"He is truly and rightly prepared who has faith in these words, 'Given
and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.' But he who doubts or
disbelieves these words, is unworthy and unprepared; for the words,
'_for you_,' need simple believing hearts."
As I listened to the simple living words, I could not wonder that Dr.
Luther often repeats them to himself, or rather, as he says, '_to God_,'
as an antidote to the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And so the childish voices died away in the morning stillness of the
church, and the shadow of the bell-tower fell silently across the grassy
mounds or wooden crosses beneath which rest the village dead; and as we
went home, the long shadow of the beech-tree fell on the dewy village
green.
Then, before eleven o'clock, the church bell began to ring, and the
peasants came trooping from the different clearings of the forest. One
by one we watched the various groups in their bright holiday dresses,
issuing out of the depths of dark green shade, among them, doubtless,
many a branch of the Luther family who live in this neighbourhood.
Afterwards each door in the village poured out its contributions, and
soon the little church was full, the men and women seated on the
opposite sides of the church, and the aged gathered around the pulpit.
Fritz's text was Eva's motto, "_God so loved the world._" Simply, with
illustrations such as they could understand, he spoke to them of God's
infinite love, and the infinite cost at which he had redeemed us, and of
the love and trust and obedience we owe him, and, according to Dr.
Luther's advice he did not speak too long, but "called black black, and
white white, keeping to one simple subject, so that the people may go
away and say, '_The sermon was about this._'" For, as I heard Dr. Luther
say, "We must not speak to the common people of high difficult things,
or with mysterious words. To the church come little children,
maid-servants, old men and women, to whom high doctrine teaches nothing.
For, if they say about it, 'Ah, he said excellent things, he has made a
fine sermon!' And one asks, 'What about, then?' they reply, 'I know
not.' Let us remember what pains our Lord Christ took to preach simply.
From the vineyard, from the sheepfold, from trees, he drew his
illustrations, all that the people might feel and understand."
That sermon of Fritz's left a deep rest in my heart. He spoke not of
justification, and redemption merely, but of the living God redeeming
and justifying us. Greater service can no one render us than to recall
to us what God has done for us, and how he really and tenderly cares for
us.
In the afternoon, the children were gathered for a little while in the
school-room, and questioned about the sermon. At sunset again we all met
for a short service in the church, and sang evening hymns in German,
after which the pastor pronounced the benediction, and the little
community scattered once more to their various homes.
With the quiet sunshine, and the light shed on the home by Fritz's
return, to-day seemed to me almost like a day in Paradise.
Thank God again and again for Dr. Luther, and especially for these two
great benefits given back to us through him--first, that he has unsealed
the fountain of God's word from the icy fetters of the dead language,
and sent it flowing through the land, everywhere wakening winter into
spring; and secondly, that he has vindicated the sanctity of marriage
and the home life it constitutes; unsealing the grave-stones of the
convent gates, and sending forth the religion entranced and buried there
to bless the world in a thousand lowly, holy, Christian homes such as
this.