The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1892, Page 27

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

wwe Y ew wy

The Lutheran Pioneer. 27

A Young African Hero.

Some of you have hard words to bear at
times because you love the Lord Jesus. But
in some parts of the world people who say
they. believe in him are beaten cruelly, and
even put to death.

In Central Africa, a few years ago, some
boys were burned to death by order of the
king because they were Christians. Yet in
spite of this, a boy of about sixteen years was
brave enough to wish to become a Christian.
He came to the missiouary, and said in his
own language:

‘*My friend, I wish to be baptized.”’

“Do you know what you are asking?’’ said
the missionary in surprise.

“*T know, my friend.’’

‘But if you say that you are a Christian they
will kill you.”’

“T know, my, friend.’’

“But if they ask you if you are a Christian,
will you tell a lie, and say ‘No’ ?’

Bravely and firmly came the boy’s answer:
‘*T shall confess, my friend.’”’

A little talk followed, in which he showed
clearly that he understood what it was to be
a Christian; so the missionary baptized him
by the name of Samweli, which is the same as
our Samuel.

The king found him so useful, that he em-
ployed him to collect the taxes, which are paid
in cowries, little shells, which in Africa are
used instead of money.

One day, when he was away on this business,
the king again got angry with the Christians,
and ordered that all the leading ones should
be killed. Samweli’s name was found upon
the list. As he came back he heard of the
death that was awaiting him. That night, when

it was quite dark, the missionary was awak-

ened by a low knocking at the door. It was
Samweli and his friends, come to know what
he should do. Shoule he run away, or must
he go and hand over the money he had col-
lected? After a silence the missionary said:
‘Tell me what you think.’’

Looking up, Samweli replied: ‘‘My friend,
I can not leave the things of the king.’’

His friends earnestly begged him to fly, but
the missionary said: ‘*No, he is right. Hehas
spoken well; he must deliver up the money.”

They all knelt down in prayer together, the
missionary wondering sadly if he should ever
see the young hero again.

“Ny friend, I will try to start early, and
leave the cowries with the chief,’’ said the lad,
as he set off; ‘‘but I fear my carriers will not
be ready till after daylight, and if I am seenT
shall be caught. Good-by.”’

But God kept him. He went boldly to the
chief’s hut, put down the cowries, and walked
away. He went again a few nights after to
tell the missionary, who said: ‘*You ran when
you got outside.’’

‘No, my friend, or I should have been
noticed’at once. I walked quite slowly until

I got out of sight, and then I ran as fast as I (which he had kept all the while close in his),
could and so I escaped.’’ he thus addressed him: ‘‘Joseph, in his folly,
This is a true story, taken from Mr. Ashe’s |Had laid this up to keep him in his old age;
book, ‘“I'wo Kings of Uganda.’”’ It shows the but Joseph will never see old age; take it,
love of Christ can make a boy brave to do his and divide it among the poor friends of the
duty even in the face of danger and death. |Lord Jesus, and tell them that Joseph gave
‘In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.”” it them for Ilis sake, who came into the world
The Children’s Record. |to save sinners, of whom he is the chief.’’
So saying, he reclined his head. His exertion
in talking had been too much for him, so that
he instantly expired.

The congregation where Joseph heard the
glad tidings of salvation through Christ was
large and fashionable. Most of them, it may
be, were occupied with themselves and their
own thoughts and persons. They went, per-
haps, tosee and to be seen, as is often the case,
and listened heedlessly to that which was
spoken. But not so with poor Joseph. He
listened as to a voice from heaven—he drank
in every, word. With others, the word fell like
seed on stor ground, or by the wayside.
Their mind~ yére intent on other things; and,
perhaps, arter leaving the door of the church,

they never once more thought of what they
had heard, although it was God’s Word; but
Joseph received it as God’s-Word, and not as
man’s word, and treateditas such. Heheard
itas with theears of hissoul. He held it fast,
and thought upon it. Others cared for the
things of this world, and slighted the good
news of salvation; but Joseph, after he heard
it, cared for nothing else. His mind was in-
tent on his salvation. He knew that he was
a sinner, and his soul clung to Jesus as the
Saviour of sinners; for he believed what was
written in the Word of God, that Jesus came

‘Soon afterward Joseph was seized with fever, |into the world forthis gracious purpose. Jesus
and was dangerously ill. As he tossed upon |died, ‘tthe just for the unjust.”? He ‘put
his bed, his constant language was, ‘Joseph |away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,”’ that he
is the chief of sinners; but Jesus Christ came |might bring us to God.
into the world to save sinners, and Joseph loves
Him for this.”’

Some one finding out where he heard this
doctrine, on which he uniformly dwelt with so
much delight, went and asked Dr. Calamy to| Once a little girl who loved her Savior very
come and visit him. Hecame; but Joseph was |much for having so loved her, came to her
now very weak, and had not spoken for some minister with four dollars for the missionary
time, and though told of the doctor’s arrival, society.
he took no notice of him; but when the doctor | ‘How did you collect so much? Is it all
began to speak to him, as soon as he heard the |Your own?””:
sound of his voice, Joseph sprang upon hisel-| ‘‘Yes, sir; I earned it.”
bows, and, seizing his hands, exclaimed as loud “But how, Mary? You are so young and so
as he could, with his now feeble and trembling poor.”’
voice, ‘*O Sir! you are the friend of the Lord} ‘“‘I earned it by collecting rain water and
Jesus, whom I heard speak so well of Him. |selling it to washer-women for two cents a
Joseph isthe chief ofsinners; but it isafaithful |bueket. Tharis how I got this money, sir.’’
saying, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who} “‘My dear child,’ said the minister. ‘*I am
made all things, came into the world to save very glad to hear that your love to your Savior
sinners, and why not Joseph? O pray to that |has led you to work so long and patiently for
Jesus for me; tell Him that Joseph loves Him |Him, and now I shall gladly put down your
for coming into the world to save sinners as |name as a missionary subscriber.”

Joseph.’? The doctor prayed; when he con-| ‘‘Oh, no, sir, please; not my name.”
cluded, Joseph thanked him most kindly. He} ‘‘ Why not, Mary?”

then put his hand under his pillow and took
out an old rag, in which were tied up five |but Him; I should like to be put down as
guineas, and putting it into the doctor’s haud ‘Rain from Heaven.’”’

>-°<>e

Poor Joseph.

A poor, weak-minded man, named Joseph,
whose employment was to go on errands and
carry parcels, passing through London streets
one day, heard the singing of Psalms in Dr.
Calamy’s church. He went into it, having a
large parcel of yarn hanging over his shoulders.

The doctor, after a while, read his text from
1 Tim. 1, 15, ‘‘This is a faithful saying, and
worthy of acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief.’*

From this he preached in the clearest manner
the ancient and apostolic Gospel, that there is
eternal salvation for the vilest sinner, through
the worthiness of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, who made all things.

Joseph, in rags, gazing with astonishment,
never took his eyes from the preacher, but
drank in with eagerness all he heard. Trudg-
ing homeward, he was overheard muttering to
himself, ‘‘Joseph never heard this before!
Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who made all
things, came into the world to save sinners
like Joseph; and this is true, and it is a ‘faith-
ful saying!’ ”’

ooo

Rain from Heaven.

**Please, sir; I would rather no one knew