The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1904, Page 10

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10

The Lutheran Pioneer.

Such is a hurried illustration of the teachings of
the Bible as to the way of salvation. Salvation is
given for nothing. Itis by grace through faith in the
finished work of Jesus, the Saviour of sinners. This
teaching gives all the glory of our salvation to God
alone. It is humbling to the pride of the heart,
and therefore offends human nature and feeling.
But it is the only true way of salvation; for salva-
tion is in Jesus only —a full and free salvation.
‘*Neither is there salvation in any other; for there
is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved,”’ Acts 4, 12.

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The Saviour’s Invitation.

In the Gospel sinners are invited to come to the
Saviour for rest and salvation. Jesus says, ‘‘Come
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest.’’

With respect to these Gospel invitations there
are only two courses that can be taken. They must
either be accepted or rejected. There is no middle
way. To ignore them, or to put off considering
them, is simply to reject them.

“The Saviour invites thee, my friend,
O what shall thine answer be?
Wilt thou bid Him welcome, or reject
His offer of pardon so free?

“The Saviour invites thee, my friend,
O list to His tender voice!
And come to Him for peace and for rest,
And in His salvation rejoice!’

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Prayer Before Going to Church.

Merciful God and Father! Thou seest that by
reason of my depraved nature I have no delight in
Thy Word, and that I so easily permit the devil,
my own flesh and blood, the children of the world,
also false teachers and preachers, and other trivial
causes to keep me away from it, and that I am too
indolent and careless to hear and preserve Thy
Word.

Therefore, I now pray Thee, O eternal God, for-
give me this my inbred indolence, and do Thou
give me a heart willing and apt to hear and medi-
tate upon Thy Word. And make in me such an
earnest longing that I may have a desire for the
sincere milk of the Divine Word, as a newborn
babe. Help me, that I may find my chief delight
in Thy Word. May there be nothing in this world
dearer to me than Thy Word. May I love it more

than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and always
regard it as my best treasure.

And as I, alas! have lived to see the time which
Thy dear Son Himself foretold, that false Christs
should arise and do wonders, that, if it were pos-
sible, even the elect should be deceived, I pray
Thee that Thou wouldst graciously defend and pro-
tect me from error and false doctrine. Keep me in
Thy truth, for Thy Word is truth, that I may cling
to the same as heavenly truth, and remain stead-
fast in the same unto death.

Grant this for the sake of the honor of Thy most
holy and blessed name. Amen.

From The Little Treasure of Prayers.

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A Safe Habitation.

Spurgeon relates: In 1854, when I had been
scarcely a year in London, my neighborhood was
visited by Asiatic cholera. Also my congregation
suffered severely. Daily I was called to sickbeds;
nearly every day I stood at a grave. With youth-
ful zeal I served the sick and hence was called upon
from all sides. No wonder that I was soon worn
out and fell sick myself. Then, in the providence
of God, as I was returning cast down from a burial,
out of curiosity I was led to read a paper fastened
up at a shoemaker’s window. It was no advertise-
ment, but the words written in a firm hand: ‘‘Be-
cause thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge,
even the Most High, thy habitation, there shall no
evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh
thy dwelling.’? This verse from the 91st Psalm
affected me wonderfully. By faith I could make it
my own, as though written for me, and felt safe and
refreshed. Quiet and full of peace within, I con-
tinued my sick visits, and felt no fear, and remained
unharmed by the plague.

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Christians Should Judge All Doctrine.

Luther says: “If a Christian would be careful
and diligent, though he had nothing but the Cate-
chism, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the
Lord’s Prayer, and the Words of the Lord concern-
ing Baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar, he
would be well able to defend himself and hold his
own against all heresies. For the Lord commands
and empowers all Christians to judge all doctrine,
and to decide what is right or wrong. For you must
be absolutely sure in this matter that it is the Word
of God, as sure as you live, and even more. For on
such ground alone your conscience must stand.’