The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-11-05
THE LORD
OUR SHEPHERD
ssnd.y seIosl Lesson for New. IS, 1901
Specially Arranged for This Paper

John l0:I-l6 Commit entire Psalm.
GOLDEN TExT.-"The Lord IL my
Shepherd. I shall not want. Psalm 23:1.
AUTHOR-David.
T1ME.-Either in his youth. or later in
a review Of his life. Barton places It
during Absaiom's rebellion, referring to
Sam l7:z7-2.
Comment and Suggestive Thoughts
The Good Shepherd Shepherdlng
His Sheep.--Vs. 1-3. "On such a will
derness Of mirage, Elusive paths, Turk
ing terrors, and infrequent spots of
heritage, II is evident that the person
and character OF the shepherd must
mean a great deal more TO the sheep
than they can possibly mean with us.
With us, sheep left to themselves may
be seen any day--in a field or on a
hillside with a travelling wire fence
to keep them from straying. But
do not remember ever to have seen in
the east a flock Of sheep without
shepherd. On such landscape as l
have described he is obviously indis.
pensable."
The sheep in modern times under
civilized governments are as really
protected by the shepherd as are those
In the open fields Of the orient; only
In a different way. The laws take
the place OF clubs and crooks. Fences
and police guards are but another
mode OF protecting the sheep from
labyrinthine paths and desert dangers,
and Of guiding them TO the green pas
lures and waters OF rest.
This is equally true of life. BY a
fuller knowledge OF natural and divine
law, by the protection, which Christian
civilization bestows. and the guidance
OF Gods word. many things are done
for us which needed once more visible
guidance. But it is the same shep-
herding as was given OF old.
The Good Shepherd loves his sheep
with an everlasting love. He gives his
life for the sheep.
He left heaven. his home, and be-
came man; taught. suffered, died, that
he might find his lost ones.
The shepherdhood of Christ and
the fatherhood OF God are the two
most comforting assurances Of Scrip
Hugh Black.
The Good Shepherd Knows His Sheep
by Name. 1T is a remarkable fact in
oriental husbandry. that in a flock of
hundreds OF thousands each individual
sheep has its name, knows Il, and Is
know by H." This implies: /. That
the shepherd takes a living, personal
interest In each individual. 2. That
he knows each individuals peculiar
circumstances, so that he ministers
TO each one what he specially needs
and requires. 8. That he assigns to
each one the work for which he is best
fitted. 4. That he can accept the love
and loyalty of each individual. Jesus.
the Good Shepherd, does all this and
more for his flock
Every life needs shepherding: and
a shepherd knows his sheep by their
weakness and faults, and measures his
care of them thereby; and when the
Good Shepherd calls his own sheep,
he calls them by the name which sug-
sests at once their failing and his help,
and his cali thus becomes a tender
appeal, for IL is both remembrance
and a promise Hugh Black.
The Good Shepherd is Our Guide
Through Life. He leadeth me-"
"Guideth me on a journey from which
IL is easy to stray from the right
path" I'm the paths of Righteousness"
I'm the right tracks, those that lead
directly and safely to the place of des.
tination. PROF. c. A. Briggs. often
have | roamed through the shepherd
country in my youth and watched how
hard II Is TO choose the right path
for the sheep; one leads to a precipice,
another to place where the sheep
cannot find the way back; and the
shepherd was always going ahead,
leading them in the right paths,
proud OF his good name as shep-
herd."-song Of the Syrian Shepherd.
Thy rod and thy STAFF ARE not
synonymous. for even the shepherd OF
to-day. though often armed with gun,
carries two instruments of wood, his
great oak club, thick enough to brain
a wild beast, and HIS stan to lean upon
or to touch his sheep with. while the
ancient shepherd without firearms
would surely still more require both"
George Adam Smith.
The stan is The common shepherds
crook, by which he can draw a wan
dering sheep toward him or pull him
out of some crevice or away from
some poisonous herb.
They comfort me-" I'VE must not
miss the force OF the good old word
comfort icon. together; forts,
strong). 1t means far more than sim
ply to console. II signifies to tone up
the whole nature. to strengthen a man
so that all his energies can be brought
70 bear.'-M. r. Vincent.
Goodness and mercy" (the quail
Ties of God) shall follow me-" pursue
me, hunt me.
One need not seek anxiously for
them as an Elusive blessing, as the
child seeks In vain for the rainbow;
but they viii pursue him and over
take him, IL only he is true sheep.
Il will dwell in the house of the
Lord for ever" In his house, and un-
der the heavenly influences OF HIS
hnuse wherever he NAV he On earth