The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1911, Page 2

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Plein” gt Ti wt. enue“ P teal 2k tes Sa Bal nae eee

2 The Lutheran Pioneer.

Jesus.

If there be one name sweeter than another in
a believer's ear, it is the name of Jesus. In that
name he has pardon and salvation. It is the life
of all his joys, balm for all his wounds, comfort in
all his sorrows.

Some years ago a long train was speeding across
the plains of Minnesota in the early night. As
the conductor, passing through the train, came into
the parlor car, he told the passengers that some-
thing sad had happened. “There is a car in front,”
he said, “filled with Swedish immigrants, and in
that car there is a woman holding her dead baby
in her arms. The child took sick suddenly. 1
didn’t know what to do. There was no doctor.
Before T knew how serious it was, the child died.”

The late Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, was a
passenger in the Pullman car. On hearing the con-
ductor’s sad story, he immediately hurried forward
and found the little family group just as the con-
ductor had described it. He spoke to the woman,
but found that she could not speak one word of
English, nor could he understand her Swedish
tongue. But as she looked up to him, she guessed
from his dress that he was a preacher. She reached
down into the folds of her dress and took from them
her Lutheran Prayer Book in the Swedish lan-
guage. Turning over its pages, she put her finger
on a word that is the same in every language, the
name Jesus. And then she looked up into the
preacher’s face with a peaceful smile of hope and

comfort.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

Gifts for Jesus.

When the wise men of the East found the Christ-
child in Bethlehem, “they fell down and worshiped
Him.” They worshiped Him as their Lord and
Savior. And their worship was not mere lip-
service, not an empty outward form. It sprang
from a believing, grateful heart. For “when they
had opened their treasures, they presented unto
Him ‘gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
By their gifts for Jesus they proved the sincerity

. of their worship and their love for the Savior. This

action of the wise men should serve as an example
fo every Christian; Christians must not worship

with their lips only. Such a worship would be an
abomination to Him who loved us and gave Him-
self for us. Our worship must spring from a be-
lieving heart. Then giving out of love to the
Savior will be a part of our worship. How can we
really love Him if we are not willing to give, that
His kingdom may be extended? How can we be
really thankful for His unspeakable love if we have
the ability to help to spread the Gospel of His sal-
vation, but are too stingy to do so? Christ has
given to His disciples of all times, unto the end of
the world, the commission: “Go ye into all the
world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
How can we really be His disciples if we refuse to
do His will? Not every Christian may be able to
go in person, but he can do the Master's will by
presenting his gifts, that others may be prepared
and sent and supported. Such gifts for the spread
of the Gospel are gifts for Jesus. ‘They are the best
thank-offering that we can bring to the Christ-
child. Let us, then, abound in the grace of giving
for the extension of His kingdom. “For ye know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He
was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that
ye through His poverty might be rich,” 2 Cor. 8, 9.

— oe

Day by Day.

If the Lord in His dealings with you were to
adopt your plan of giving everything at once, then,
on the first day of January, you might have in your
possession altogether enough to meet yout every
want for a whole year. To that amount, however,
no further additions could be added until the year
was out. Now, suppose you and others should be
treated in that way, what would be your condition
and the condition of others, say, at the end of six
months? You see, such an arrangement would not
answer at all. But the plan which the Lord adopts
does answer. He gives you enough to satisfy your
needs for the year, but instead of giving it all at
once, He gives only a little at a time, and often;
in a word, He gives your daily bread. He gives
every day what the wants of the day require; and
so the whole supply lasts throughout the year, and
keeps you comfortable to the end. Whereas, if you
were given all at once, your experience with it
might be a very sad one indeed. — Luther.

Day by day the manna fell;
Oh, to learn this lesson well:
Still by constant mercy fed,
Give us, Lord, our daily brend!