The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1910, Page 2

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2 The Lutheran Pioneer.

the valley of the shadow of: death, I will fear no -

evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff
they comfort me.”

God is present with us. This truth should also
encourage us in our mission work. There is so
much that might discourage us. The laborers in
the mission field often sce but little fruit of their
hard labors. They meet with much unthankfulness
on the part of those among whom they labor. There
is also often seen a lack of active interest among
those in whose service the work is done. But let
us not lose heart! We have God’s Word, and He
is present with us in the mission field. Where He
is with His Word, there is also His blessing. The
labor done in His name cannot be in vain. It will
bear fruit according to His good pleasure, much
fruit which might not be seen now, but which will
be seen in eternity. God has been with us and has
blessed our work in the past years; He will be

_ with us and bless our work also in the new year

and in al] the years to come. For He that gave the
command, “Go ye into all the world, and preach
the Gospel to every creature,” also gave the en-
couraging promise: “Lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world.”

God is present with us. Let us, then, trusting
in Him, joyfully continue our journey. In the
work which we are called to do; in the crosses
which we are to bear; in the temptations and trials
through which we must pass; in joy and sorrow,
in life and death, God with His mercy and His
might is present with us. Let us be of good
cheer !

Of the Sacrament of the Altar.

We have before this heard that we have two
sacraments, Holy Baptism being one, and the other
the Sacrament of the Altar. Jé is this latter sacra-
ment that we shall now consider.

Unlike Holy Baptism, this other sacrament is
known by various names. Luther-in his Small
Catechism calls it the Sacrament of the Altar. It
is so called, because ordinarily it is celebrated at
the altar in church. The sacred elements rest upon
the altar during the consecration, and the com-
municants group themselves about the altar to cat
and to drink. It is also called the Lord’s Table.
Thus Paul refers to it 1 Cor. 10, 21: “Ye cannot
be partakers of the Lord’s Table and of the table

of devils.” No one can doubt the appropriateness
of this name, for it is indeed a table which only
God can prepare with such blessed food and drink
as can nowhere else be procured, namely, the Lord’s
true body and blood under the bread and the wine.
Another name given to this sacrament is the Lord’s
Supper. 1 Cor. 11, 20 the Apostle writes: “When
ye come together therefore into one place, this is
not to eat the Lord's, Supper.’ It is the Lord’s
Supper, for only God can furnish it; and it is the
Lord’s Supper, because He instituted it at night,
at the time of the evening meal. Another desig-
nation is Holy Supper, to show that it is a supper
quite distinct in nature and purpose from other
meals; for while every meal the Christian eats is
sanctified and blessed by the Word of God and
prayer, this supper is sanctified and- blessed in a
peculiar and preeminent degree, as we shall learn
later on. Acts 2, 42 still another name is used to
designate this sacrament: “They continued stead-
fastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and
in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” It is so
called, not because’ the bread need be actually
broken into fragments to make it a sacrament, but
because the blessed bread is given and distributed
in this sacrament. Another name is the Mucharist.
This word in its original Greek signifies giving
thanks; and this name was given the Lord’s Sup-
per because of the hymns and thanksgivings: which
accompany the holy service. Finally, we also speak
of this sacrament as Holy Communion. In the
Lord’s Supper we Christians all eat the one bread
and drink the one cup. In partaking of Christ’s
body and blood we become most intimately united
with Christ and also with one another. This Paul
refers to when he writes to the Corinthians, 1 Cor.
10, 17: “For we, being many, are one bread and
one body, for we are all partakers of that one
bread.”

Having now learned the various names used
by us Christians to designate this blessed sacrament,
we are ready to enter upon a consideration of its
nature and purpose. According to our Small Cate-
chism we may treat the Lord’s Supper on four
heads. Under the first head, we shall see what the
Lord’s Supper is; under the second head we shall
consider its great benefits and blessings; then under
the next head, we shall learn whence’ the Lord’s
Supper has the power to give such great blessings;
and finally, we shall speak of the worthy partaking
of this holy sacrament. May God in His grace be
with us while we do this, and help us to grow more

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