The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1911, Page 3

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 3

Only One Life.

The captain of a British vessel related the fol-
lowing incident from his life on the ocean. One
day the serew of his vessel broke, and whilst repairs
were made it happened, through the carelessness of
one of the crew, that the water rushed into the ship,
which soon began to sink. ‘The boats were got ready,
and the captain stepped into one which was already
overcrowded. It was a dark, stormy night, and
the men had but little hope of being rescued. After
a while they saw in the distance the lights of an
approaching steamer; but how could they attract
attention? ‘They searched the boat and found an
old lantern with a short candle end. Then they
looked for a match. Each searched his pocket;
but no match was to be found. ‘The captain ordered
them to search. again and to turn the lining of
every pocket. At last a match was found in the
corner of a pocket and was given to the captain.
The sailors stood close around him, keeping their
eves fixed on him and holding their jackets so as
to keep off the wind. ‘The captain had fearlessly
faced many a difliculty, many a danger, but, as he
himself later said, he never felt such responsibility
as at that moment when he was to strike that mateli.
But he did it. And when the lantern was lighted,
it was waved as a signal for help. This was ob-
served by the men on the steamer, who soon reached
the boat and rescued the captain and his men from
a watery grave. j

But what gave that match its great'value? It
was the only one the men in the boat had. And it
is this which gives your life here on earth such great
value. It is the only one you have, given to you as
a time of preparation for eternity. If that one life
is wasted in sin and lost in eternal death, which is
everlasting damnation, then you have no other life
to make good that loss. ‘Therefore remember the
warning lesson of the passing years: “Prepare- to
meet thy God!”

Trust Your Guide.

Blind persons frequently have an anxious ex-
pression as they move about alone. But if they
have a guide who can sce, they trust themselves to
that guide and then walk without fear.

We ourselves are blind as to the future, but the
Lord knows it all; therefore God’s children may
commit their way unto Him and rest assured that
He will guide them safely to the end. He has given

them the promise: “I will guide thee with mine
eye,” Ps. 32, 8. The promise is not, “I will guide
thee with thine eye,” but, “I will guide thee with
mine eye.” God’s eye, not ours. Does not much
of our trouble come from our wanting God to guide
us with our own eyes and not with His — from
wanting to walk by sight rather than by faith? It
will save us much worry and trouble if we trust our
Guide and follow Him with an unquestioning faith.

Some time ago a traveler in South Africa was
anxious to go to a certain place which could. be
reached only by the aid of an African guide. ‘The
traveler says: “It was not long before I found that
the old man was guiding me along some path well
known to him, but not visible to my eyes — a path,
however, which was plainly designed to carry us
round clumps of thorn and treacherous stones. Not
a mark could I see to show the turnings of the path;
but the guide was never at a loss, and by trustingly
following him I reached the place in safety.”

God’s children, in their journey through. life,
have the Lord as their Guide, who has given them
the unfailing promise: “I will guide thee with
mine eye.” ~ They should at all times simply trust
Him, never doubting that He will guide them aright
and bring them safely home.

I know not the way I am going,

But well do I know my Guide;

With a childlike trust I give my hand
To the mighty Friend at my side.
The only thing that I say to Him

As He takes it is, “Hold it fast;
Suffer me not to lose my way,

And bring me home at last!”

As when some helpless wanderer,

Alone in an- unknown land,

Tells the guide*his destined place of: rest,
And leaves all else in his hand.

"Tis home, ‘tis home that we long to reach;
He who guides us may choose the way;
Little we heed what path we take,

If nearer home’ each day.

Christ Only. :

In the days of the flood there was only one place
of safety, and that was the ark. It was not the
ark and something else, but the ark alone. So the
only place of safety for sinners is in Christ. Not
Christ and something else, but Christ alone. “Be-
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt-be
saved,” says the apostle. And again it is written:
“Neither is there salvation in any other; for there.
is none other name under heaven given aniong men
whereby we must be saved.”