The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1902, Page 12

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12 The Lutheran Pioneer.

with this; but then she began to doubt again

- whether ‘‘with all these things’? she would

gain the forgiveness of God. She kept ask-
ing, ‘‘What shall I do to blot out all my sins?’’
Her distress became greater, no time was to
be lost; for the sunlight of the coming day was
to rest on the corpse of this unhappy woman.

As I had not myself heard her confession,
I could do no more than address to her fresh
words of consolation. But the day came on,
and with its approach her terror grew. Her
soul thirsted for release from her guilt. What
troubled her was no longer the thought of
death, but that of eternal damnation. She
herself mentioned all the pious sisterhoods to
which she had belonged, she repeated all the
promises of different indulgences she had re-
ceived; but all that, she felt, brought her soul
no peace,

After I had tried every way in vain to give
her peace and comfort, and had told over all
I knew to quiet the anxious soul and refresh
it, I said at last, without myself knowing the
full meaning of my words, ‘‘And the blood
of Jesus Christ —is it of no avail for us?’’
‘tYes,’? she replied, grasping for it as a drown-
ing person for a straw, ‘‘the blood of Jesus
Christ will count something for me.’’ Said I,

- “T believe it will count not something, but

everything. For the blood of Jesus Christ the
Son of God cleanses us from all sin.”’ ‘‘Is
that true?’’ she asked amid fear, doubt, and
hope. ‘‘Yes,’’ I replied, ‘‘for so the Apostle
John tells us in the name of God.’’

‘Oh! why have you not told me that be-
fore?”? she cried out. ‘‘For if this blood
makes me quite clean, then I fear nothing.’’
I myself rejoice at the quiet which now spread
over the features of the criminal. But after
sitting in silence a while she said again, ‘‘The
blood of Jesus Christ can wash all sins clean;
but what must I do to have it wash me clean?’’
‘My daughter,”” was the answer, ‘look up to
Jesus on the cross and make the words of
Jesus with which He breathed out His spirit
your own, ‘Into Thy hands I commend my
spirit.” So Jesus died; so you will die; in
God’s hands no evil will reach you.’’

The criminal arose from her chair, cast her-
self on the floor, and cried, ‘‘The blood of
Jesus makes me quite clean; into Thy hands,
O Lord, I commend my soul, that Thou wash
it quite clean.”’

It was eleven in the morning, and we left

. the chapel to go to the gallows. When we

came to the Casa del Sol I noticed that the
murderess again uttered words full of despair.
“tT have sinned,”’ she cried, ‘‘and I go to the
presence of my God with my guilt. What
shall Ido?” Tstepped nearer to her and said,
“Juana, you are to do nothing, but the blood
‘of! Christ eyerything.’’? And as if with this
‘word all her peace was restored, in which
all Bos Tye rested, Oe cried out, “His

conn my spit I wal not cease
stil I die”? oi

All this recurred to me vividly that day
when I had torn up that little book. If I
had seen that woman die in peace through the
power of the blood of Christ, why did I tear
up the book which was handed me with the
words, ‘‘The blood of Jesus Christ’’? I felt
regret for the hasty act, and at once retraced
my steps through Alcala street. The leaves
of the little book which I had torn up had all
been driven away by the wind; but its red
cover I found still lying in a corner. I took
it up and again read the title, ‘‘Indeed, there
is a Saviour, even for you.’”’ Again I thought
of the words with which the man had given it
to me, ‘‘The blood of Jesus Christ.’’

This question suggested itself: ‘‘Either I
was deceiving that poor woman at the portals
of eternity as I commended to her this blood
of Jesus, or I said to her what I myself really
believed. No, no; I did not deceive her. I
told her what I myself believe, that it per-
fectly saves. Then why will I not for my-
self accept the blood of Jesus Christ, which
cleanses from all sin? And has that woman
gone to purgatory? Did she not die with the
cry upon her lips, ‘Jesus, receive my spirit?’
Why should He receive it? In order to leave
it polluted as before? Oh, no; Jesus is not
one to turn away from those who come to
Him. We commit our souls to Him that He
may cleanse them from all that is bad. And
cleansed and justified by faith in Him we can
no more enter into torment, but must enter
into the peace of the fellowship of God.’’

Icould not get rid of these thoughts. They
moved me a few weeks later to visit s Protes-
tant service. And by divine dispensation the
first sermon I heard treated of those very
blessed words: ‘‘The blood of Jesus Christ,
His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.’’ That was
the beginning of my conversion. And, blessed
be God! what I merely repeated from memory
to that woman, is now become the source of
my daily joy. — Exchange.

