Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-02-26
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning March I. 1908.

By REV. s. II. DOYLE.
Topic-Songs of the heart-III. How
God leads men.-Ps. xiii
Under the general topic, Songs of
the Heart" we have already studied as
special subjects a. what is true bless
edness?' (2) How God speaks to men,"
We now come to the third in the Sc
ries, How God leads men," The Scrip
ture selected to illustrate Gods lead
ing of men is the Twenty Psalm.
This is one of the shepherd psalms of
David. 1t is undoubtedly one of the
most familiar of all the psalms of Da-
vid, being the first that is usually
taught to the youngest child in the
home or in the Sabbath school. 1t is
also one of the most comforting psalms.
It is not only recited by almost infant
voices who do not understand its deep
significance, but it is remembered and
repeated by the aged saints of God
when in declining years they enter
''the valley Of the shadow Of death"
Many dying saints Of God have Pill
bowed their heads upon these sacred
words and in peace have fallen asleep
- death II David had done nothing
&lBe than leave the world this brief
Uoetic gem, his life would have been
veil worth living.
The Twenty-third Psalm emphasizes
0e fact that God does lead US, and this
- itself is NO small fact. The path
way OF life often seems to US so per-
yaexing and so uncertain and its end
% shrouded in mystery that we might
well at times give up in despair did We
not remember that the eternal God
leads US. He who is able to make the
crooked path straight, to unravel the
most perplexing problems of life. to
bring light out Of darkness and joy out
or sorrow, is our guide and our leader.
Well, therefore, may we place our
hands in His and follow His leading,
daily praying unto Him:
Lead, Kindly Light. amid the encircling
gloom:
Lead Thou me on.
dhe night il dark. and ! am far from
home:
Lead Thou me on.
Keep Thou my feet; do not ask to see
The distant someone step enough for me.
But, assured that the Lord does lead
Us, we may ask, How does He lead us?
/. God leads US in the temporal af-
fairs Of life. He leads US as a shep-
herd leads his sheep. and the object OF
the shepherds leading was to procure
food and drink for his flock. The ori-
entail shepherd had no abiding place
for his focks. He moved them from
place to place that he might find green
pastures and still waters for them.
Thus God. our great shepherd, leads
us. THE Lord is my shepherd; l shall
not want. He maketh me to lie down
In green pastures. He leadeth Inc be-
side the still waters" The shepherd
provided abundantly for his sheep. So
does God for US If we will but trust
Him and follow Him. We shall not
want. Our tables shall be spread and
sufficiently supplied with good things.
To many life is but battle for bread.
1t is struggle for physical existence.
But these things to those who follow
Gods leadership need cause no worry
or overanxiety. THE Lord will pro-
vide" He always has, and He always
Will. Only trust Him, and all worry
over present or future provision for
temporal wants may be abandoned.
2. God leads US in the spiritual af-
fairs Of our lives. He restoreth my
soul. He leadeth me in the paths of
Righteousness for His names sake"
Every soul is dead In sin. God In
Christ restores our spiritual lives. Aft
or restoration He perfects them. We
no longer walk In the paths Of sin, but
He leads Us in the paths of righteous
Aess and Of peace. And when the soul
faces its greatest crisis-dissolution
from the body-we may still lean upon
Him. Yea, though ! walk through
tAe valley Of the shadow of death,
win fear no evil, for Thou art with
me-" And even beyond death God
Stfl keeps us. II win dwell in the
house Of the Lord forever" How com.
Drehensive the leadership Of God-in
Me, in death, In eternity! Why should
we fear7 Why should we worry? Why
should we be overanxlous? Commit
thy way unto the Lord, trust also In
Him, and He shall bring it to pass"
BIRLE READINGS.
lisa. Il, Oil; Jer. xiii, 8, 4; Eek.
xxxiv, 11-16; Ps. xxxvii. ); lv, %; Mark
u, IL; Luke XIV, ITO; John K, lie