The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1889, Page 46

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

46

The Lutheran Pioneer.

Accept God’s Word.

Luther says concerning the angelic preachers

of Christ’s nativity: ‘‘But some one may say:

_ Yea, I too would believe, if it were in like
manner proclaimed to me by an angel from
heaven. This amounts to nothing, for who-
ever does not accept the Word of itself would
never accept it for the preacher's sake, though
all the angels preached it tohim. And who-
ever accepts it on account of the preacher,
does not believe the Word,
nor in God through the
Word, but he believes the
preacher and in the preacher,
and consequently his faith
does not endure long.

But whoever believes the
Word cares not who the
person is who speaks it, and
he honors the Word, not for
the person’s sake; but on the
other hand, he honors the
person for the Word’s sake,
always placing the person
beneath the Word. And
although the person passes
away, or falls from faith,
and another preaches, he
gives up the former person >
rather than the Word, con-
tinues in what he has heard,
allowing the individual to
be, to come or to go, when
and as he may and will.

The real difference be-
tween divine and human
faith is that the human runs
after the person, believes,
trusts and honors the Word
for the sake of him who
speaks it. But on the con-
trary, divine faith runs after
the Word, which is God
Himself, believes, trusts and
honors the Word, not for the

sake of him who speaks it,
but he feels that it is so cer-
tainly true that no one could
delineate it more perfectly,
although the same preacher

- attempted it. This is evident from the Sama-
ritans, John 4, 42, who, when they first heard
of Christ from the heathenish woman, and upon
her word went out of the city to Christ, when
they themselves heard Him, said to the woman:
‘Now we believe, not because of thy saying,
for we know now that this is the Saviour of

the world.’”’
——s~< o-oo

Elsie’s Christmas.

In a Jarge house there lived some years ago
a little crippled girl. She had in her room
the loveliest things you could imagine—a chair
which went on wheels, a goldenwinged bird
who sang enchantingly, a little gray kitty, a

white Spitz dog, and a gray parrot with a pink |
ruffle around its neck. She had four Paris
dolls, and a whole library of books, and her
papa and mamma tried in every way they
could to make her happy. Yet sometimes
when Elsie Dean sat by the window, and saw
the little streetsweepers clearing paths through
the snow, she thought that she would willingly
exchange places with them, if she could have
their straight limbs and active feet. She saw

that they often looked hungry and cold and|

and little Mumbo Jumbo, the black boy who
had no jacket, were nearly frozen. But they
were much surprised when Ernest Dean, Elsie’s
brother, came out and invited them, and half
a dozen little fellows besides, to spend the even-
ing with his sister. They went, though they
did wonder at first whether Ernest was in
earnest or in fun, for he asked them, as boys
do, a little bit bashfully, and went to making
snowballs the next moment. And what happi-
ness they had! There sat Elsie like a little

queen in her chair. There

was the tree, and its branches

were loaded with oranges,

cakes, apples and candies,

and for every boy there was

Lule 2, 10.

she knew if they took time to think of it they
must fancy she was far better off than they,
as they watched her up there in her seat among
flowers and birds.

One day she asked her mother if she might
do just what she pleased with her Christmas
money.

‘Certainly, my love,” replied Mrs. Dean,
glad to observe that any plan could heighten
her darling’s pale face.

‘Well, then I would like to buy a Christ-
mas tree, and dress it all up magnificently,
and invile the guests I want to spend Christ-
mas eve.’” x ;

A few days after that the cold was intense.
Pat and Jim, whose shoes were out at the toes,

a pair of new shoes, and a
new comforter, and a stout
jacket. As she witnessed
the success of her evening,
a great delight came to the
child, and while the boys
sang of Jesus, she seemed

done it unto me.”’
Child's World.

>

No Room for Christ.

When Jesus came into the
world there was no room for
Him in the inn. But not
only was He shut out of the
inn. There seemed to be no
welcome place for Him in
the world. From His very
childhood He was a pilgrim
and a stranger. Hence it
is said, ‘‘He came unto His
own, and His own received
Him not.’ And as it.was
in the beginning s0 is it with
many still. In this wicked
world of ours there is very
little room for Christ. With
many there isroom forevery-
thing else—for wealth, pleas-
ure, parties, politics, eating
and drinking, buying and
selling—room for all these,
but for Him who came to bear our burdens,
and to take away the sins of the world, there
isno room. How is it with you, dear reader?
Is there room for Christ?

———s +o oo

Menrr is a work for the sake of which Christ
gives rewards. But no. such work is to be
found, for Christ gives by promise. Just as
if a prince were to say to me: ‘‘Come to me in
my castle, and I will give you a hundred
Horins.’” I do a work, certainly, in going to
the castle, but the gift is not given me as the
reward of my work in going, but because the

prince promised it me.
Luther.

to hear Him say, ‘‘You have ~

=