Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-08-12
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Aug. 16, 1908.

By REV. s. II. DOYLE.
Topic.-Lessons from the sea.-Ps. evil,
Isl
This psalm was written as call to
men to ''praise the Lord Cor His good
ness and for His wonderful works to
the children Of men" He enumerates
several instances in which men have
found themselves in perplexing places
and have called upon the name of the
Lord, who has heard them and deliv-
cred them from their distress. One of
these Illustrations is taken from ship
wreck at sea. A great storm is de-
scribed, and the sailors, at their wits
end, call upon the Lord, and He deliv-
ers them out of their distresses. He
maketh the storm calm;
then are they glad. so He
bringeth them to their desired haven"
What better lesson could be taught US
of Gods providential care of His peo-
pie than ASSASSINATION from storm
at sea and defiverance from watery
grave?
Every element of the sea may also
teach US useful lessons. The blessings
of the sea to mankind are innumerable.
and. coming from Gods creation, they
come from Him. The wonderful works
of God are nowhere more manifest
than in the sea and its relation to man
kind and the physical world Take the
relation of the earth and the sea. The
sea in mists constantly rising, which
form into clouds and are blown over
the earth and give 1t Its water. is con-
etantly supporting the life of the earth
and of man and beast But finally it
runs back to the sea, carrying with it
salt and other ingredients that keep
the sea clean and pure. Otherwise the
great oceans would be but stagnant
pools, full of death and loathsomeness.
What wonderful arrangement of God
and how forcibly it teaches us great
lesson on sacrifice. 1t is by giving
out that we receive in return. The
Dead sea has an inlet, but no outlet.
and what is the result? 1t is dead, in
deed. No life exists in it, bird can
not fly over it without falling a fatal
victim to its poisonous vapors. Give
and We shall receive.
Life is also well likened to the sea.
In travelling over the sea we leave one
harbor for another on distant coast.
We meet storms and dangers. We be-
hold the constant restlessness Of the
sea. But If all goes well we reach our
distant harbor How like life this all
IL! Earth is the harbor from which
we start. and heaven should be the
harbor which we desire to reach. But
how many storms there are in life.
How many dangers! In the sea voy-
age of life we are oft in danger. Oft
in woe" How much restlessness there
is in life also-so many things unat-
tanned, separations from loved ones, so
many trials and vexations, so many
problems unsolved. all tending to
make the heart and mind restless and
disquieted. But the ocean liner has
its pilot, and SO have we as Christians
over LIES sea. Jesus, the Son of God.
Is our pilot, and if we trust Him fully
no storm, no danger, no restlessness
will overcome us. He win make the
storm a calm, and in gladness we
through Him shall enter into our de-
sired haven.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ell. xiv, 1921; Neh. tx, 7-12; Job
xxxvfii, Ill: Ps. XIV. IL; lisa xiv,
1915; Ps lxxxix, 10; Matt. viii, 1927;
Acts xvii, 21-26; Rev. xxi, 1.