The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 106

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106

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

One day she suddenly became very ill. The physi-
cian was called. She became worse. It seemed to
be impossible for her ever to regain her health. But
God had something better than health in store for
her and also for her parents and relatives. She was
slowly nursed back to health; but the sickness left
a sad mark. Florence was never to hear the voice
of her friends again. She had become deaf.

After having consulted many specialists, with-
out, however, receiving any help for their daughter,
Mr. and Mrs. Sabins sent their little Florence to the
School for the Deaf in Devils Lake, N. Dak. There
she was invited to attend our Lutheran services and
the confirmation instructions given by our mis-
sionary there, Rey. W. Ferber. Her parents con-
sented to her confirmation. Florence spoke with
her parents concerning her instructions and con-
cerning the Savior she had found there; and in this
way the sweet Gospel took root also in the hearts
of her relatives, so that to-day Ruth, a sister of
Florence, and Mrs. Kenneth Sabins, Florence’s
sister-in-law, are taking instructions for confirma-
tion. These two girls, according to present plans,
will be confirmed in Killdeer May 1, when Ruth and
the three children of Mrs. Kenneth Sabins will also
be baptized. In May Florence is also to be con-
firmed in Devils Lake. Surely this month of May
will be a month of joy and of gratitude to God for
this family, which He so wonderfully led to see sal-
vation in the Lamb of God.

This shows us again how God often permits
sickness and other tribulations to come upon us
only to give us something much better in exchange
for what we lost. It can also be noticed how the
seed of the Gospel planted in one mission-field bears
fruit in another. This incident finally teaches us
that, when God tries our faith through tribulations,
we should be patient and account it a high honor,
remembering that all things work together for good
to them that love God.

Killdeer, N. Dak. Epwin M. F. Jorpine.

Luther’s Catechism a Little Missionary.

Some time after Luther had published his
Catechism in the year 1529, a poor laborer traveled
from the city of Wittenberg, where Luther resided,
- into Northern Germany. He came to a village
where the people had not yet heard much about
_ Luther and his work. It was winter, and the poor
_ traveler suffered greatly with cold and hunger. He
therefore went to the priest’s home and asked for

some bread and for a night’s lodging. The priest
was a kind man; he took him in, told him to sit
down at the fire, and gave him something to eat
and to drink. The stranger said grace, and after
having finished his meal, he took a little book out
of his pocket and began to read in it. The priest
noticed this and was astonished to see a poor laborer
reading; for in his village the poor people very
seldom learned to read. He asked the stranger
what he was reading so eagerly. The stranger
handed him the little book. It was Luther’s Small
Catechism. The priest began to read, and the
longer he read, the more he became convinced that
that little book contained the truth of God. “My
friend,” said he to the stranger, “you must stay
with me until I have copied this book.” The
stranger was very well pleased with this arrange-
ment. He had just come from Wittenberg, and he
told the priest all about Luther, and about his
powerful sermons, and about the German New
Testament, and about the beautiful hymns of the
Lutherans, and about the celebration of the Lord’s
Supper in the Lutheran churches as it was insti-
tuted by Christ, and about the joy of so many thou-
sands who had accepted the pure Gospel-truth.

The priest listened to the fiery speaker, and his
heart was moved. He saw that there is a great dif-
ference between God’s truth and the human opin-
ions of the Roman Catholic Church.

A few days later the traveler left the priest’s
home, taking with him his Catechism, the little
missionary through which the priest had come to
know the Gospel-truth.

The priest had copied the book and soon learned
it by heart. He longed to learn more and got Lu-
ther’s translation of the New Testament. He read
it carefully, compared every word of the Catechism
with it, and he was more fully convinced that that
Catechism contained nothing but God’s truth. He
was very sorry that he had preached the false doc-
trines of the Romish Church to his congregation
for so many years. From the Catechism, however,
and from the New Testament he had learned to
know the Savior, and in the blood of that Savior
he found forgiveness for all his sins. He now be-

gan to preach the pure Word of God, he told his
people the only true way to salvation, he celebrated
the Lord’s Supper as it was instituted by Christ,
and he instructed the children in Luther’s Small
Catechism. Thousands came from the surrounding
country to hear God’s Word; they were hungry,
and with joy they took the Bread of Life.