The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1904, Page 27

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

274

sorrow they know there is one heart that feels with
them and has compassion on them. It is the heart
of Jesus. ‘‘We have not a High Priest which can-
not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need,’”’ Hebr. 4, 15. 16.

=o

“Where Are Your Sins?”

A young girl came to see her pastor in regard to
the welfare of her soul.

“‘T am trying to be saved,’ she eadly said, ‘‘but
find no rest.’?

‘How are you trying?”’ asked the pastor.

“Tam praying, and going to church and striv-
ing to keep the Commandments.”

‘‘Flow are you, succeeding?”’

“Not very well,’’ she sorrowfully answered.

“Do you not see that in all this trying you are
leaving Christ out, as truly as if there were no
Saviour who has come down from heaven to deliver
us from sin and its dreadful consequences?”’

‘Oh, I believe,’” she quickly said.

“You do? Let us see. Do you believe that
Christ died upon the cross?’’ ;

‘Ves, I know it.”’

‘How do you know it? You were not there to
see Him die.”’

‘*T know it, because God says so in His Word.’’

“Do you believe, then, whatever God says in
His Word?”’

“Yes, sir.”

‘*Well, why did Christ die upon the cross???

‘He died for our sins.’’ ;

‘‘You are correct, for God says over and over
again that He died for our sins. Your sins were
upon Him, therefore, when He was nailed to the
cross, were they?”’

‘Yes, sir.’’

‘*Where is Christ now?”’

“He is in heaven.’

“You are right again, for God so tells us in His
Word. Are your sins upon Him now??? ~

‘No, sir.”?

“‘Observe, your sins were upon Him once when
He was nailed to the cross, and to-day He is in
heaven without them. Where are your sins?’’

She looked down for a few moments in deep

-

-thought, and then raising her eyes, a peaceful

“smile played over her face, as she said, ‘‘They

must be in the grave.”’ A

\

She henceforth had rest and peace, not by try-
ing to be saved, but by trusting for salvation in the
finished work of Christ, who bore our sins in His
sufferings and death and burial, and who left our
sins in the grave when He rose triumphantly from
the dead. Those who believe in Him know that
their sins are put away. They have peace and sal-
vation, and may sing with rapture—

“Tis finished all: our souls to win,
His life the blessed Jesus gave;

Then, rising, He left all our sin
Behind Him in His op’ning grave.’’

———

Easter Comfort.

Many years ago a German nobleman traveled in
the Turkish empire during the Easter season. Near
a Turkish city he saw a man drawing a plow in the
field and heard him sing with a loud voice Luther's
Easter hymn: ‘‘Christ is risen.’’? He rode up to
the man and asked him who he was and whence he
came. The man replied that he was a German
Christian and had been captured by his Turkish
master, in whose service he was compelled to work
like a slave. He knew, he said, that in this life
there was no hope of liberty for him. So he was
patient dnd contented, and remembering that this
was the season in which the joyful Easter festival
was celebrated in his German home, he had begun
to sing the beautiful Easter hymns, which he still
retained in his memory from his boyhood days; and
which ‘filled his heart with sweet Easter comfort. ~

—~ >

God Hears Prayer.

Missionary Hahn, after years of labor among
the heathen, was visited with severe sickness, and:
a fellow missionary waited at his bedside, hourly
expecting his death. The heathen converts to
whom Hahn had been preaching about Christ
dearly loved their pastor, and when they heard of
his illness, they thought it their duty to do some-
thing for him that he might be restored to health.

-

And what do you think they did? They met and ©

prayed earnestly to God to spare the life of their be-

their prayers would be answered. They arranged
their pastor’s room for him, as he was taken sick
away from home, and proceeded just as though
they were sure that God would do as they asked.
And it was so. The sick man began to mend, and
His life was spared for

was soon ‘at work again.
many years. ;

loved missionary. And they had no doubt but that :