The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1901, Page 14

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14

The Lutheran Pioneer.

(For the LUTHERAN PIONEER.)

The Seventh Commandment.

(Concluded. )

- “Thou shalt not steal,’’ says the Seventh
Commandment. It does not say, ‘‘Thou shalt
not steal much.’’ No. It says, ‘‘Thou shalt not

- steal.”? We must remember that the amount
taken does not enter into consideration. The
man that steals a nickel is just as much a thief
as is he that steals a hundred dollars. The
employee that cheats his employer out of an
hour’s work transgresses this Commandment
just as much as did the unjust steward who
defrauded his lord out of 10,000 talents.

- Human laws may distinguish between greater
and smaller transgressions and inflict punish-
ment accordingly. But it is not so with God’s
laws. God’s Word condemns evil thoughts as
though they were deeds, and declares envy
and avarice to be theft. And why is it that
God’s Law makes no distinction between so-
called greater and smaller sins? Because every
sin is a disobedience to God. Were sin no
violation of God’s Law, then no sin, not even
the greatest, would condemn a man; but now
everybody that sins disobeys God; an appar-
ently small sin is a disobedience to God, as
well as a seemingly great sin. As certainly
as such disobedience is damnable, so certain
is also every sin damnable, be it seemingly
ever so small. Now, God says, ‘‘Thou shalt
not steal ;’’ and if you steal a penny, you have
disobeyed this Commandment just as much as
if you had stolen a fortune; yes, if you only
lust after what is not yours, you have dis-
obeyed this Commandment and become a thief
before God. —

*tOwe no man anything, but to love one an-
other,” says Paul, Rom. 13,8. Two things
the apostle here tells us. First, let nothing
belonging to your neighbor be in your posses-
sion, be not guilty of robbery, theft, or fraud.
Secondly, however, know that you owe your
neighbor your love, which, with respect to the

. Seventh Commandment, means that you should
always be ready to assist your fellow-man in
word and deed, that his property and business
may be increased and preserved from harm.

We should remember that this Seventh Com-

mandment is transgressed by sins of omission

as well as by sins of commission, that we dis-
obey God no less by leaving undone that which
is good than by doing what is evil.

The merchant is in need of customers, the
laborer needs work; the physician must have
patients, the owner of houses must have ten-
ants. Ifyou are a merchant, you are thankful
_ if your neighbors send you new customers; if

“you are a laborer, you are pleased to have your
“friends call your attention to work; if a phy-
" sician, you appreciate the kindness of others
vhen they bring you patients; if you own a
1ouse, you are grateful to have someone bring
tenant. Isit not so? Know, then, that
fall things whatsoever ye would that men
id do to you, do ye even so to them,”

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Matt. 7,12. If your house would be in dan-
ger from some cause or other, you would be
thankful if told of the fact; go, then, and do
your neighbor the service which you would
have him do you. If your fences should be
blown down by a storm, leaving your growing
crops exposed to the ravages of roaming cattle
and hogs, you would appreciate your neigh-
bor’s kindness in telling you of it; go, do to
your neighbor what you would have him do
to you.

But this Commandment also imposes upon
you a duty towards those who have no property
and business. ‘‘To do good, and to commu-
nicate, forget not,’’ says God’s Word, Hebr.
13, 16. When the poor and needy come to
you, do not forget that Jesus says to you,
Matt. 5, 42, ‘‘Give to him that asketh thee,
and from him that would borrow of thee, turn
not thou away.” Remember that ‘the that
hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the
Lord; and that which he hath given will He
pay him again,” Prov. 19,17. Let us ever
have before us the blessed example of our mer-
ciful Saviour, and looking to Him for grace say
with the pious poet:

“‘Lord, let me do to others
As Thou hast done to me,
Love all men as my brothers,
And serve them willingly,
With ready heart, nor seek my own, ~

But as Thou, Lord, hast helped us,
From purest love alone.’’

he became a Lutheran, of his work among our
people in the South as a Christian teacher, and
of the severe trials he now undergoes among
false brethren in his vicinity. He also reminded
us of what great privileges we enjoy in haying
the Word of God preached to us in its truth
and purity, and admonished us to faithfully
hear and adhere to it. Not being a commu-
nicant of any church just then, he requested
us to accept him in this church.

It is needless to state that as he was bap-
tized, confirmed, and still holds to the Lu-
theran faith, we accepted him, and extended
to him all the rights and privileges of our
church.

Mr. Burkhalter is among the first fruits of
the colored Lutheran mission. He is still
steadfast and firm in the faith. This should
be some encouragement both to those who
support the mission and to our missionaries.
It is true, they meet with so many sad experi-
ences. They have to complain with St. Paul,
that many a one, like Demas, has forsaken
the Word and begun to love the world. But
thanks be to God that many remain faithful
to Him and His church; another instanceof
this we have in Mr. Burkhalter. — May God
bless both our missionaries and teachers and
their churches and schools. J. McDavip.

a Oo

The Purpose of Sorrow and Suffering.

And when our selfish heart would hold us
back from doing our duty, then let us hush
its clamoring and sing:

“Yea, Lord, ’twas Thy free bounty gave
My body, soul, and what I have
In this poor life of labor;
O grant that I may through Thy grace
Use all my powers to show Thy praise,
And serve and help my neighbor.’

F. J. L.

God chastens and disciplines those whom
He would bring into eternal life: they suffer
many severe trials of sorrow and of pain, of
misfortunes and tribulations, yet God is their
friend. We all have our griefs and pains, and
if we candidly ask ourselves: Had this trouble
not come upon me, would I not have fallen
into some other calamity or sin, and is it not
better thus, when God by these trials keeps
me in faith and brings me to His Word and
keeps me at prayer? I say, if we candidly
look at our experience in this light, we shall
surely find that God is not our enemy, even
if He smites us; but that He in reality mani-
fests His love toward us, and would by this
discipline keep us from eternal misery. If,
therefore, we feel the infliction, let us not
suppose that God is angry with us, or that
He cares not for us. He disciplines us be-
what became of him no one knew. Most of|cause we are His children, that we may not
his old friends thought he was dead, or that|fall short of the inheritance which He has in
he had become a prey to sectarianism. -| store for us.

But to the joy and surprise of all he was| If, now, the Christian is afllicted, he ought
found recently living in the southern part of |20t to indulge in effeminate complaints and
Illinois, and still asincere Lutheran. Assoon|lamentations, but should remember that he
as we were aware of this fact, we opened cor-|has a merciful God in heaven, who has not
respondence with him, and invited him to|forsaken him nor any of His children; who
visit us. Last Christmas we had the pleasure | Sends these trials and sorrows as reminders
of entertaining him as our guest. All of his/Of man’s trespasses, and as a call to repent-
old friends in Springfield, Ill., were more than | 2nce and to a more faithful obedience and filial
glad to see him. During his stay in our midst | love. — Luther.
he heard four sermons, and partook of the OT
Lord’s Supper. He also delivered a lecture} Hx that walks most with Christ will know
to our congregation, in which he told us how} most of the glory of Christ.

—_—>--< —_

(For the LUTHERAN PIONEER.)

Mr. P. N. L. Burkhalter.

This name will appear very familiar to most
of our older Lutheran members, especially of
the congregations at New Orleans, La., and
in North Carolina. He was the first colored
school-teacher that worked among them. He
gave up mission work some time ago; and