The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-29
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS


Leads Man" Psalm o.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
The twenty-third Psalm is truly q
Song OF the heart" 1t is as nearly a
universal bit of literature as there IL
in the world. Wherever men and wo-
men know the true God and the BOOK
that reveals him, there men ana women
are accustomed to express their hghes.
words. penned three millenniums a6o
by David. IsraePs shepherd king.
A good creed for childhood and OLD
age, and for all the periods between, Is !,
this one, THE Lord is my Shepherd;
There come periods in every person ;
existence when he no longer wants 10
be counted strong and brave ana mas
terful he simply wants only 10 Cuoole
down in the tender care OF COO hke .
lamb in the bosom of the protecting
shepherd. The sheep is not celeprateo
for it's wisdom. but for its trustfuiness.
To give over all care and responsipiu.y
to the power of the loving Lord-tnaI 10
peace. And 1t is an ideal OF conner or
and protection which Is to be found no
where but in the Hebrew or Christian
conception of God
Every leader is, after all, only a 1ol-
lower. HIS trustworthiness as ieauo ot
he is following. They lead best VINO
are led by the great ideals which ma
their embodiment in God. For, uiti-
mateIy, all leadership harks back elth-
er to the beneficent Jehovah OF 20 Inc
baneful ruler Of the powers OF darkness
who embodies ali the principles OF sci
fshness The thought may be conslo-
cred rather startling, but II Is assuI -
" true Everybody is following eitner
God or Satan There Is no mloois
leader.
every one who is thus LED cannot es-
cape the responsibility of being, In
turn, himself leader.
The welfare of the sheep is the happi-
ness Of the Shepherd
Whatever God provides for his own is
sure to prove green pastures
=
David's figures are rich and full
There is nothing meagre or scanty or
occasional in his conception of Divine
Providence. He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures" There they
are, fertile, abundant and succulent;
and the sheep. fulfilled and contented,
is recumbent in them, prepared to en-
joy them indefinitely
God leads his own beside the still
waters That is the Psalmist's picture
of peace; for peace is the priceless her1-
tage of all who trust the Lord. Some
men do not want the still waters; they
perfer the hurly-burly and turmoil OF
the hustling world and contact with the
maddening crowd. But God knows how
sorely our careworn hearts need peace.
Sometimes he let's US enter the quiet
seclusion of the refreshing still waters
through the doorway Of pain or sorrow.
What of that? The goal Is worth the
journey; no price Is too great to pay
for any one of Gods great gifts
q
''I will fear no evil" OF course there
is evil in the world: the Good Shepherd
himself nkened this to void world.
regards all the bad in humanity is no
true philosophy. Evil does exist. But
1t need cot conquer. Why not? Let the
Psalmist answer: For thou art with
me: thy rod and thy staff, they COM
fort me-" The greatest factor in life
is not fear, but God.
Peace, perfect peace, In this dark
world of sin?
The voice of Jesus whispers peace
within"
Burglars have been busy in our
town of late. Their frequent raids
have greatly excited the quiet little
suburb. Some people are in a panic
of terror. In every wind-blown shut
ter, every rafting window, every
breaking board. they imagine an in
%ader. Their life is a continual tor
ment of fear Others there be who
seem not greatly concerned; they are
a shade more careful about locking
up at nights, but that Is all They
will not let the presence of this dan
ger rob them of a treasure more pre-
cious than their silverware, which is
their peace OF mind. So it is with the