and
moral degradation prevailing among deceivers
as well as their many deluded victims. Many
difficulties, sad disappointments and discourage-
ments are especially met with in the’ case of
older persons: But the blessings received and
the zeal evinced by the little flock gained are

“an incentive to continued and increased exer-’
tions. If we consider the success of this past
year, we can cheerfully work on, confident of
victory; nor are promising indications with
regard to the future altogether wanting. But
if there is any place of darkness that needs
illumination with the light of God’s Word, this
is that place. We would therefore in conclu-
sion, ask all good Lutherans to remember our
Mission ‘at Meherrin in their prayers for the
extension of the Redeemer’s kingdom. —r.

_ The Comfort of Baptism.

wi our blessed Saviour instituted the eacra-
men| of Baptism as a means of bestowing His
¥e upon sinners is 80 plainly stated
jptures that there is no excuse for
denial. Not only in a few cases is

this expressed, but it is declared or clearly im-
plied in every passage which mentions its de-
sign. In the commission given to the apostles
they were commanded not only to preach, but
algo to baptize, our Lord thus joining together
the two means by which He designed to effect
His saving purpose; and in the promise which
was joined to the command He again mentions
both, declaring that ‘‘he that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved.’’ Accordingly He
says to Nicodemus:. “ Verily, verily I say unto
thee, except a man be born of water and the
Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of
God,” John 3, 5. Accordingly too the apostles
of our Lord everywhere taught. They answered
the question, ‘‘Men and brethren, what shall
we do?’’ by saying, ‘‘Repent, and be baptized,
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ,
for the remission of sins.’’ Acts 2, 37. 38. To
Saul it was said: ‘‘ Arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins.’’ Acts 22, 16. And as
he was taught so he, when he had become the
apostle Paul, taught again. Thus he eays to
the Galatians, ‘‘As many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ;”’ and
to Titus he writes: ‘‘ After that the kindness
and love of God our Saviour toward man ap
peared, not by works of righteousness which
we have done, but according to His mercy He
saved us by the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on
us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Sav-
iour.” Gal. 8, 28. Tit. 3,4—6. Such mercy
secured to us through Baptism ministers great
comfort to believing hearts.

There is great comfort in the provision which
is thus made for children. These are born in
sin and thus under condemnation, being ‘‘ by
nature the children of wrath, even as others.’’
Eph. 2,3. We pray for them that they may
be saved, but God answers our prayers by His
appointed means. And He has provided a
means that is applicable also to children. They
can not yet Jearn to know Christ by the preach-
ing of the Gospel, but they can be brought to
Him in Baptism and thus ‘‘put on Christ.’
Christians ought to know better than to say
that the dear Saviour does not want little chil-
dren in His kingdom and has provided no way
of bringing them in. They ought to know
better, if they know Christ at all as the Saviour
of the World. They ought to know better,
especially, if they have read the Scriptures.
For these tell us, “The promise is unto you
and to your children,” Acts 2, 39; and they
relate that our Lord, when young children
were brought to Him and the disciples rebuked
those that brought them, ‘‘was much displeased
and said unto them, Snuffer the little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of
such is the kingdom of God.” Mark 10, 18. 14.
That loving Lord is of the same mind still,
assuring us that He will receive children when
we bring them to Him in Baptism, without
which, as He Himself declares, no one can enter
into the kingdom of God. John 3, 5. By this
holy sacrament of eee special provision

is made for children, and it is a great comfort
to know that babes can thus be brought to
Christ and be made to share the riches of His
grace.

And more than this: Baptism is an inex-
haustible source of comfort to our hearts in
view of our own sin and the judgment that is.
tocome. We have indeed the consolation in”

Christ presented richly and daily in the Gospel, *

which assures us of the good will of God toward
all men and the redemption that was effected
through Jesus’ death for every man. But the
flesh never ceases to trouble us, often suggesting
doubts whether that general proclamation of
pardon to a rebellious world really can be
meant for such sinners as we, knowing our
hearts best, see ourselves to be. Against such
doubts of our own weak hearts we place the
fact of our Baptism, in which God has singled
us out individually, and made a covenant with
us, and given His pledge and seal of grace and
pardon to such baptized person separately and
singly. That is not a general proclamation, to
all men, but a particular document, signed and
sealed, that is given to the individual. How
can Christians be indifferent in regard to a
divine institution that is so full of the richest
comfort?—L. S.

The Lutheran Doctrine of the Lord’s
Supper.

It is the true Body and Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine for us
Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by
Christ Himself. (Luther’s Catechism.)

Concerning the holy Supper of the Lord, it
is taught, that the true Body and Blood of
Christ are truly present, under the form of
bread and wine, in the Lord’s Supper, and are
communicated and received. (Augsburg Con-
fession, Art. X.) :

Concerning the Sacrament of the Altar, we
hold that the bread and wine, in the Eucharist,
are the true Body and Blood of Christ, which
are administered and received not only by pious,
but also by impious persons. (The Smalcald
Articles, Art. VI.)

We believe, teach and confess, that in the
Lord’s Supper, the Body and Blood of Christ
are truly and essentially or substantially pres-

ent, and with the bread and wine are truly

administered and received. * * *

We unanimously reject and condemn the
Papistical trans-substantiation, that the bread
and wine in the Lord’s Supper lose their sub-
stance and natural essence or character, and

thus are annihilated; and that those elements —

are in such a manner transmuted into the body
of Christ, that the external form only remains.
(Formula of Concord, Art. VII.)

+o ee
THe Word of God will stand a thousand
readings; and he who has gone over it most
frequently is the surest of finding new wonders
there. ‘

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