St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-12-27

shepherd does not go out after tn
lost and bring If back to the shelter O
the fold. The world is like unto ;
wandering sheep. 1t is lost. 1t canno
find its own way back to the fold ant
safety, but the Good Shepherd ha:
gone out into all the world seeking
that which was lost. If the sheep will
but hear His voice He will lead back tt
the green pastures and the still wa
tiers of Eternal Life.
The wandering sheep is helples:
sheep. What is more helpless than {
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! II
plunges blindly into the briars and
thistles, it stumbles and falls over the
rocky ground, it heedlessly rushes over
the precipice into the chasm below, OF
out into the barren wastes away from
pasture lands and the flowing streams,
And the world, like wandering sheep
is helpless. It rushes blindly hither
and thither, knowing not whittier it is
tending; it seeks the broad way of its
own desires and recklessly draws near
er 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. But if no 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 it's 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
only raise one faint cry for help and
salvation as Jesus, the Good Shop
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
fettered soul from the cruel thorns
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 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 it's
life's blood sucked up by the blood
thirsty beast. The world as wander
ing sheep is utterly powerless to re-
sist the attack of it's 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 soul as is the
great lion that is crunching the bones
of the helpless, dying lamb. Just as
certain!-unless 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
Int no or1nc& tho world
ever gave him was like the tickling
stroke of feather, and it set him
and all his legions of black devils to
shouting with glee. The devil plays
MS 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
han this, that man lay down his
life for his friends" In the Fathers
House the only begotten Son of God
oeheld sinful and perishing man as
scattered and wandering sheep plung
ng helplessly to destruction. He
aid aside His crown, His scepter and
lis kingly robe and came all the
way from Heaven to earth to become
ne Good Shepherd which giveth His
jfe for His sheep. The hireling
Teeth, leaving the helpless sheep to
he merciless attack of the wolf, but
he Good Shepherd, seeing the dan
,er, and knowing that the life of the
heep was at stake, stood in the
'reach and willingly died that He
night give life to the sheep. Cali we
ike sheep have gone astray, we have
urned every one to his own way"
nd because this is true, the penalty
# death rests upon us. But blessed
'e the name of the Lord, Jesus Of |
cred Himself to God His Father, as
ur substitute for sin, and 'the Lord |
ath laid on Him the iniquity of US
H." He became the Good Shepherd,
living His life for the sheep. Oh,
lorious triumph! Oh, supreme vic
DRY Of the ages! The bright star
f hope which God hung in the Gar
en- of Eden when He promised that
he seed of the woman should bruise
he serpent's head grew brighter and
learer through the centuries until
burst in it's full o.rbed beauty over
he Manager at Bethlehem. The
atriarchs and the prophets watched
Or the coming of the Deliverer. We
eioice in the fact that the Deliverer
as come. The hope of the world
rom Adam until now centers around
ne cross. The efficacy of that cross
caches back to Abel whose faith en-
hlcd him to offer a sacrifice which