The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1911, Page 9

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he Lutheran Pioneer,

A. MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

—<—— >.

Pusiisuep

BY THE EvANGELICAL LuTHeran SyNopicat ConFERENCE oF Nonti AMERICA.

R. A. BISCHOFYF, Epiror.

Entered at the

‘Yol. XXXII.

Work While It Is Day!

White are the fields to harvest,
The laborers are few;

Arise, and for the Master

The glorious work renew!

Work while the daylight lasteth;
Salvation free proclaim;

Make known throughout the nations
The Savior's precious name!

eee

Interest in Mission Work.

he aim of the Church in all her mission work
is the salvation of souls. ‘To this end she makes
known the Gospel of salvation in obedience to the
words of her Lord: “Go ye into all the world, and
preach the Gospel to every creature. He that be-
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.”

So long as a person is no true Christian he will
not take a sincere interest in such work of the
Church. He that is not concerned for his own
salvation will not be concerned for the salvation
of others. He that cares not for his own soul will
not care for the souls of others. He may care for
their bodily welfare, but not for the eternal welfare
of their souls. He may, from a certain natural
kindness, contribute towards the support of mis-
. Sionaries, because he knows that by their work
civilization and culture are also spread and the
physical and social conditions of the people are
improved, but the true aim of the mission work of
the Church interests and moves him not.

It is different with the true Christian.. He by
faith has found salvation in the Gospel of Jesus,

ST. LOUIS, 10. FEBRUARY, 1911.

Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter.

No. 2.

and his heart’s desire and prayer to God for others
is, that they also might be saved. He therefore
takes a heartfelt and active interest in the missions
of the Church, by which the Gospel is made known
for the salvation of sinners. “A Christian,” Luther
says, “cannot be so heartless that he should not
care for other men, whether they believe or not. He
must remember all men, always sighing and pray-
ing for them: that God’s name may be hallowed,
His kingdom come, His will be done, and that the
will of the devil, who is a liar and murderer from
the beginning, should be hindered and brought to
naught.” And again he says: “Ye Christians have
received the blessing of God not for yourselves
alone, but in order that ye should bless also those
that are still under the curse, that is, pray for them
that they also may be brought to faith. The bless-
ing is not temporal, for this present life, but it is
this, that through Christ ye are in a state of grace,
having forgiveness of sins and being delivered from
death and the devil, looking forward to the glory
of everlasting life.”

Surely, those who enjoy this blessing of God in
the salvation of their own souls must be filled with
a longing to bring, or help to bring, this blessing
to others. Having by faith seen Jesus in the Gospel
and heard His gracious voice for their own salva-
tion, they will say with the apostles: “We cannot
but speak the things which we have seen and heard,”
Acts 4, 20.

Cheap Charity.

Some men are so charitable that they are willing
to contribute to any good cause every cent they can -
get their neighbors to give up.