Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-20
Christian Endeavor Hour
Conducted by Grace Livingston Hill Lutz.
February 81 1909

conducted by Grace Livingston Hill Lutz.
February 81. 1909.
Topic: Pilgrims Progress: Series 1.-THE Slough
Of Despond."- Psalm lxix:1-4. 1918: xl:1-3.
Now 1 saw in my dream, that just AZ
they ended this talk. they drew nigh 70 a
very miry slough. that was in the midst
Of the plain: and they being needless did
both fall suddenly into the bog The
name of the slough was Despond Here
therefore. they wallowed for a time. being
grievously bedaubed with dirt: and Chris
tian. because of the burden that was
his back. began to sink In the mire.'-
Pilgrims Progress.
II waited patiently for the Lord; and
He inclined unto me. and heard my cry.
He brought me up also out OF the hor-
rible pit. and out OF the miry clay. and
set my feet upon rock. and established
my goings.
When Help came to Christians assist
ance he asked him 'Why did You not look
for the steps?'' There are always steps
placed through the sloughs Of despond In
may be found. God has placed precious
promises In every miry place. for a firm
footing. and near enough together so that
we may pass safely over the dangerous
ground without sinking. but SO often like
Christian we are so intent upon pushing
ahead In the way we have come TO think
is right that we plunge headong into the
slough Of despond before ever We have
stopped to see what we are coming to.
Steinman visited Mount Hecla before
its great eruption In 1915 and came very
near perishing In the crater. Against the
earnest entreaty OF his guide he went
close to the yawning chasm, and he thus
describes his experience as his feet slip
ped and he found himself thrown down
by the upheaval Of the summit of the
crater. and held there by blocks OF lava
round his feet "'Help, help shreked.
in agony Of despair. I had nothing to
I prayed to God as I had never prayed
before for forgiveness of sins. All at
once I heard shouting and hebeld my
faithful guide Fastening down the sides of
said he You did, cried I, but forgive
me and save me. for am perishing,' He
answered, I will save you or perish with
your Then the earth trembled. the rocks
chasm with a dull. booming sound.
sprang forward seized a hand Of the
guide. and the next minute we had fallen.
locked in each others arms upon the
solid ground above; l was free. but still
upon the verge of the pit"
1t is such Christ that comes to our
relief when we fall into despair over our
sins and the impossibility of salvation.
Jeremy Taylor once said: 1t is i'm
possible for him to despair who remem-
bers that his helper is Omnipotent."
A converted Chinaman thus describes
the difference between Christianity. Con
fucianism and Buddhism. He says: "A
man had fallen into q deep dark pit. and
lay in its miry bottom. grooming and ut
terly unable to move. ConfuciuS walked
by and said. Poor fellow! l am sorry for
you. Why were you such fool as to get
in there? Let me give you piece of add
vice. If you ever get out. don't get IN
again. a Buddhist priest came by and
said, Poor fellow! i am very much
panied to see you there / think II you
could scramble up two-thirds of the way.
you up the rest OF the way But tie
man in the pit was entirely unable 10 ris"
or help himself. Next the Savior came
by, and hearing the cries. went to IL"
very brink of the pit. stretched down aud
laid hold of the poor man. brought him
up and said. Go. and sin no more
If We but believed what Savior We
have we should see that there are steps
for the burdened sinner. all through this
slough Of despond
The man who has once determined -
leave all and follow Christ often thinks
that should be the end of lis trouble, and
wallowing about In the slough of despond.
even as Christian asked why this place
was allowed to be in the way of poor
pilgrims to the eternal city.
Sometimes Christian workers get dis
cOura9ed and fall into the slough ~
despond. for 1t somehow oozes up nov
and then in everybody's path and makes
them look well to their steps. To such
John Mcneil says: Have you noticed
how the eng1nedriver In charge Of a train
when he stops at station pays hardly
any attention to the traffic at the station.
no attention to the whether
some millionaire is travelling or not? But
when the train stops, he is out with the
oil flask, lifting the little brass covers and
pouring in a few drops in one place. then
in another. to prevent friction and ~
make everything work easily: for friction
means breakdown. and break down
means disaster. So with Christ Are
you my brother. the engine pulling and
Juggling away at some church i'm back
woods district or In a very goddess town?
My sister. are YOU an engine in your own
way, pulling and Juggling at some Bih-
class or Sunday school or tract ds'ribu-
ton in some wretchcd slum? You do not
mean IN give 1T up. but you feel If the
wheels barely turning. YOU are max
ing nothing of it. Think of this: the
Lord looks after the engine especially
He comes with the oil of comfort and
pours II on your overheated spirit
PARALLELPAS SAGES Psalm, xxxvii:
8: jeremiah. Wills; Psalm. lv:22; Psalm.
lxXi:D: Isaiah. xNv:4: Isaiah. ly:1; Jor.,
xvi:19 Lam. iii:32; Matt. VA.
HINTS TO THE LEADER.-The En-
deavor Hymnal II. 80, ~. ~. los. l73.
Have che portion OF "Pilgrims Prog
ress' assigned for this meeting read by
one or the members, followed by the two
selections read by two other
members. Follow with prayer. Call out
points in the story OF Christian. such as.
Why did he get in What steps does
God place for us?' Ask half "A dozen
members to recite some precious promises
that are steps for young travellers. Ask
how Christian got out, bringing out tn
OF earnest prayer being tie way
put of dependency. Ask for few
testimonies concerning help given in
answer to prayer in time of need.
Four missions are TO be organized in
and around Syracuse. y. Y. by the lay