. ——s +o or oe

The Outlook from the Editor’s Window.

READERS OF THE PIONEER will be deeply
pained to learn that Prof. R. A. Bischoff of
Concordia College, at Fort Wayne, Ind., is
seriously ill. Our dear professor, who is a
warm friend of missions, has most unselfishly

devoted his time and labor to the Pioneer|

ever since it was published, and has edited it
in an admirable manner these many years.
We fervently pray that the patient may not
only be spared, ut that he may be speedily
restored to robust health, and that the Lord
continue to bless’ his work most abundantly.

Rey. D. H. Scuoorr of Meherrin, Va., is
also suffering from a severe disease. It is
feared that he my be unable to attend to his
duties for some time to come. Let us hope
that God’s hour to grant His servant full re-
covery may come before it is expected, and
enable him to continue his soul-saving work.

te

A SMALL NUMBER of colored students are en-
rolled at Concordia College, Springfield, Ill.
Several are in the theological department.

IT WAS RECENTLY DECIDED to assign another
teacher to both St. Paul’s and to Bethlehem
at New Orleans. The schools having an enroll-
ment of 167 and 105 pupils, respectively, the
missionaries are overburdened in the crowded
schools, and cannot bear the burden any longer.

Rey. G. Scnvesster at Chicago, Ill., sends
the gratifying news that he has made arrange-
ments to preach to a number of colored per-
sons who desire his services.

Tue Dear-Mute Mission recently made an
appeal for aid. Perhaps you can spare some-
thing to help it along. If so, pray, remember
the unfortunates. It will prove a blessing to
you, as well as to them.

Acknowledgment.

Received for colored missions of Rev. J. Koss-
mann from Bethlehem Church in New Orleans, La.,
$25.00; of Rev. F. J. Lankenau from St. Paul’s
Church, New Orleans, La., 25.00; of Rev. M. Wein-
hold from St. Paul’ 's Church in Mansura, La., 50.00;
of Mr. John McDavid from Holy Trinity Church in
Springfield, Ill., 10.00.

St. Louis, Mo., Febr. UW 1902.

A. C. Buraporr, Treas.

Evangelical Lutheran Colored Churches,
New ORLEans, La.
EV. LUTH. ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL.
1625 Annette Str., between Olaiborne and Derbigny.

Divine services: Sunday morning at 9) o'clock.
Sunday evening at 7
Wednesday evening at 40 o'clock.

Sunday School: Sunday morning at 10) lock.
maalt poatecharmeny class meets at 734 i clbor Tuesday

Singing ar eeboo! meets at TH occek Friday evening.
J. LANKENAU, Missionary.
EV. LUTH. MOUNT ZION CHUROH.
Cor. S. Franklin and Thalia Strs.

Divine services: Sunday morning at 11 o'clock.
Sunday evening a

clock.
Thursday evening aay o'clock.
ponday, School: Sunday morning at 94 o’clock.
Adult Plostechumen class meets at 74 o'clock Friday
Young, Bes ple’s Concordia Circle ans Singing School
mect Wednesday evening at 734 o'cloc!
RL re Ca TOR Missionary.
EV. LUTH. BETHLEHEM OHAPEL.
Cor. Washington Avenuc one Dryades Str.
Divine services: pads evenin at 05.0, c100%:
a

ay cvening 4 o'clock.
Sunday School at 9 Porclovk.
Adult catechumen class every Tucsday at 734 o'clock and

after the divine service on Thursday evening.
Choir practice at 734 o’clock on Tucsday evening and
after divine service on Thursday even ng.
Circle for Young People meets at the school cvery Tucs-
day evening at 734 o'clock.
J. W. F. Koss8MANN, Missionary.

Ey. Luth. Holy Trinity Church.

Springfield, Ml.
anes services at half ate 10 o:6lock Sunday morning
Sanaa ace pelos Sones ay event ing.
a; lock
Cate chamen class meets Monday and Friday evenings.
Binging- school Tuesday evening.

TERMS:
HERAN PIONEER is published monthly,
paranis ial advance at the following rates,
oa to-wit

tions to be addressed to
Son ne Cog House, ” Jefferson Ave. and

ae St., St.Louis, Mo.
ditorial de-
All communications coneernin the ot Baars

Sonvordia Get Galtere Fort Svayne, rantnds