Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-21
THE PsALMIsT,s PRAYER.
"a Lead Ne to the Rock That Is Higher
Than IL


Than l."
At the Sixth-street NJ. E. Church last
evening Rev. A. T. Needham preached an
interesting sermon to large congregation.
He chose as his text the latter clause of the
second verse of the Sixty-first Psalm,
" Lead me TO the rock that is higher than
IL
He said that Palestine was so situated
that people going from one country to an
other had to cross it. Owing 10 this con-
slant travel the people of Palestine were
familiar with all the perils of the desert
The caravans going from Assyria to Egypt
passed through this country. There was
no seaport within the boundaries of the
Jewish Government and her people were
more conversant with the desert than they
were with the sea. Hence, in their illustra-
tiOn such expressions as the words of the
text were used. The psalmist cried in the
agony of his soul, like a man in the
desert overcome with heat and distressing
thirst, for rock higher than himself so he
could get into its shade. A traveller in
Sahara became separated from his
guides and was lost. He wandered
about in the blazing sun and
the burning sands until he became ex-
hausted and blind. He fell down, and
would have died had not relief party been
sent out as soon as he was missed When
found he was unconscious, but was carried
to the shade of rock, where restoratives
were used and the mans life saved.
We are troubled with weakness. This
world is not one of grace to lead US on to
glory. There is nothing in this world to
sustain spiritual life We are weak. We
have no power. Christ is our strength.
Jesus interposed for US. The power and
significance of his death was TO save us
from sin. The father will stimulate his
son to high and holy deeds, but he has to
admit that he himself is weak. Where is
the father but who has an ideal that has
never been reached? Where is the mother
that believes she has been all that mother
should be? She has an ideal that has never
been reached We need not arraign YOU
before higher tribunal than your own
conscience, and you will all Stand self con-
ylcted. We are weak. We need
some one to help us. to lead us.
We are like the traveller in the
Desert-blind, unable TO see the wav
Of our deliverance. The saddest sight
| ever witnessed on battlefield was a
blind woman between the two armies,
cropping her way, while the missiles of
Ceatu were nylng tn1ck ana last IN every
direction. Be it seid to the credit of both
armies, that all firing ceased until the poor,
unfortunate blind creature was taken to a
place of safety.
While we are blind to our own danger
we go on cropping in the dark, yet our per
lis are ever present. There are danger sig
nails flashed across our pathway hourly,
bat we heed them not we are color. blind.
Men are perishing every day, with the
gospel, with all its blessed privileges, within
their reach. A rock partakes of its sur
roundings. There were no trees in the
desert. Blessed be God, we have Savior
that partakes of our surroundings. He
came as mediator; he is the rock that
is higher than we are he is our blessed
Savior. When we realize that he is rel
alive, one of ourselves, it gives us new cour-
age to go to him. He is my elder brother
he interposes in my behalf. Blessed be
God, we have Savior that is both human
and divine. While man, he towers above
all men. He is the king of kings, the
Lord of Lords. The tallest sou OF Adam
can rest in his shade. He is the rock that
is higher than l. He is the rock of ages
cleft for me- He is peerless in his match
less caDacitv