The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1905, Page 4

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4 The Lutheran Pioneer.

Said another under similar circumstances, ‘‘For
several years past I have followed the doctrines of
Universalist preachers, but find it all a delusion
now. Tell my old friends not to trust in such a
refuge of lies, but to repent and be converted.”

False doctrine will not do ‘‘to hold on by” in
the solemn hour of death.

How different it was with that young Christian
who in his last moments raised himself on his dy-
ing bed, and said to us as we entered -the room:
“I’m going home. To me to live is Christ, and to
die is gain.”

Said an aged Lutheran pastor on his dying bed
to his son who is also in the ministry: ‘‘How easy
God has made dying for us! If we only have Jesus
and know and believe that He out of grace has
gained heaven for us, we die a blessed death. Oh,
never forget to preach this to your people again and
again.”’

In the Gospel of Jesus we have something ‘‘to
hold on by’’ in the solemn hour of death. He that
trusts in this Gospel can, like that little child, quietly
fold his hands in the hour of death and pray:

“JT fall asleep in Jesus’ wounds,
There pardon for my sins abounds;
Yea, Jesus’ blood and righteousness
My jewels are, my glorious dress
Wherein before my God I stand
When I shall reach the heavenly land.”’

. “And Then ?’’

Speaking about New Year’s wishes, a young man
said to a friend of his: ‘‘I wish I would become the
owner of this estate. The new year would be a
happy year for me.” °

‘And then?” said the friend.

‘‘Why, then I’d pull down the old house, and
build a large, beautiful house, have lots of jolly fel-
lows around me, keep the best wines, and the finest
. horses and dogs in the country.’’

**And then?’?

“Then I’d hunt, and ride, and smoke, and drink,
‘and dance, and keep open house, and enjoy life
_gloriously.”’ F

‘And then?”’

‘‘Why, then, I suppose, like other people, I
should grow old and not care so much for these
things.”?

*“And then???

‘“Why, then, I suppose, in the course of nature
I should leave all the pleasant things —and— well,
yes—die,’’

‘*And then???

awe

—= —

‘Oh, don’t bother me with your‘thens!’ I must

be off.’’

Years passed by, when the two met again, and
the young man said to his friend: ‘‘God bless you!
I owe my happiness to you.”’

‘“How?” asked the friend.

“By two words spoken in season on that New
Year’s Day—the two words: ‘And then?’ They
made me think of the foolishness of my wishes and
moved me to care for the eternal welfare of my soul.’’

“*It is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment,’’ Hebr. 9, 27.

“What is a man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul?’’ Matt. 16, 26.

Cast Thy Burden on the Lord.

The Apostle Paul says that we should be anxious
about nothing, but that in everything, by prayer
and supplication, with thanksgiving, we should
make our requests known unto God. That is, in-
stead of worrying and fretting over matters which
might trouble us, we should put them altogether
out of our hands into God’s hands, and there leave
them. The peace of God will keep our thoughts
and hearts in Christ Jesus.

We heard of a poor woman who had been car-
ried triumphantly through a life of unusual sorrow.
She was giving the history of her sad life to a kind
visitor on one occasion, and at the close the visitor
said feelingly:

““O Hannah, I do not see how you could bear
so much sorrow!’?’

- “T did not bear it,’? was the quick reply, ‘‘the
Lord bore it for me.”

‘*Yes,’’ said the visitor, ‘‘that is the right way.
We must take our troubles to the Lord.”

‘*Yes,’’ replied Hannah, ‘‘but we must do more
than that, we must leave them there. Most people
take their burdens to Him, but they bring them
away with them again, and are just as worried and
as unhappy as ever. But I take mine, and leave

them with Him, and I come away and forget them. .

If the worry comes back, I take it to Him again;

and I do this over and over until at last I just for- .

get I have any worries, and am at rest.’’

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known unto God. And the peace
of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,”’ Phil.
4,6. 7.

**Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He will sus-

tain thee,’’ Ps. 55, 22.

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