The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1904, Page 51

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 51

Christ having atoned for our sins, for everyone of our
sins, the greatest as well as the smallest, Satan can
no longer accuse us before God. The crime having
been expiated, the accuser no longer can present
a charge against the criminal; the demands of the
Law have been met and divine justice is satisfied.
But also in another sense has the devil lost his

power over us. In Christ we can victoriously with-
stand his temptations, while before we could not
but succumb to them. Since Christ’s triumph over
the devil our old enemy may not tempt us above
what we are able to bear. Not only is the Serpent’s
head broken and his old prestige gone, but for us
fights He who broke his head and made a show
of him openly, triumphing over him. Christ’s yic-
tory gives us strength successfully to withstand
the assaults of Satan; let us therefore never en-
counter him without recollecting that great victory
which Christ achieved on the tree, for relying on
Christ’s triumph makes us partakers of His victory
and conquerors with Him. Do not, then, be afraid
of Satan’s devices and threats. Strive against him,
but do not fear him. Resist him steadfastly, but
know that he has no power to keep you out of
heaven, since Christ has bruised his head and over-
come the gates of hell.

Should some lust or sharp temptation

Prove too-strong for flesh and blood,

Let me think upon Thy passion,

And the breach is soon made good.

Or should Satan make his way

To my heart, O let me say:

“Jesus Christ for me was wounded,”
And the Tempter flees confounded.

F.J.L.

— ——— 0-2

Faith.

Faith is the eye by which we look to Jesus.
A weeping eye is still an eye; a dim-sighted eye is
still an eye.

Faith is the hand by which we lay hold on Jesus.
A trembling hand is still a hand; and he is a be-
liever whose heart within him trembles when he
touches the hem of his Saviour’s garment that he
may be healed. t

Faith is the tongue by which we taste how good
the Lord is. A feverish tongue is nevertheless a
tongue. And even then we may believe when we
are without the smallest portion of comfort, for our
faith is founded not upon feeling, but upon the
promise of God.

Faith is the foot by which we goto Jesus. Alame
foot is still a foot.
theless comes. — H. Miller.

He who comes slowly, never-_

‘Souls on Board!’’

During a voyage, sailing in a heavy sea, near a
reef of rocks, a minister on board the vessel listened
to a conversation between the man at the helm and
the sailors as to whether they should be able to clear
the rocks without making another tack, when the
captain gave orders that they should put off, to
avoid all risks.

The minister observed, ‘‘I am rejoiced that we
have so careful a commander.’’ The captain: re-
plied, “‘It is necessary that I should be very care-
ful, because I have souls on board. I think of my re-
sponsibility ; and should anything happen through
carelessness, I should have a great deal to answer
for; I wish never to forget, sir, that souls are very
valuable.’’

The minister, turning to some of his congrega-
tion, who were upon deck with him, said, ‘“‘The cap-
tain has preached me a powerful sermon; I hope I
shall never forget when I am addressing my fellow
creatures on the concerns of eternity, that I have
souls on board!’’

ee

Resist the Devil.

An honest Christian farmer had sold a large
quantity of wheat to be delivered. The man that had
bought the wheat trusted the farmer’s well-known
honesty and left him to measure up and forward
the grain. As the farmer, while measuring the
wheat, filled the half-bushel and struck it off evenly,
this thought each time was thrust into his mind:
“Strike a little under, and you will save a bushel be-
fore you are done.’? The farmer resisted it, and still
it kept coming. At last the honest old man turned ©
his head and said, ‘‘Satan, if you don’t let me alone,
I will heap the bushel every time.??

St. James says, ‘‘Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you.’’

Our Glorious Saviour.

It is impossible for a man to be a Christian with-
out having Christ, and if he has Christ, he has, at ~
the same time, all that is in Christ. What gives
peace to the conscience is, that by faith our sins are
no more ours, but Christ’s, upon whom God hath
laid them all, and that, on the other hand, all
Christ’s righteousness is ours, to whom God hath
given it. Christ lays His hand upon us, and we are
healed. He casts His mantle upon us, and we are
clothed; for He is the glorious Saviour, blessed for-
ever.— Luther. _ 5