The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 3

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 3

no hunger, no heat, no cold, no destruction, no
wants, no sorrow. It will be a life without death,
a day without night, security without fear, pleasure
without pain, beauty without blemish, righteous-
ness without sin, good without evil, truth without
deception, happiness without sorrow. ‘There will
be no burdens to bear, and all will shine and glow
in unchangeable glory, Rom. 8, 18.

The saints in heaven will rejoice and be glad,
for they will behold their God forevermore, 1 John
3, 2, and look upon the glory of their Savior with-
out ceasing, John 17, 24. That will constitute their
greatest happiness, that then they will behold their
God and Savior from face to face and see Him
as they are seen; for in God’s presence is fullness
of joy, and at His right hand there are pleasures
forevermore, Ps. 16, 11. How happy is the sub-
ject of an earthly ruler when allowed to look upon
his king’s face and be in his presence! How in-
finitely happy, then, must be the heirs of eternal
life when there they will behold the King of all
kings who gives scepters and crowns to those who
have them, and see that Lord of glory who is the
Creator of all glory and beauty. This basking in
the heavenly sunshine of their Father’s presence is
the glory and happiness of God’s children, their
everlasting joy, their crown of bliss. And just as
a circle is without end, so also this gazing upon
God shall be a continual pleasure and an end-
less joy.

Joy, perfect, unspeakable, everlasting joy, will
fill our hearts and will cause us to burst forth in
glorious songs of praise and thanksgiving. Here
a joyful host will sing: “Hallelujah, salvation, and
glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord God,”
and there, from another innumerable host, will
sound the chorus: “Blessing, and glory, and wis-
dom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and
might be unto our God forever and ever.” And the
whole host of heaven will rejoice: “Hallelujah;
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”

But to whom will this life eternal be given?
Christ answers this all-important question John
8, 16: “God so loved the world that He gave
His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 8, 36 John the Baptist testifies: “He that
‘believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” Christ
gained eternal life for us by His death upon the
‘eross. He is life, and whosoever liveth and be-
‘lieveth in Him shall live. Eternal life will be given
-to all believers, but to believers only. He that

clings to Christ, the Prince of Life, unto the end,
the same shall be saved, Matt. 24, 13.

Blessed are all those, therefore, who believe in
Christ and continue in such faith till their last
breath; for they will inherit eternal life, that life
which Christ has gained by His blood and death.
Thus faith is the hand which grasps this life.
Therefore — '

On Christ, by faith, I fain would live,
From Him my life, my all receive;
To Him devote my fleeting hours,
Serve Him alone with all my powers.
Christ is my everlasting all;

To Him I look, on Him I eall;

He will my every want supply,

In time, and through eternity.

God Counts.

Willie and Carrie were playing together in the
dining room, when a plate of sweet cakes was
brought in and placed on the table.

“Oh, I want one of these cakes!” cried Willie,
jumping up as soon as his: mother went out, and
going on tiptoe towards the table.

“No, no,” said Carrie, pulling him back; “no,
no; you must not touch them.”

‘Mother won’t know it, she did not count them,”
he cried, shaking her off, and stretching out his
hand. “If she didn’t God knows how many there
were,” answered Carrie.

Willie drew his little hand back and waited
until his mamma came back, when both received
a cake. \

Do not forget it when the tempter comes and
wants you to take what does not belong to you.
Remember, God counts! — Fz.

The Year of Death.

' A blessed year in which he dies who has a
Savior! It is the year of his true birth; it is the
year of his everlasting salvation; it is the year in
which he celebrates his wedding; it is the truly
“acceptable year of the Lord,” the eternal year of
jubilee, in which all his lamentations will sink into
everlasting silence. Then, at last, will he take his
harp from the willows of grief, encircle his brow
with never-fading flowers of spring, and sing and
play with angelic choirs, forever and ever, the new
song to God and the Lamb. — Dr. Walther.