The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 26

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26 _ The Lutheran Pioneer.

cannot plainly prove by two or three witnesses that
a certain brother is impenitent, we should not ex-
clude him from the congregation, notwithstanding
our suspicions against him, which may be entirely
erroneous. We should not gather up the tares, lest
we root up the wheat with them, but we should let
both grow together until the harvest. When Christ
will return in the clouds, the great separation will
take place. —

Among the many denominations on earth only
one can be the érue visible Church. As the truth
is one, there can be only one such Church. All

- others are more or less contaminated with false

teachings. We should not only let it be our earnest
concern to hold to the central points of Christian
doctrine, such as the Holy Trinity, Christ’s divin-
ity, the atonement, and justification by faith; but
we should adhere to the truth in all other points
as well. Has not Christ told us “to observe all
things which He has commanded us”? Tence it
is our duty to belong to the true visible Church,
which is in possession of, and confesses, “the entire
doctrine of God’s Word in all its purity, and in the
midst of which the Sacraments are duly .adminis-
tered according to Christ’s institution.” ‘This is
our Lutheran Church, the Church of the Reforma-
tion, because all our teachings are simply repetitions
of plain, unperverted Bible-statements, without ad-
ditions thereto or subtractions therefrom. So we
cannot be wrong as far as our tenets are concerned;
for it is not our own wisdom to which we adhere,
but our Master’s Word, who expressly tells us: “If
ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples
indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free,” John 8, 31.32. Nor can it
be called presumption to make such a claim. Obedi-
ence to God demands that we cling to the clear con-
tents of His Word, and doubt not that they are in-
fallibly true. Be it far from us to say this with
carnal pride! Quite the contrary, it must fill us
with humility and: contrition that Christ should
have entrusted “all the counsel of God” to us, who
daily sin and deserve to be punished. How thank-

ful we should be for this treasure! How diligently _

we should guard it, searching the Scriptures con-
tinually, and thus restoring certainty when a doubt
has assailed us. Let us not only hear God’s Word
“with all readiness of mind,” but also “search the
Scriptures daily whether those things are so” that

' are taught us by our pastors, as we read concerning

Paul’s hearers at Berea. It is our Master’s will
that we “adhere to the Church of the pure Word

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and confession, contribute toward its maintenance
and extension according to our ability, and avoid
all false Churches.” “Now I beseech you, brethren,
mark them which cause divisions and offenses con-
trary io the doctrine which ye have learned; and
avoid them,’ Nom. 16,17. Also see Matt. 7,15;
1 John 4,1.

The tendency of our times is indifference toward
purity in doctrine. In order to be able to rear im-
posing cathedrals, gather immense crowds, etc.,
churches of different denominations nowadays effect
a union regardless of doctrinal differences. ‘The re-
sult is outward union without real unity. Many
have been willing to abandon certain truths of the
Bible which they formerly confessed, for the sake
of making a fine outward showing, by uniting with
such as do not believe these truths. In this way
they vainly hope to glorify Christ’s name, and
further His kingdom. ‘This indifference toward
Christian truth
Christian life. If the foundation of a building is
neglected, the superstructure will also waver and
fall. Unionism is one of the most grievous evils
of our day. From this preserve us, heavenly Father !

H. Ostreriuus.

Present-day Christian Martyrs in Bible
‘Lands.

‘Take a map of Asia and draw a line from Mount
Ararat to Mount Sinai, and from there to Troas and
back to Mount Ararat. ‘The triangle thus enclosed
by you would include hundreds of thousands of
Christians suffering untold hardships because of
their faith. Many have here suffered martyrdom
during the past three years because they would not
deny their Savior. At a low estimate eight hundred
thousand have made the supreme. sacrifice, while
probably two million remain to suffer and starve
if not helped by their brethren and sisters-in faith.

Few races have suffered as much as the Arme-
nians. But through all their sufferings they have
faithfully clung to their faith. And though the
Christianity of these poor Armenians is far from
being pure, yet even in its adulterated form it has
been the great moral force sustaining and inspiring
them against the attacks of the bloodthirsty Kurds
and other hordes, who in their fanatic discipleship
of Mohammed have delighted in inflicting atrocities
and barbarities untold and unnumbered on this
poor race.

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breeds also indifference toward °

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