The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1893, Page 27

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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Susannah.

Susannah lived at Abbeokuta.
was Susannah?

You bad better ask first, ‘‘ Where is Abbeo-
kuta,’’ for I should like to tell you a little
about it. Susannah was not a robber, but she
lived in what was once a robber’s cave: at
least that was the beginning of Abbeokuta.

No doubt you have heard of the horrors of
the slave trade, and how, years ago, out in
Africa, men, women, and little children were
seized by those stronger than themselves, put
in chains, and sent across the sea as slaves,
to work in America and the West Indies. In
certain districts the poor black people lived
in constant terror of being taken by these
eruel slave-hunters.

Now there was in the Yoruba country, in
Western Africa, by a river-side,
piece of land, and
under one of the huge
rocks was a large
cave, which was the
abode of robbers;
but for some reason
or other the robbers
cleared off and went
somewhere else.

By-and-by some of.

these poor black
people found out the
cave and thought it
would be a nice place
to hide in away from
the slave-hunters.
Presently some more
came, and at last
there were so many
that they built huts
among the rocks, and
planted the ground,

And who

a wild rocky

|sannah remembered she might do some work
|for the Master, and, calling after her, she
said, ‘‘Suppose you stop and go with me to
God’s house.’’

She replied she could not go to a Christian
place of worship with all the heathen orna-
ments and charms with which her arms and
feet were covered.

‘“Do not mind them,’’ answered Susannah,
‘they need not hinder you, nobody will ob-
serve them.’’ And at last the christian and
the heathen went together to the house of God.

How newit all was to the poor ignorant black!
The attention, the reverent behavior, the prayer
to an unseen Being, the beautiful words of
the service, astonished her greatly. But when
the preacher began his sermon, she listened
|in wonder and delight to the story of the cross,
the like of which she had never before heard.
And as he went on she loosed her ornaments ;

”

The Roman Slave.

Blandina was a Roman slave girl; one of
a despised, down-trodden race, for whom life
held little of love and less of pleasure. When
to her was made known the story of Jesus’
love, it filled her heart to overflowing with

gratitude. Was it possible, the Incarnate God

Himself loved her? that He had stooped to a
slaye's death to redeem and bless the slave?
Matchless grace! To her heart the name of
Christ became exceedingly precious; but her
fidelity was to be sorely tried. A fierce per-
secution of the Christians was then raging in
Rome. Blandina was arrested. ‘The delicate
girl of sixteen was racked, scourged, and her
flesh torn with iron hooks to induce her to
deny her Redeemer. In vain. All that torture
could wring from her was the repeated dec-
laration: ‘‘lamaChristian!’’ ‘*I am a Christ-
ian!’’? words which
seemed to support
her wonderfully.

When exposed at last
to be torn by wild
beasts, a calm, sweet
smile rested upon
her face, and with~
the name of Christ
upon her lipsthe poor
slaye passed home to
the glory-land.

Dear young rea-
der, the Bible speaks
of all who are not yet
God’s children as be- -
ing slaves to sin.

What a dreadful
fact! But the Lord

a

=>

ON THE JORDAN.

and were not afraid
any longer of their enemies. And they called
the name of their town Abbeokuta, a word
which means in their own language ‘‘under
the stone’? — because of the cave in which
they first took refuge. x

Something better still happened to them
after this. The missionaries came and brought
them the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And now, beneath their orange trees and ba-
nanas, and amongst the rocks under which
they first found shelter, a happy Christian
people dwell at this same Abbeokuta.

Here it was that Susannah lived. She had
once been a heathen. She was black still in
her outward form, but her heart had been
made white, washed in the blood of Jesus;
-and she did all she could to bring others into
His fold. ; :

One Sunday morning a woman came to her
‘to ask some question about the market and
other matters; but Susannah was just getting
ready to go to church and would not be de-
tained by her visitor. ev
; gene woman turned to go away, when Su-

one after another she let them drop gently on
the floor, till béfore he had ended not one was
left. What did she want of such things as
these, if that Saviour of whom she heard could
saye and keep and defend in life and in death?

She became a regular attendant, and soon
wished to be baptized. But there was one
thing that troubled her—a very sad thing.
She had pawned her only child! Some time
before, she had owed about five shillings, and
having no means of paying it, had put her
little girl in pawn for that sum. Hier friends
soon found means to pay the money and re-
store the child, and the mother’s joy was great.

I think Susannah’s joy must have been
hardly less to think that not only had she
made ‘a mother and child happy, but that, by
God’s grace, she had been the means of turn-
ing a soul from heathen darkness to christian
light.

Do you not think we might take a lesson,
and learn from black Susannah what a blessed
thing it is to bring others into the fold of our
Lord Jesus Christ?

‘Jesus died a slaye’s
death to redeem the
slave. Is His name
=z precious to you as it
was to this poor child, who could rejoice amid
the bitterest suffering that she was ‘‘counted
worthy to suffer shame for His name’’?

a oe ee
7

Can’t Catch It.

Children, what is it that you can never catch,
even if you were to chase after it as quickly as
possible with the swiftest horse in the world?

You can never catch the word that has once
gone out from your lips.

Once spoken, it is out of your power: do
your best, you can never recall it.

Therefore, take care what you say, for ‘‘ In
the multitude of words there wanteth not sin;
but he that refraineth his lips is wise.””— Prov.
10, 19. — Bible Circle Monthly.

i

“Our of Christ as the way, there is nothing
but wandering; out of Christ as the truth,
nothing but error; out of Christ as the life,
nothing but eternal death. —Look unto Him
and be saved.”’