The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 130

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130

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

How Can We Bring Souls to Christ?

We may do what Andrew did with his brother
Simon, John 1, 40—42. Andrew apparently did not
merely extend an invitation to his brother Simon
to go and hear Jesus, but he brought him to the
Lord. Do you likewise: Take your friend by the
hand and lead him to the Savior. Take him with
you to church. Have you already done this?

Or we may do as those Galileans did with their
deaf-mute friend. Mark 7, 31—37. They besought
the Lord Jesus to help the poor man. So circum-
stances may prevent you from speaking to him who
does not yet believe in Christ, but there is nothing
that can prevent you from praying to Jesus for him.
Yes, ask the Lord Jesus that He would touch the
tongue of the spiritually dumb and teach them to
pray and cry to Him. Ah, there is much to be done
by prayer! We have not because we ask not.

Or we may follow the example of the servants
who went forth to bid those that were bidden to the
wedding-feast. Matt. 22,2—10. Though again and
again we have invited in vain, let us not grow
weary in asking our fellow-men to come to the
Savior. Let us not forget that people must be urged
to come. Let us ever remember that as ambassadors
of our Lord we must continue to beseech men to
become reconciled to their God, just as long as we
are the Lord’s ambassadors.

John the Baptist also sets us a fine example to
follow. John 1, 35—39. He makes the most of his
opportunity, when he meets Christ, to induce his
two disciples to follow Him. John enjoyed the full
confidence of his two disciples, and in a most un-
selfish way he makes use of this confidence which
they reposed in him to induce Andrew and the
other, nameless disciple to become the followers of
Jesus. You and I have friends who have confidence
in us and our judgment; but are we using every
opportunity offered us to direct such to Christ, the
Lamb of God? Are we always thinking of using
every opportunity to glorify the Savior on earth,
to improve the passing hours by bearing testimony
to the beauty and glories of our Lord Jesus? John
did so, and so did Paul.

Then, too, the mothers in the gospel set us a
fine example for imitation. Mark. 10, 18—16.
“Suffer the little children to come unto Me,” still
gives expression to our Savior’s wish and will.
Parents and others who are divinely charged with
responsibility over against children should ever bear

in mind that the only safe haven for children in

time and eternity is Jesus. But, sad to say, so

many parents do not seem to be convinced of this.
Many of them only think of the importance of hav-
ing their children with Jesus when they have
already gone astray. Motherhood is such a blessed
calling just because of the opportunities it affords
mothers to lead and bring their children to Jesus in
earliest childhood. O ye mothers, waste not your
wonderful missionary opportunities, but, like the
mothers in the gospel, bring your children to their
Savior !

Or we may do as did the woman of Sychar, of
whom we read in the fourth chapter of John’s
gospel. As soon as she had found the Savior, she
left her water-pot and hastened away to tell her
fellow-citizens of her wonderful discovery. The day
of her conversion became the day when her mis-
sionary activities began. The benefits that had come
to her through Christ were so amazing that she
could not hold her peace about Him. Just as
Andrew had at once told Simon, just as Philip must
tell his friend Nathanael of his wonderful dis-
covery, just as the converted Saul cannot keep
silence, so this woman of Samaria feels constrained
to tell all she meets, “Come and see Christ.” Out
of the abundance of her heart her mouth speaks.

May all of us who have received the grace of
God and tasted that Christ is gracious, be diligent
in bringing others to our Savior. F. J. L.

a

Luther Conference.

Fiftieth Mission Anniversary.

June 19 brought to a close one of the most suc-
cessful conferences we have enjoyed in quite a while.
The conference convened at Mount Zion Chapel,
Rey. O. Luecke, pastor, and concluded at Long-
shoremen’s Hall, a spacious auditorium, which of-
fered every facility for comfort and convenience.

The opening service on Wednesday, June 15, at
which Holy Communion was celebrated, brought
out a goodly number of worshipers. Rev. W-
Tervalon, of Napoleonyille, La., delivered the con-
fessional address; Rev. G. M. Kramer, of New
Orleans, the sermon. Rey. Kramer chose as his text
Luke 19, 12.

Thursday morning devotional exercises were fol-
lowed by election of officers, with the following
results: Rey. O. Luecke, president; W.B. Seeberry,
vice-president; Miss Sylvina Raymond, secretary;
Rey. G. M. Kramer, treasurer. The floor was then
given to the writer, who read a catechization on
“What is Forbidden in the Eighth Commandment?”