Pastor Wilhelm Busch, the author of a devotional book (and many other books), whose church services I attended long ago in Essen / Germany, is thinking about his readers and is writing about them in his foreword.

STONES

There he is also imagining a mature christian widow reading the devotional book in her humble dwelling who knows the difference between the “Bread of Life’ and “Stones.”

People who desire the “Bread of Life” flocking into churches where the “Bread of Life” is preached instead of “Stones”.

They flocked into the meeting house of Pastor W. Busch in Essen and they flocked also into the church of August Vilmar, I am reading just now.

(Geduld und Glaube der Heiligen (Patience and Faith of the Saints) by Joerg Erb. He is writing about August Vilmar on July 30)

August Vilmar lived from 1800 – 1868 and when he was a young Theologian he pondered the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in preparation for a sermon, when the Lord met him in a special way. It was an hour of grace he remembered until the end of his life. Heavenly light fell into his heart. In Ephesians chapter one the Apostle Paul is talking about the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The message of August Vilmar to his listeners was that the Lord Jesus Christ was the only comfort, the only hope.

When he spoke the listeners felt often that they were in the presence of God.

My mother was actually a mature christian widow who lived in a humble dwelling most of her life and who knew the difference between the “Bread of Life” and “Stones,” and desired the “Bread of Life”.

BREAD