The Canton times., 1902-11-28

Of Gods people holding together anu
vet stricken to the heart Win 'error
at the sight of the innumerable hosts
of the Philistines and the great, over
towering giant whose tread snoois
the earth and who defied the army o.
the living God. The fair-faced YOUTH
with clear eye and steady hand IN
which he held the faithful sling, Went
| forth across the valley from the
army of Israel to meet the advancing
giant. Faith in God nerved him TO
certain victory. The climax drew
on apace. Each stride OF the glans
and each spring of the 1.-the youth
brought the conflict nearer. ahe
stone is placed, the swish OF the siing
breaks the intense silence which fol-
lows the speeches of the two COM
batants, and then at the 1ee1 OF
David is stretched in helpless, lgno-
minious defeat the great qulverlng
frame of the mighty Golath. lheh
the shout of victory from the army
of Israel, then the panlc-strlckeh
flight of the Philistines, then the de-
liverance for the nation OF lsrael.
Oh, that was wonderful battlea
| Oh, that was an inspiring scene!
But oh, wonderful battle OF the
ages! Oh, inspiring scene for time
and eternity! Jesus, the Good sheP-
herd, battling for the life OF his
sheep, giving His life for The sheep,
triumphing over Satan and death ana
giving life to His sheep! How won
derful! Is it any wonder that the
story never grows old in Heaven OF
in earth? The angels beheld the con-
fict with bated breath and marveled
at Gods wonderful way OF salvatlon'
| the redeemed in Heaven and earth re-
| ioice in the deliverance wrought ana
never tire of telling the story OF the
lost sheep and the Good shepherd
who gave His life to save them. YES
| they can tell it over and over again.
| but none of the ransomed can ever kno"
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord
passed through
| Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
| Out in the desert He heard its cry
| Sick and helpless. and ready to die.
",Lord. whence are those blood-drops all
the way
That mark out the mountains trackg
| They were shed for one who had gone
astray
| Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent ana
| torn?
They are pierced tonight by many
thorn.
But all thro' the mountains. thunder
| And up from the rocky steep,
| There rose glad cry to the gate OF
Rejoice! I have found Ny, sheegr lo,.
| Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His
| ownn"
And Jesus as the Good Shepherd
knows His sheep and His sheep know
Him. 1t lis said that Napoleon knew
the name of every man in his army,
wonderful achievement and indicat-
| ing a close association of the general
with his army, but Jesus not only
knows the names of all His sheep,
but He knows them each and all
through and through. And on the
ether hand the sheep know the Shep-
herd, and as they know Him they
| grow 1UIO Ills llhChCSS' odSh o ON"N
tifully intimate relationship that the
one understands the every need Of
the other, and the sheep respond to
the gentle leading and loving care OF
the Shepherd. The oriental shepherd
knows his flock by name and they
follow as he calls them; he leads
them in and out and they find pas
ture. Jesus says: my sheep hear
Ny voice, and they follow Me-" His
sheep have two characteristics which
stamp them as His: In their ears,
"They hear My voice." and in their
feet, "They follow me-" 1t is said
that sheep having once learned the
voice of the shepherd never forget it.
And in this country where the shep-
herd is not known as he is in the
oriental countries, and where the
leader of the flock is marked by the
bell which tinkles as he feeds and
draws the rest of the flock after him,
the sheep learn the sound of the bell
and do not forget it.
And Jesus as the Good Shepherd
gives His sheep Eternal Life, and no
man can pluck them out of His hand
Perpetuity and absolute security are
characteristics which mark the flock
of the Good Shepherd. The pasture
of time adjoins the pasture of eter-
nity and the sheep of His pasture
here pass over the line into the green
fields of the Celestial Kingdom. And
the safety of the flock is absolutely
certain. Oh, what comfort there