The Tupelo journal., 1902-11-21


chill mountain air. The wandering
sheep sooner or later falls into these
perils, and soon perishes if the faithful
shepherd does not go out after the
lost and bring it back to the shelter of
the fold. The world is like unto a
wandering sheep. 1t is lost. 1t cannot
find its own way back to the fold and
safety. but the Good Shepherd has
gone out into all the world seeking
that which was lost If the sheep will
but hear His voice He will lead back to
the green pastures and the still wa
ters of Eternal Life.
The wandering sheep is a helpless
sheep. What is more helpless than a
sheep at all times? 1t is absolutely de-
pendent upon the shepherd for lead
ing, for protection, for it's food and its
drink. But a wandering sheep! 1t
plunges blindly into the briars and
| thistles, it stumbles and falls over the
rocky ground, it heedlessly PUSHES over
the precipice into the chasm below, or
out into the barren wastes away from
pasture lands and the flowing streams.
And the world, like a wandering sheep,
is helpless. 1t rushes blindly hither
and thither, knowing not whittier it is
tending; it seeks the broad way of its
W desires and recklessly draws near
err and nearer to the abyss of its own
destruction. 1t is utterly helpless.
but Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is al
ways within reach and quickly hears
the cry for help. Butifno cry of help
less need is raised, the Good Shepherd
cannot find and save the wandering
sheep. 1t is related of an oriental
shepherd who searched day after day
for his lost sheep that at last he found
it cold and stiff and dead, hid
den in the thicket close to the
pathway over which he had passed
and repassed in his search. One faint
bleat from the helpless sheep would
have brought the sorrow-stricken
shepherd to its side, and it would not
have persisted, but would have been
%tenderly lifted to the strong, willing
shoulders of the shepherd and carried
back to the fold and safety. And oh!
if the lost sheep of the world would
49, "a IN lam ny " h>AP oHN
salvation as Jesus, the Good Shep-
herd, passes to and fro seeking for the
lost sheep, how quickly it would reach
His ear, and His nail-pierced feet
would speed to the side of the helpless
and dying one, and the nail-pierced
hands would reach out and with in
finite love and tenderness release the
| fotfornI .o,J fror, thn nr,ol fhnTnc
and the tangled briars. Helpless, dy-
ing sheep of the world, send out your
cry to the Good Shepherd before it is
too late and you are left cold and life
less on the mountain side of sin!
The wandering sheep is a sure and
easy prey of the wild beasts which Turk
in the thicket and among the rocks.
Utterly powerless to resist attack, its
life is speedily crushed out and its
life's blood sucked up by the blood
thirsty beast. The world as a wander
ing sheep is utterly powerless to re-
sist the attack of its adversary, the
devil. Unlike real sheep, it is true that
it does resist and fight against the
devil, but he is just as certain of his
final victory over that sou as is the
great lion that is crunching the bones
of the helpless, dying lamb. Just as
certain!-unless a faint cry for help
goes out to the Good Shepherd, when.
like the contemplate coward that he
is, the devil sinks off in ignominious
defeat. The world thinks it gives the
devil some pretty hard raps, some
times, but the hardest rap the world
ever gave him was like the tickling
stroke of a feather, and it set him
and all his legions of black devils TO
shouting with glee. The devil plays
his victim like a cat plays with the
mouse. They are perfectly helpless
within his grasp, unless the cry of
faith to the Good Shepherd brings
Him to their side, for He alone can
set them free from the wiles and pow
er of the devil.
The Supreme Victory.-"The Good
Shepherd giveth His life for the
sheep" Greater love hath no man
than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends" In the Fathers
House the only begotten Sol of God
beheld sinful and perishing man as
scattered and wandering sheep plung-
ing helplessly to destruction. He
laid aside His crown. His scepter and
His kingly robe and came all the
way from Heaven Il earth to become
the Good Shepherd which giveth His
life for His sheep. The hireling
feeth, leaving the helpless sheep to
the merciless attack of the wolf, but
the Good Shepherd, seeing the dan
ger, and knowing hat the life of the
sheep was at stake, stood in the
breach and willingly died that He
might give life to the sheep. "All we
like sheep have gone astray, we have
turned every one to his own way"
and because this is true, the penalty
of death rests upon us. But blessed
be the name of the Lord, Jesus Of
fered Himself to God His Father, as
our substitute for sin, and 1.-The Lord
hath laid on Him the iniquity of us
ALL" He became the Good Shepherd,
giving His life for the sheep. Oh,
glorious triumph! Oh, supreme VIC
tory of the ages! The bright star
of hope which God hung in the Gar
den of Eden when He promised that
the seed of the woman should bruise
the serpent's head grew brighter and
clearer through the centuries until
it burst in it's full orbed beauty over
the manger at Bethlehem. The
patriarchs and the prophets watched
T> w