The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1905, Page 14

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

In the Day of Trial.

Son of God, my Saviour, hear me,
Let me know that Thou art near me,
With Thy presence strong to cheer me
In the day of trial.
Thou hast said Thou wilt not leave me,
Though Thou let temptations grieve me:
Help me, trusting, to believe Thee
In the day of trial.
Let not evil triumph o’er me;
Thou, who sinless sufferedst for me,
From the tempter’s power restore me
In the day of trial.
If Thy providence bereave me,
May Thy loving arms receive me,
May Thy grace, O Lord, relieve me
In the day of trial.
Suffer not despair to claim me,
Discontent or doubt to shame me;
Let no impious rage inflame me
In the day of trial.
May my grief work patience in me
And to hope triumphant win me,
God’s love shed abroad within me
In the day of trial.
To Thy will I would resign me,
For Thy praise Thou didst design me;
For Thy use, O Lord, refine me
In the day of trial.
Let Thy love, O Christ, constrain me;
Let Thy grace, O Christ, sustain me;
Let Thy power, O Christ, maintain me
In the day of trial.
When the shades of death o’ertake me,
Leave me not, nor then forsake me!
By Thy grace victorious make me
In the day of trial. ev. C. E. Craven.

ed

Faith.

Luther says: ‘‘Faith is not man’s opinion and
_ dream, but it is a divine work in us that changes
’ and begets us anew of God. It mortifies the old
Adam, transforms us into entirely different men in
heart, mind, will, sense, and powers, and brings
with it the Holy Ghost. Oh, this faith is a living,
busy, active, efficacious thing, so that it is im-
possible for it not incessantly to do good works.
Neither does it ask whether good works are to be
done; but before the question has been asked, it
has already done them, and is always doing them.
But he who does not do these works is a faithless
man, who is always groping and looking for faith
and good works, and nevertheless knows neither
what faith nor good works are, though he prate in
Many words concerning faith and good works.’

s

: A Happy Old Man.

I met him on the platform of a street car station,
waiting for a car to take him back to the city. He
was one of the veterans that had served under Stone-
wall Jackson and had come to the city to attend a
soldiers’ reunion. His back was bent, his limbs
trembled beside his staff, his clothes were old, his
voice was husky, his hair was white, his eye was
dim, and his face was furrowed. Yet he seemed
full of gladness, not at all put out with his lot. As
his legs and cane carried him up and down the plat-
form, he hummed the lines of the familiar hymn,
‘Jesus, Lover of my soul.’’

‘Friend,’ said I, ‘‘you seem to be a happy
old man?”

‘All are not,’’ said he.

“Well, why then should you be happy?”
‘*Because I belong to the Lord.”’

‘Not all are happy at your time of life.’’
‘*No, sir,” said he, as his form straightened into
the stature of his former days when he marched to
the sound of drum and fife. ‘‘Listen, please, to
the truth from one who has passed his three score
years and ten— The devil has no happy old men!”’

—————

His Missionary Branch.

**You are always working,”’ I said to an ener-
getic young business man whom I called upon at
his office not very long since. ‘‘How many hours
do you put in each day?”’

‘“Twenty-four,’’ he replied, with asmile. I pre-
sume my face expressed my astonishment. ‘‘Yes,’’
he resumed, ‘‘I work ten hours here ; the rest of the
time I work in the antipodes—by proxy, of course.’’

 “T don’t understand,” I said.

‘Let me explain. When I was at school I be-
came deeply interested in the mission cause, and
determined to go out and work in the mission field.
My father, however, died before my plans were fully
matured. His business here was in such a state.
that no outsider without a personal interest could

carry iton. Mother, sisters, and younger brothers

depended upon the profits of the house. I was
obliged to remain here. I determined, however, to
have a representative in the field and assumed the
support of a native preacher. He has gathered a
school and organized a church. This I call the
missionary branch of my business. My man there
is working while I sleep. He is my substitute.

Thus I work twenty-four hours a day for my Master. ¥

I work here for what is necessary to keep my rep-

resentative supplied over there.’’— Selected.

,