Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-02-21
Is SHAN ENDhAvoE.
Topic For Week BEGINNING Feb. =.
Comment by Rev. 5. H. Doyle.

fopIe For Week Beginning Feb. y.
Comment by Rev. 5. H. Doyle.
Torlc.--The strength Of hzmility xviii,
elx
The Christian Endeavor prayer meet
Apg topics for the current year provide
for the study of the parallels Of Christ.
The first parable presented for our
study Is ,hix familiar one In prayer. IL
lHstrating the weakness of pride and
the strength of humility. The scene of
the parable is the temple, the charac-
tiers a pharisee and publican. Two
men went up into the temple TO pray.
the one Pharisee and the other pub
lican." Both ncB prayed. Both men
prayed in the temple. But how vastly
different were the results OF their
prayers. one went down to his house
justified rather than the other" To
see the cause OF these different results
we must study the two prayers.
y The pharlsee's prayer. There are
tHs characteristics 81 this prayer that
a. prot-4.aa M /. lie prayed with h.m-
sci OsJ5Hs.5Iy the Fharisee went to
tAs ic4 +. t3 pray 10 God. but he lost
= 1If o. = Z il himself He ~+toa!
aHd prayed rHps With himself" . HIS
sJandG 81 q CON UIrison was man. not
God. II thaak Thee that / am not as
other men" This false standard l"d
him to exalt himself. He thought that
because he was more punctilious 10 the
performance Of religious rites and cere-
monies than other men he was doing
all that God wished him to do; hut.
alas. he failed 20 understand that true
religion is within and not without. His
prayer was rooted and grounded in
pride and sciiishness. IL was not ad-
dressed 70 God. but was a self congrat-
ulatory address. He exalted himself.
aud therefore God humbled him. The
sin Of pride is one that Christians in
particular need to guard themselves
against. 1t is SO easy to compare our
selves with others and to conclude that
we are better than other men. Let US
beware. Let us keep our eyes on God
rather than man. II we do that, we
VIII be in 20 danger Of being pulled up
with pride.
2. The publican's prayer. "And the
publican, standing afar OF. would not
lift up so much as his eyes unto heav-
en-, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God be mercifuI unto me, a sinner
One word Is written through and
through that prayer. the word hunil-
ity. This man saw himself not through
others, but through God. He had
vision of God. and that vision made
him see bow sinful and how unworthy
he was. His sins rose up before him.
He realized that he had no just claims
upon God. and all he could do. there
fore. was TO cry out for mercy. God
be merciful unto me. a sinner" A
clear vision Of God brushes out pride
and brings us 10 a condition of con-
triteness and humility. Let us get
clear visions of God. that we may be
kept humble. for then only will we be
in position TO be exalted. He that
humbleth himself shall be exalted"
This parable illustrates the old truth
that God hates the proud, but loves to
honor the meek and lowly in mind.
Let us therefore cultivate more and
more the spirit of humility. and TO do
so effectively let us judge ourselves by
Gods standards rather than by mans;
let US look within and not without. for
las a man thinketh in his heart so Is
he.'
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Appoint some one to explain and ap-
ply the parable, and then have an open
meeting. in which each member shall
take part as he himself elects.
Bible Readings.-Job xl. IL: Ps.
xxxiv, .; ci. ); Prov. vi. 16-ls; XIV. 30;
xviii, u; xxi, 4; xxi. Ia; Mic. vi. 5:
Math. xviii, IA; Mark tx, So X. 3o-4o;
Luke tx. 46-4S; xiv, Ill; Eph. iv. l-3;
Col. Iii, u, Is; Phil. ii, liz.
with Larger Eyes.