Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-05-04
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginnins Way $.

Prayer Meeting Topic Fer the Week
BeginninG Way $.
Topic.-Crowns trodden under foot.-Isa.
Gxviii. III; Rev. iii, IL.
The crown Is symbol OF royalty
and is worn by kings and queens. 1t
= an ancient and universal ornament
and probably originated from the nj
hts used to prevent the hair from be
tng~ disheyeled by the wind. Such fill
bets are still common. They gradually
Developed into turbans, which. by the
addition of ornamental or precious
materials, assumed the dignity Of mi
tiers or crowns" In the Bible the
khorns that were placed upon the Saw
tours. brow are called crown OF
thorns,' and Paul calls the wreath of
laurel given to the victor in the Gre
clan games crown. The expression
crown is used in Scripture also TO set
forth the supreme blessings that God
will bestow upon His people in such
expressions as u crown of righteous
ness" "a crown CT glory" and "a
crown of life"
In the topical references three crowns
are spoken of-Q)a crown of pride; ca
q crown of glory; 81 crown of serv-
Ice
/. The crown of pride. That He
may warn the people of Judah against
the sins of pride and drunkenness the
Lord. through the prophet. calls their
attention to the fate of Ephraim or
the ten tribes for the same o1enses,
The Lord is to destroy the glorious
beauty of Samaria because Of its sins.
and He warns Judah against sim
liar condition and consequently sim
mar fate This is His denunciation:
"Woe to the crown of pride of the
drunkards of Ephraim and to the fad
ting flowers of his glorious beauty,
which is on the head of the fat valley
II them that are overcome with wine
Though drunken and rebellious against
God, pride, like a crown. sat upon the
heads of the people of Samaria. but
God humbled that pride. He trod I'M
Aer foot that crown, and this viii be
he experience of all who break the
hws of God and are yet filed with
Dirit of self complacent pride.
2. The crown of glory. The unfaith-
1al were to be uncrowned, while God
himself was to become the crown of
me few who remained faithful. I'm
nat day viii the Lord of Hosts become
o crown of glory and diadem of
beauty unto the residue of His people"
We have a strong contrast that should
make a deep impression upon us. If
living in sin we still crown ourselves
With pride and boastfulness. God will
hnmble and uncrown us; but if we are
Aithful to His laws and command
nents He will become "a crown of
eiory" to US. 1t should not take US
hing to decide which of these two con-
ditions we prefer.
g. The crown of service. Hold
last that thou hast, that no man take
&hy crown" This must be the crown
OK reward for service. 1t cannot re-
1er to the crown of life, for no man
can take that from US If we have it.
But If God has work for US to do,
and we neglect it, and some one else
performs it, he will receive the
crown of reward which we will there
fire lose. Let US therefore not be
weary in well doing, for in due season
We shall reap, if we faint not" We are
saved to serve. Let us serve, therefore,
that we may have in time to come
both the crown of life and the crown
q service
BIBLE READINGS.
Prov. xi, II; Xxx, /; xiii, 1921. %
e; 1 Cor. XIV, IS; Gal v. 1926: vi
Q; II Tim. iv, I. s; Jas. i. u; Pet.
T. Ii; Rev. ii, 10.