The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1905, Page 68

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68

The work of illumination the Bible also calls Re-
generation. Those who have learned to know Jesus
as their Saviour, who trust and believe in Him, the
Bible calls regenerate persons. They have been born
again of the Holy Spirit and are now new creatures.
A new life has been enkindled in them by the gra-
cious working of the Gospel, and they now bear
new fruits of the Spirit.

Conversion is another name applied to this work
of the Spirit. It is called so because by working
faith in our hearts the Holy Ghost has turned us
away from sin to Christ, from the devil to God.
When the prophet (Jer. 31, 18) says, ‘‘Turn Thou
me, and IJ shall be turned; for Thou art the Lord,
my God,”’ he speaks of our illumination by the Holy
Ghost as a conversion.

May the Holy Spirit, who has dispelled spiritual
darkness from our eyes, created a new life within
us, and turned us from the way of damnation to the
way that leadeth to salvation, continue and bring
to perfection the gracious work He has begun in us.

. F. J. L.

Comfort for Pious Ministers.

‘‘And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from
henceforth thou shalt catch men,’’ Luke 5, 10.
This is a word of special comfort for pious minis-
ters who fear that their preaching might be in vain,
that the world was too wicked, and would not be
converted. Christ says, Where my Word has free
course, and I command it to be preached, there it
shall prosper, as Peter succeeded with his draught
of fishes, by my order. Let the devil rage or laugh,
the Word shall prevail and bring forth fruit, that
many shal] believe in the Son of God, receive the
forgiveness of sins, be justified and saved to the in-
heritance of eternal life. As a sure pledge and sign
He has given us His Word, Baptism, the Supper,
and Absolution, which are His nets to gather in
His own from the world in which the devil rules as
prince and god, thus saving them from the tyranny
of the world and the snares of Satan, preserving and
strengthening them in the faith, that they should
not be condemned with the world.— Luther.

oo o>—____.

Dead or Alive?

As dead fish swim along with the current, but
the living fish against it, in like manner dead Chris-
tians go with the stream of the sinful world, but liy-
ing Christians against it. ;

Which way are you swimming in this stream?

The Lutheran Pioneer.

God is Everywhere.

That is strange. Just think; there is no place
where God is not. If you had swift wings and
would fly to the loneliest spot on earth, you would
not be alone. God would be there with you. When
you go to your bed of an evening, and repeat your
prayer, God is with you and hears what you say.
When you get awake at night, and all is dark and
quiet in the house, God is still there, and is watch-
ing over you while you sleep. When you are at
work, when you go to school, when you play, all
the time God is with you. He is everywhere.

And since God is everywhere, it is not a hard
matter for Him to know what you do and say. He
sees how you behave yourself. If you are cross and
fretful, if you disobey pour parents, if you say bad
words, you may be sure that God knows all about it.
How careful you should be, then, that you never act
or speak in such a way as to offend God. When you
are tempted to do wrong, always bear in mind that
God sees you—that God is every where.— Messenger.

— 20oe- - —

Christ Our Guide.

A pastor in England was once staying with a
lady, whose coachman had given up drinking, but
afterwards gave way to drunkenness again. This
lady said to her guest as he was departing: ‘‘Now,
this coachman will drive you to the station; say a
word to him if you can.”’

Whilst driving along, the pastor was waiting for
the opportunity, when, all at once, the horses were
frightened; but the driver had them well in hand.
The carriage swayed to and fro, but the man piloted
the horses well to the station. It was hard work,
and the coachman, lifting his hat and wiping the
perspiration, said, ‘‘I say, that was a close shave.
It might have been a smash-up.” ;

‘“Well,’’ inquired the pastor, ‘‘how was it it did
not happen ?’’

““Why,”’ replied the man, ‘‘because I knew how
to manage the horses.”’

“‘Now,”’ said the pastor, ‘‘look here, my friend,
I’ll give you a bit of advice—here’s my train com-
ing —I hear you have begun drinking again. Throw
the reins of your life into the hands of Christ. There
is no strength in you,to overcome sin, but there is
all strength in Him.’’

The train pulled in, and as the pastor boarded
it, he again said to the coachman, ‘‘Now don’t for-
get, my friend. Throw the reins of your life into
the hands of Christ.”’