THE FAMILY ALTAR

May 27.

But deliver us from evil. Matt. 6, 18.

"We pray in this petition, as the sum of all, that our Father

in heaven would deliver us from every evil of body and soul,

property and honor, and, finally, when our last hour has come,

grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of

tears to Himself in heaven." What a warm response this touching

explanation of Luther finds in our hearts when long illness con-

fines us to a bed of suffering, or when old age comes upon us, and

the shadows grow longer and darker, and we long to lay down

the weary burden ! Then we often grow homesick for heaven and

sigh with old Valerius Herberger: "Farewell! I say with glad-

ness, False, evil world, farewell! Thy life is sin and sadness,

With thee I would not dwell; In heaven are better pleasures,

I long for that bright sphere Where God grants endless treasures

To those that served Him here." It is true, we still have the

journey through the dark valley of death before us, and our poor

flesh shrinks from its gloomy aspect. But we also have the sure

promise: "He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven"

— the last, in death — "there shall no evil touch thee." Dying

grace will be given us for our dying day that we can confidently

say with David j "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow

of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod

and Thy staff, they comfort me." "Verily, verily, I say unto you,

If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death," says our

faithful Savior.

Dear heavenly Father, we are Thy pilgrims and strangers here, as

our fathers were before us. But we thank Thy great mercy in which Thou

hast prepared also for us a rest in Thy blessed home above. O we pray

Thee, Take Thou our hands and lead us O'er life's rough way, With heavenly

manna feed us From day to day. And: When our last hour cometh,

Fraught with strife and pain, When our dust re'turneth To the dust again;

On Thy truth relying, Through that mortal strife, Father, take us, dying,

To eternal life, for Jesus' sake. Amen.