The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 65

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a finish reading this magazine, place a 1-cent stamp on this

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« S. BURLESON, Postmaster-Gencral.

The Lutheran Pioneer,

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

Popsiisuep By THE Evancenican LurHeran Synopicat ConrerENcE oF Nort AMERICA.

REV. F. J. LANKENAUO, EDITOR.

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

Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided cor in section 1103,
Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 5, 1918.

Vol. XL.

The Fruits of the Spirit.

Because he is no heathen, Jew, or Turk,

But God’s own child, the Christian longs to work
God’s works, thus showing gratitude that grew
Deep in his heart for mercies daily new.

Beeause he is no heathen, Turk, or Jew,
The Christian daily trusts his Father, too,
And asks Him, “Help me e’er Thy path to tread;
For he is happy who by Thee is led.”
H. Osteruus.

The Holy Apostles’ Salutary Witness
concerning Christ.
1 Jonn 1, 1—4.

When we think of our spiritual fathers that are
no longer with us in the land of the living, such as
Luther, Walther, Stoeckhardt, A. L. Graebner, and
many others, we are impressed with the fact that
they led lives of unceasing and unusually successful
activity in the Lord’s vineyard. Other eminent wit-
nesses of Christ have taken their place. But as we

» look over the throng of Christ’s confessors here on

earth, the gigantic figures of the holy apostles loom
high before us above all others. ‘These infallible
religious teachers of mankind were Christ’s special
and immediate witnesses, who were to direct their
appeal to a world of sinners, that always has been
and still is most urgently in need of the gladsome
tidings of the Gospel. The above text presents to

us St. John’s salutary witness concerning Christ.
The apostles, in whose name St. John is here writ-
ing, were particularly fitted for being His first
witnesses, because they had not received their in-

st. LOUIS, As SEPTEMBER, 1918,

No. 9.

formation concerning Jesus from others, but had
themselves “heard” Jesus in the days of His flesh.
For three years they had been His constant com-
panions, and as such had carefully listened to His
publie discourses and private utterances. What is
especially important: they had heard the risen Lord
instructing them, charging them to teach and bap-
tize all nations, and blessing them as He parted
from them. Again, they had “seen” our Lord “with
their eyes,” and had daily “looked upon Him” when
they accompanied Him in the days of His public
ministry. They had seen Him perform His miracles ;
three of their number saw Him transfigured on the
mount; John saw Him hanging on the cross. All
saw Him after His resurrection; He showed Him-
self alive to all disciples. They looked at Him
steadfastly as He ascended; until a cloud took Him
away from their sight.- They also touched Him,
their “hands handled” Him. His hand held Peter’s
when the latter, afraid of an approaching wave, had
begun to sink into the water. We read that the
women touched the risen Lord’s feet and believed.
Thomas laid his fingers into His nail-prints and his
hand into His side, and_exclaimed, fully persuaded,
“My Lord and my God.”

St. John here testifies concerning the Savior, the
“Word of Life.” A word proceeds out of the mouth
of the speaker. So Jesus proceeded from the Father
as His Son. He is a living Word. The Father is
alive in the deepest sense of the word. He is the
Source of all physical, intellectual, and spiritual
life. Jesus, being the living Son of the living
Father, is likewise the Fountainhead of life. Father
and Son are of the same essence. Herice John here

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