The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1906, Page 37

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

37

fully in the mission field and leave the results to
Him who never breaks His promises. We are to
be faithful in planting and watering, and remem-
ber that it is God who gives the increase. Our
faith rests upon His Word and is sure that our
work is not in yain. To the eye of faith many
things are clear that to the eye of sense are exceed-
ingly dark. It is our part to see to it that what we
do, also in the mission field, springs from faith in
Christ and out of a sincere desire to honor Him.
We may then calmly rest upon His own word: “He
that reapeth receciveth wages, and gathereth fruit
unto eternal life; that both he that soweth and he
that reapeth may rejoice together,’ John 4, 36.
So the Holy Ghost cheers the heart of the tired
with the word: “Let us not be weary in welldoing;
for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not,”
Gal. 6, 9

“Be thou not weary, for the. work is great,

And time is short, the laborers are few;

Soon, soon to all, will close the vineyard gate,

Do well and truly what thou hast to do.

“Be thou not weary, slacken not thy zeal,
Sow broadeast, for the harvest comes at length;
E’en now thy Master does Himself reveal,
Look thou to Him for all the needed strength.”

a

Patient in Affliction.

A pastor who labored many years among the
colored people relates the following:

Among the colored men was a sugar boiler.
His name was Robert. For several years he was
dreadfully afflicted and had to suffer much pain.
It was thought that his affliction had been caused
by a drop of boiling sugar falling on his arm whilst
he was at work. ‘The place broke out and the sore
spread, so that his fingers fell off. The disease

went to his head, and his eyes fell out, as also_

_pieces of his skull. His feet were likewise affected,
and came off. Yet he bore all this with wonderful
patience, at times even rejoicing in the hope of ‘be-
ing received to the place prépared for him by the
Savior in His Father’s house, where there is no
death, neither sorrow nor crying.

The last time I visited him I could not bear to
look upon him, but only talked to and prayed with
him at the door of his cabin. When I asked how
he was, he said he was just waiting the Lord’s time
when He should call for him. “Massa,” said he,

“two hands gone; two eyes gone; two feet gone;

no more dis carcass here. © massa! de pain some-

times too strong for me; I must cry out, and pray
to de Lord for His help.”

When near the end of his life, he exhorted all
about him to cling to the Savior and to be sure to
live to God. He spoke many words of comfort
especially to his wife, who faithfully cared for him
all the time of his affliction until he departed to be
with the Lord, in whose presence is fullness of joy
and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore.

a ee

Comfort in a Cloud.

In a lonely cottage there lived a poor woman,
who was overwhelmed with trouble and sorrow, but
who always appeared cheerful and happy; for she

Colored Lutheran Mission School in St. Louis, Mo.

was a child of God and trusted firmly in His
promises.

One day a friend of hers, who had come to visit
her, said, “Why, Mary, you must have very dark
days; they must overcome you with clouds some-
times.”

“Yes,” she said, “but then I often find there is
comfort in a cloud.”

“Comfort in a cloud, Mary?”

“Yes,” she said, “when I sit here by the window
burdened with trouble, and see the clouds in the
sky, I think of the words: ‘A cloud received Him
out of their sight” And that reminds me of His
promise: ‘Let not your heart be troubled. I go to
prepare a place for you. I will come again and re-
ceive you unto myself, that, where I am, ye may be
also” He will come again ‘in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory,’ and all His children
will be gathered home-in our Father’s house.”