The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1910, Page 77

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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A Fearless Preacher.

Hugh Latimer was born about 1480. He was
one of the prominent men in England who, at the
time of the Reformation, left the Romish church
and embraced the evangelical faith. By King
Henry VIII he was appointed Bishop of Worcester
and as such was a zealous promoter of the Protes-
lant cause in Hngland. He was known as a fear-
less preacher, reproving error and sin wherever
found. As an instance of his fearlessness it is re-
lated that on New Year’s Day, when, according to
the prevailing custom, the eminent men of the Jand
presented the king with a New Year’s gift, his gift
was a copy of the New 'l'estament, with the passage

_ marked, and the leaf turned down to the words:
“Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
Those who know’ the history of the adulterous King
Henry VIIL need not be told how well deserved
was the reproof of the fearless preacher.

On the 16th of October, 1555, Latimer, over
Seventy years old, dié¢d a martyr’s death by order
of Bloody Queen Mary, who was a zealous Catholic
and under whose short reign of five years, accord-
ing to the lowest calculation, 288 persons were
burned alive for their evangelical faith.

Latimer’s last words were: “O heavenly Father,
I give unto Thee most hearty thanks, for that Thou
hast called me to be a professor of Thee, even unto
death. O Father in heaven, receive my soul!” Then
welcoming, as it were, the flame, he embraced it
and bathed his hands in it. :

So ended this old and fearless servant of. God
in the midst of the fire into which he cheerfully
entered for Christ’s sake.

—_———-

Grace Hateful to Popery.

Grace is a word which is as hateful to popery
as the name of Jesus to the devil. Reptiles cannot
hear salt, nor can Jesuits and priests endure sover-
eign grace. ‘Their trade is gone when salvation is
free. Their honor is gone when Christ is all. When
people think much of Jesus and His redemption,
they are sure to think little of priests -and their
fiddle-faddle. It was Luther’s plain teaching of
Justification by faith which shook the corner-stone
of the Vatican. If men are saved by believing,

they are not likely to waste money on purgatory
pickpurse, nor any other of the pope’s schemes for
getting money. — 0. H. S.

Caught Reading the Bible.

In the art gallery of Brussels can be seen a
picture representing an-old grandfather and his
little grandchild before an open Bible, while spies
enter the room to arrest them. ‘The title of the
picture is: “Caught Reading the Bible,” and the
story which the picture represents is as follows: —

When Philip II of Spain, known for his cruelty,
had become the lord of the Netherlands, he promised
the pope that no Protestant should be allowed to
live in his provinces. Peter Titelman, who stood
at the head of the Inquisition, was told to seize all
Protestants and bring them to punishment.

At that time, in the year, 1568, there lived in
the little town of Vaasen, in Holland, a good old
man, named Gottlieb. He and his grandchild,
Bertha, had become believers in the doctrines of
the Reformation. In his house meetings had been
held, and with his fellow-believers he had strength-
ened himself with the Word of God. But now that
house was closely watched by Romish spies, and
only in the dead of night dared he bring out his
Bible from its hiding-place and read its sacred
pages with his grandchild. At the first crowing
of the cock this old grandfather sat before his open
Bible, the blond head of the child leaning on his
shoulder. He had come in the fifth chapter of
Matthew to the verse: “Blessed are they which are
persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.” A rough knocking on the
door suddenly resounded through the little house.
“Grandfather,” ‘cried Bertha, with trembling, “we
are caught.” “Yes, my child,” calmly replied the
old man, “God’s hour seems at hand. Let them find
us before the open Bible. We have no time to hide
it safely as before.” ‘The blows fell heavier on the
door. There was no need to open it, for it soon
fell in beneath the axes of the enemies, who then
rushed into the room. “At last we have caught the
birds,” cried Peter ‘Titelman, the leader of the band,
with horrid glee. “Courage, my child!” said the
grandfather, as a shriek broke from the lips of
little Bertha, “the kingdom of heaven is not far off
now.” *,

Soon these faithful readers of the Bible were
stretched on the rack until they died. But in the
art gallery of Brussels that touching picture still
speaks of the faith of good old Gottlieb and his
grandchild Bertha.

—_——__——_>-+-o—___—___