Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-04-06

Comment. by William r. ELI.


JOY OF the Lord means much to pres
ent day Christians. The phenomenal
might almost be called the laughing
revival" because of the bubbling hap
piness which il has created. Evan
Roberts laughs aloud during his dis
course. His gospel Is life-full. free.
Joyous anG Astounding life.
KNOWING HIS OWN.
A certain famous college president,
still living. once said that he did not
know the names or faces of half a
dozen of his students; small wonder
that he failed in his high office. No
AMOUNT of scholarship can justify in
difference to individual men and wom-
EN-. The Good Shepherd not only feeds
ms sheep, and sustains and shelters
them, ever at the cost of his own life,
but he is also on personally intimate
terms with every one. In the orient
the shepherd knows every sheep by
name, and his peculiarities; and the
sheep know his voice.
The intensity and particularly of
the interest of Jesus in individuals is
one of the startling yet most precious
truths i'm all the scriptures. Il know
mine own. and my own know me. even
as me Father noweth me, and know
the Father What Il parallel! The
Good Shepherd maintains toward his
sheep the very intimacy that charac-
%terizes the divine Father and Son.
by that token there is no talk in
heaven of the Masses" God does not
view humanity in the lump: that is left
for half-baked philosophers and sociol-
ogists. This world in heavens sight.
at least. is not peopled with masses
or classes blu with children of God,
each as personal and individual as if
he were the first and only created. The
quicker Christians get this viewpoint
into their minds the sooner they will
accomplish their legitimate work. The
world can be led into the Good Shep-
herds flock only by one, n not in
masses.
THE MAN WHO WORKS FOR
WAGES.
From every present situation in life
we may bark straight back to the
bible to find the principle underlying
1t. The employers, whether captains
of industry or distracted mistresses of
one maid. who are hampered and vexed
constantly by the inefficiency of mere
wage-earners, who care naught for the
work except as 1t brings them in u
weekly stipend. will be quick to catch
the force of the Masters words con-
corning the hireling whom he contrasts
with the good shepherd. The hireling
cares nothing for the sheep; he cares
only for his pay. He works not for
foe of the flock finds in him an UNI
whiting ally. ecaus a faithless de-
fender. In danger he seeks first his
w safety: but 1.-The good shepherd
layeth down his life for the Sheep
Pity is called forth by many kinds
and conditions of men. and surely he
who has nothing better to live for than
his income and what 1t will buy is
surely one of these. He has no cause
or conviction for which he would suf-
fer hardship or death. To esteem his
service more highly than his life is an
i6on fnra{rt, To hin, M, l<<.. -. -
sacrifice. the rich delight of conflict for
duty's sake. the holy e%xaltation of
hard service at conscience's call, are all
to him. Let a sigh go up for
such a poor man. though his wage be
thousands and his lot luxury. The true
most ease and least care: but those
who. by suffering and hardship it may
be. are standing at duty's post and
thereby gaining a deepened gaze into
the philosophy of existence.
THE SHEPHERD IDEA.
While fruitful to exhaustlessness,
there are some passages of scripture
that really need no exposition. They
carry their meaning on their face. This
good shepherd lesson from John is one
such. The most important message 1t
conveys is the perfectly plain and pri-
mary one. that Jesus is n good shep-
herd. His attitude toward men is the
seiitie' patient, projecting, guiding and
sustaining one of the eastern shepherd
toward his sheep. The impression of
God which he conveys-and mans idea
OF God is supremacy i~mportant-is of a
tender. ~forbearing. loving shepherd.
Nor is the Significance of the figure
Of the sheep lost upon men. They are
quick to apply the parallel. for they
are conscious of the witless. wandering.
the foolish laundering and all the
weaknesses which make them like
sheep. Thu more. therefore. they APP
preciate the kindness and forbearance
or the good shepherd who seeks and
binds up n carries his lost and
bruised sheep at a COS of unimagin-
able self-expenditure.
In these days men are having a new
vision of the oneness Of Christ's flock.
The Lords sheep have been sorely
smitten by division and contention, but
as they draw closer to him they are
err: n they are understanding that.
because they have one shepherd thew