The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1910, Page 91

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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A Christmas Lesson.

Several years ago, on Christmas Eve, a young
student of theology with a bundle of Christias
cakes under his arms, strolled through the streets
of Berlin, hoping to drive away his homesickness
by looking at the Christmas trees, whose lights were
shining through the windows. At last he came to
the suburbs of the city, where the poor people lived.
He stood still at a Jittle house, from which he heard
the glad voices of children singing the old Christ-
mas hymn:

» Let us all with gladsome voice
Praise the Lord of heaven,
Who, to bid our hearts rejoice;
His own Son hath given.

Looking through the window, the student saw
a small Christmas tree, surrounded by children.
Near the children stood an old grandfather dressed
in his best and a woman dressed in black, wiping
One of the children, noticing
the face of the stranger at the window, suddenly
cried out, “Mother, there is a student!” Quickly
she opened the door and invited him to. come in.
He accepted the’ invitation and was heartily: wel-
comed by the old grandfather, who was a friend of
students. . 1

The Christmas.tree was rather small, with little
on it. The student therefore divided his cakes
among the children. This kind act opened the lips
of the sorrowing mother. She told him that, a few
months before, she had lost her husband, who was
a son of the grandfather, and the father of these
children. She had not intended to have a tree this
Christmas season, but the dear grandfather had
insisted upon having one for the children. Her
heart, she said, was broken as she thought of the
dear husband who sang with them their beautiful
Christmas hymns last Christmas.

The student looked at her with his heart so full
of sympathy that he could hardly speak. The old
grandfather, however, knew. more of the comfort of
the Christmas Gospel than did the student. . He
turned to his daughter-in-law, and said: “Do you
know that to you this day is born a Savior? Ah,
if you did not know that, then, indeed, you would
have reason to sorrow and grieve: Do not begrudge
your husband his rest, but rejoice that he celebrates
Christmas in heaven.”

And then the old’ man began to sing Luther's
grand Christmas hymn: “From heaven above to
earth I come.” ‘The children, the student, and the
sobbing mother all joined in the singing. When all

tears from her eyes.

the verses had been sung, the student took his leave,
thanking God for the lesson in theology which he
had learned on this memorable Christmas Eve.

A Christmas Offering for the Heathen.

A Lutheran pastor in Germany, in whose con-
gregation great zeal had been awakened for mission
work among the heathen in Africa, relates the fol-
lowing story of a little boy’s Christmas offering for
the heathen : —

Some months ago a young married couple set
out to pay me a visit. As they left home, their
little boy, four years old, ran out and begged to be
taken along. It was near Christmas time, and
when I had ended my counsel to the parents, I
showed the little fellow, who had been very quiet
and attentive, a picture of the birth of Christ, and
as I told him about the Child Jesus, his face grew
bright with smiles. “Now,” I said, “I shall sing
you a yerse about Jesus.” As I sang, his face grew
brighter still, and he asked me to sing it again.
We prayed together, and they went home. :

‘A short time after, the child got very ill. The
first time I visited him, he could speak quite well
about Jesus and heaven and the angels, but they
sent for me soon after, saying he would not be com-
forted unless he heard me sing that Christmas hymn
again. They had tried, but only the pastor would
satisfy him. So we sang, and spoke, and prayed,
and the next day he fell asleep in Jesus. A few
days later his parents brought me a purse in which
he had kept all his gifts and little treasures, and
said, “That is for the heathen.”

The Christmas offering for the heathen was
nearly 10 dollars. ‘The little boy had told his par-
ents to give it all for missions, that*the glad tidings
of the Savior’s birth may be brought to sinners that
they may be saved.

Beginning at Bethlehem.

Christian religion, says Luther, begins not at
the highest, but at the lowest. Run straight to the
manger, and embrace this Infant, the Virgin’s little
Babe, in your arms; and behold Him as He was
born, nursed, grew up, dwelt among men, teaching,
dying, rising again, ascending up above all the
heavens, and having power over all things. This
sight and contemplation will keep you in the right
way, that you may follow to where Christ has gone.