THE FAMILY ALTAR

April 20.

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown

of life." Rev. 2:10.

Under Marcus Aurelius, the cultured philosopher on the

throne of the Caesars, a terrible persecution of the Christians

raged. The venerable Polycarp, bishop of the church in Smyrna,

was also haled before the tribunal of the Roman consul and com-

manded to denounce Christ. But the faithful witness replied:

"Eighty and six years have I served Christ, and He has never

done me wrong; how, then, can I blaspheme my King and my

Savior ?" — and joyfully sealed his confession with his blood. He

was faithful unto death. Has not Christ, our Savior and our

King, also saved us? Must we not all adoringly fold our hands

and confess with our Catechism: "I believe that Jesus Christ,

true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true

man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed

me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from

all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with

gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His

innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own, and live

under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting right-

eousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the

dead, lives, and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true" ?

Through all the years of our weak and helpless childhood, our

wayward youth, our middle life, even to old age, He has not failed

to help, and forgive, and bless, and save us. Oh, what should we

do without this Savior of the lost? How can we ever repay Him

for His redeeming, pardoning, protecting, sanctifying, and saving

love? Then let us show ourselves faithful to Him with the help

of His aiding Spirit, faithful in our prayers, faithful in con-

fessing His blessed name, faithful in crucifying our sinful flesh,

faithful in all affliction, faithful to our last, expiring breath.

He promises the crown of everlasting life, if we prove faithful

to Him, and He never yet broke His promise. Many of us, no

doubt, renewed and confirmed our baptismal vow at His altar in

these holy days of Lent and Easter. Let us remember that sacred

vow and make this our daily prayer .