The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1913, Page 51

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

61.

Dear reader, upon whom do you place your con-
fidence? If you trust in Jesus and His merits, you
belong to God’s family. For whom are you work-
ing? You are surely serving some master; who
is he? In whose society are you to be found in
your leisure moments, in those hours when you can
choose your companions? If you belong to Jesus,
your chosen companions will be those who wear the
uniform of the cross. Where is your citizenship?
Is it on earth or in heaven? What have you learned
from your Master? You know servants learn much
from their masters. If you are actually in the
service of Jesus, people will soon know of you what
they knew of Peter and John: “They took knowl-
edge of them that they had been with Jesus.”

“To whom belongest thou?” Answer this ques-
tion before you turn to anything else. If you do
not belong to Jesus, then you are still in bondage
to Satan and sin. Oh, flee from your cruel task-
masters! Inter the service of Jesus and learn to
know what true joy and true liberty is. But if you
already belong to Jesus, then remember this: Obey
Him and let His wish be your will; Jove Him,
embrace Him, and let Him fill your heart; trust
Him, trust Him for all; confess Him, and thus not
only show your colors, but by such confession also
induce others to enter His blessed service.

8 Cl

The Blessings of Trouble.

Troubles tell us of our weakness and sins and
of God’s holiness, strength, and merey. If we but
rightly look at them, we shall find that they are
most blessed benefactors. Innumerable are the
blessings we should miss if it were not for our
troubles. If there had been no lack of wine at the
marriage of Cana, there would have been no show-
ing forth of Jesus’ kindness and glory. If there
had been no stormy sea, there would have been no
word of Jesus quieting the storm and calming the
waves. Had not the five thousand fainted for want
of food, there would have been no. miraculous feed-
ing. Had Martha and Mary not lost their beloved
brother, Lazarus would not have been raised from
the dead. If there had been no Good Friday with
its gloom and sorrow, there could have been no
Easter with its joy and brightness.

Their necessities and sorrows brought many to
Jesus in the days of His flesh who otherwise never

would have come to Him. It is in the day of
trouble that we learn to call upon the Lord; it is
in the day of distress that we draw nearest to Him.

Troubles are so many dogs fetching home the wan-
dering sheep. They are so many fierce tempests
which compel the wanton and foolhardy voyager
to reef the sails of pleasurable sin, and steer for
the haven of forgiving love.

Trouble is the chisel and mallet chipping the
marble, but it liberates and reveals the angel in
the block. ‘Trouble is the curtain of night drawn
rouid a weary world, shutting out from view hill-
top and valley, but it reveals the beautiful stars.
‘Trouble is the fire roaring in the furnace, but it
burns away the dross from the metal, and shows
the face of the refiner upon its liquid breast.

tT Rev. J. Bading. t

God has called another old friend of our Col-
ored Missions to Iimself in heaven: Rev. J. Bading,
for thirty years president of the Synodical Con-
ference, was called home on May 24, at the age
of eighty-cight years. ‘The funeral services were
attended by representatives of the various synods
connected with the Synodical Conference, who thus
showed their regard for this servant of the Lord
who had labored so long and so faithfully for Christ
and His kingdom.

PREACHING is not simply speaking, but: beliey-
ing. A sermon without conviction is a coal-with-
out fire.