The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1913, Page 73

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The Lutheran Pioneer,

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. :

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PcshisneD BY THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SyNopIcaL CoNFERENCE oF Nort AMERICA.
REV. F. J. LANKENAU, Ep1ror.

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

ST. LOU

eo

Our Assurance.

The Church will never fall,

Nor be reduced to thrall;

Our Lord Himself protects His fold,
And leads it on to joys untold.-

The Chureh will never fall,

For God’s great Gospel call:

“Repent, and trust in Christ alone,”
Still lives and sounds from zone to zone.

The Church will never fall;

We need not fear at all;
“God’s Word and Luther’s doctrine pure
Will to eternity endure.”

H. Osteruvus.

The Blessings of the Reformation.

We have been made rich in all spiritual things
through the Reformation. By the grace of God
we are rich in all doctrine. The Gospel of Christ
is richly proclaimed among us. The light of truth
shines bright and clear in our midst. The holy sac-
raments are administered to us according to Christ’s

~ institution. ‘There is no lack of opportunity to
hear God’s pure Word, and our desire for the pure
milk of divine instruction can easily be satisfied.
The open Bible is in our hand, and he that will
may seck therein and find. Our pastors do not set
before us the dry and sapless chaff of human
science, but as true shepherds they ‘feed us upon
the green pastures of God’s Word. When we go to
church on Sunday, we know that our pastor will
not tell us something about this world’s politics,
but that his sermon will have the purpose of spread-
ing out God’s kingdom. He will not tell us whether
our country should or should not intervene in the
Mexican broils, but he will answer the question of

IS, MO., OCTOBER, 1913.

No. 10.

all questions, “What must I do to be saved?” Fol-
lowing the example of Paul, our pastors can say
to their congregations, “We preach unto you Christ
crucified.” Yes, we have been made rich in all
doctrine; and this is a gift of the Reformation.

To the people of Corinth, Paul could also say
that they had been “enriched in all knowledge, even
as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.”
The Corinthians accepted the doctrine which they
heard, and pondered on it. And this is very im-
portant; for of what use is the preaching if the
hearers do not listen? Of what benefit is the
brightest light if you close your eyes? Only when
the Word is carefully listened to or read, can there
be a growth in knowledge. Only in that way can
the testimony of Christ be confirmed; for faith
comes by preaching. The Word is nothing magical
that it should work on the heart outside of the
mind, but it is a doctrine of truth, which must be
recognized and acknowledged as truth. Only where
this happens, will the Gospel prove itself the power
of God unto salvation. :

But now the question is, Has the Gospel of
Christ been confirmed in us? Have we a living
faith? Do we show the fruits of a living faith?
If such be the case, then jet us thank God most
heartily for the riches of His grace; let us thank
Him for His pure Word which dwells so richly:
among us; let us thank Him for the knowledge He
has given us through the means of grace; let us
thank Him that He has delivered us out of darkness
into the kingdom of His dear Son.

But one more thing. ‘The greater and more
valuable a treasure is, the greater should: our care
be not to lose it. Diamonds and pearls are not left
lying about, but they are carefully put away. Now,
should not the greatness of our riches most earnestly