The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1914, Page 17

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Che Lutheran Pioneer.

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

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PUBLISHED BY THE EvancericaAL Lurmeran SyNopicaL CONFERENCE oF Nort AMERICA.

REV. F.

J. LANKENALU, EDITOR.

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

Vol. XXXVI.

_ st. LOUIS, Mo. M ARCH, 1914.

The Folly of Atheism.”

An atheist who came to Kircher, the astronomer,2)

With whom he was acquainted, saw a newly purchased
globe

Of splendid execution in the scholar’s room, and asked,

“Who made this work? Whence came it?” Quietly the
owner said,

“Tt came from no place;
accord

It.must have placed itself here in my room for handy
use,”

Excitedly the infidel exclaimed, “Why do you not

Insult me in some other way than by such foolish
talk?”

But Kircher with great emphasis replied, “True, foolish
talk

You justly call it to assert that this my globe, which is

Only a little and imperfect picture of the world,

Came into being by mere chance; but is it not indeed

A greater folly to believe that no one made and rules

The universe? ‘The fool says in his heart, There is no
God.’” H. Osternus.

no one made it; of its own

— > 3s

The Existence of God. !

In the following words St. Paul gives us the
reason why the knowledge that there is a God is
found among all heathen, however wild and bar-
barous they may be: “That which may be known
of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed
it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even His

1) Denial of the existence of God.— The true story
which is told in this poem is related by Caspari in ae
Geistliches und Weltliches.

. 2) One who studies the heavenly bodies, as the sun,
moon, etc.

eternal power and Godhead, so that they are with-
out excuse,” Rom. 1, 19. 20.

Indeed, God is invisible to us. He cannot be
seen or touched. THe is a spirit, and a spirit has
no flesh and bones. But He manifests Himself to
man by the visible works of creation which in the
beginning were made, aud are still preserved and
ruled by Him. ‘hese speak to us a powerful lan-
guage, showing forth God’s eternal power and deity.
Everything in nature, even the smallest insect which
can only be examined by the sharpest microscope,
shows a superhuman, infinite skill and workmanship,
and is: kept alive and governed by the wisest, most
orderly plans, which work together harmoniously.
The deeper we enter into the study of nature, the
more we are compelled to admire the beautiful fit-
ness of things, the wonderful machinery that regu-
lates the world and keeps it in motion. Above all,
let us look at man, the crown of creation. ‘The
Psalmist, who does this, is thereby led to exclaim
with amazement: “O Lord, I will praise Thee; for
I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous
are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right
well,” Ps. 139, 14. Surely, somebody who is un-
speakably powerful and immensely wise must have
made and still uphold all this. Furthermore, how
very, very kind must He be who so diligently cares
for us all and provides us with so many excellent
gifts.

But this is all nature reveals concerning God;
and though we would search it from morning until
night for a thousand years, it would not teach us
more. Scripture alone shows how sinful man, who,
through lapsing into sin, has lost the knowledge of
the true God, may obtain divine grace, forgiveness
of sin, life, and salvation, by faith in Christ Jesus,
our dear Savior.