The Lutheran Pioneer 1903

Page 1

Qtht Juthtran A

tontt~.

1"1ISSIONARY lVIONTHLY.

PUBLISHED BY THE

EvANGELICAL

LUTHERAN SYNODICAL CONFERENCE OF NORTH AMERICA. R • .\. BISCHOFF, Editor.

Entered nt the Post omcc at St. Lools, ::u:o., 11B sccond-elus matter.

Vol. XXV.

St. Louis, Mo.,·January, 1908.

New Year's Prayer. "Father, tnke Thou my hand In T hy unfaltering one. Lend me In Thine own way Until the journey's done; Thou knowest my stumbling feet, My weakly, ,vaverlng tread, My lnck o f hope and faith When skies grow dark o•erhead; But lead Thou me; then let l\Iy pn.th be shade or sun, Be sLrcwn with thorns or flowers, If heaven, at Inst, be won."

"His Name was Called Jesus." This is the message which greets us at the beginning of the new year. It is a blessed message. It points us to Him in whom alone true happiness can be found. Jesus means Saviour, nod the Babe of Bethlehem was called Jesus because He saves us from our sins. Without Him there is no salvation from sin, and therefore no true happiness. He that bas not salvation from sin is still under God's wrath. How can such a one be truly happy? He bas nothing to cheer him in the troubles and miseries of life, nothing to comfort him in the hour of death. His life is but a journey to endless woe, and such a journey surely cannot be a happy journey. Man may imagine to find happiness in the riches, the honors, and the pleasures of this world, but be is deceived. The passing things of this world cannot give true happiness. Sinners can find true happine_ss only in Jesus, because in Jesus alone there is salvation from sin. He that by faith embraces Jesus as his Saviour enjoys the salvation from sin which Jesus procured for all sinners. He has forgiveness of all sins and. is no longer under the wrath of God. He is God's child and an heir of heaven. His life is a journey to endless bliss, and such a journey must be a happy journey, no matter what befalls the traveler on the way. The believer knows that the way in which hi• heavenly Father leads him is the way to hl1 everlasting home ; and all 1orrow1, and troubles, and afflictions, and even death, cannot deatroy hia happiness. Such la the hap-

No. l.

piness of God's children, which they have by Safe Keeping. fnith in Him whose name was called Jesus. He will keep thee ns the apple of His eye. Dear reader, at the beginning of n new yenr Dent. 32, 10. · and at the beginning of a new volume of our He will keep thy foot from being taken. paper we wish you happiness for all the years Prov. 3, 26. of your life here on earth nnd for all eternity, Lest any hurt thee, He will keep thee day and therefore we wish you abiding faith in and night. Ps. 121, 3. Jesus, your Saviour nod your Friend. He will keep thee ns a shepherd doth bis flock. Jer.81, 10. The Joy of Home:coming. He will keep thee from the evil that is in the world. John 17, 15. When we recently visited among Christian He will keep thee from falling. Jude 24. friends, we spoke of those who bnd departed He will keep thee from the hour of t-emptathis life since our Inst visit. "Yes," said an tion. Rev. 3, 10. aged Christian, "God's children are going He will keep thee in all places whither thou home-one by one, and to those who arc left goest. Gen. 28, 15. behind the world becomes more lonesome ; but Be will keep the feet of His saints. 1 Sam. we also shall reach home, and great will be 2, 9. the joy of home-coming." Yes, the night of He will keep thee in the way, and bring our wandering shall be followed by the joy of thee into the place which He bas prepared. home-coming. We are but pilgrims here on Ex. 23, 20. earth, having no abiding city. "Change and He will ke~ that which thou bast committed decay in all around we see." The longer the to Him. 2 Tim. 1, 12. journey, the grenter the weariness, and as the shadows lengthen we sigh more deeply for The Safety-Lamp. home. All the joys of this life will be as nothing to the joy of the 'home-comers as they When going through a coal mine, it is necespass through the gates of the New Jerusalem. sary to carry a safety-lamp, in order to throw "Heaven's morning break!J and earth's vain a light across the path. The light prevents shadows flee," and in God's "presence is full- many a stumble OYer the uneyen ground. ness of joy." This world through which we travel is' full "The redeemed of the Lord shall retum and of the darkness of sin ; snares and temptations come with singing unto Zion ; and everlasting lie in the Christian's path; but if be carries joy shnll be upon their bead ; they shall obtain with him. th~ lamp of God's Word and gives gladness and joy ; and sorrow and mourning heed to its light, it show him where the shnll tlee away," le. 51, 11. danger lies, and so keep him from falling. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a 1igbt unto m1 path," Pa. _119, 105. Be not Anxious about the Future.

.··-··.

. ·-· .

God's children are forbidden to be anxious about the future. "Take therefore no ( careful) thought for the morrow," Matt. 6, 84. The morrow may bring grief or gladness, pain or pleasure ; but whatever it may bring, It will bring the Lord with it, who says, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," llatt. 28, 20. We know not what Ilea before ua in the darkneas of the future, but we know Him who declares, "l will never leave thee, nor fonake thee," Hebr, 18, 6.

will

.··-··.

His Sentiments Changed. Many modern inti.deli have bad the weapons with which they endeavor to batter down the Cbri1tlan faith, furniabed them by De Wette. Bot when this man had married an earneat Chrl1tian woman, his aentlmenta were chuged completely. In hie laat commentary he oonfea1ea: "Only this I know, ln no other la there salvation, except. in the name of Jeaua Obrist and Him cruolfted."


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.