Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-03-03
CHRISTIAN ENDEAv0R.
Mayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning March 7, 1909.
BY REV. s. H. DOYLE.

By REV. s. H. DOYLE.
Topic.-Life lessons for me from the
psalms.-Ps. XVI. ILL (Consecration
meeting)
The expression for me" indicated
In the topic has special significance
10 related to the Psalms. Every book
of the Bible applies more or less to
The individual, but the Psalms in this
respect surpass all others. No other
book has been more widely read, and
no other has had so many comments
written upon It. The reason for these
things lies close to the surface. The
Psalms are largely devotional. They
ARE the expressions of the soul In its
relation to God under the most varied
circumstances. The experiences of
the soul are and always have been
essentially the same, and hence when
the soul is cast down or exalted. when
under depression or blessed with a
perfect trust, we turn to the Psalms to
read the experiences of others under
similar circumstances. and we never
go away without blessing. The
Psalms have been a powerful factor
both In church life and national life,
but, above all. they have filed longing
wants In the individual life. If you
have neglected or are neglecting this
book as means of your personal
growth In experimental religion and
dn all graces you are making a sad
mistake. In the Twentythird Psalm,
for instance, only the singular per-
sonal pronoun is used, illustrating
that they are "for me-"
The book of Psalms is a collection
of sacred poems. used IN song and
composed by various authors. but
principally by David, and hence they
are commonly called the Psalms of
David" They include historical refer
ences, confessions of men. Messianic
prophecies, the cutpourings of the soul
IN times of doubt and despair and
praises and rejoicings in times Of i'm
plicit trust and joy. The book con-
sists Of $50 Psalms, yet there is no
division as TO time or as to the sub
jects used The Jews divide them
into five books, which division has
been followed by the revisers of the
Old Testament:
Book FPS. 1-41.
Book H.-Ps 42-T2.
Book HIPS. 1880.
Book Iv.-Ps. 90-1O6
Book V.-Ps. 107-15O.
Nor are the divisions arbitrary. At
the. end of each one there is a natural
stopping place. The first book closes
xr{f ha h., ha 7 arl
God Of Israel from everlasting to
everlasting, amen and amen" Ops. XII,
49,; the second. THE prayers of David,
the son Of Jesse. are ended" Ops. xxi, |
90; the third, Blessed be the Lord for
eyermore, amen and amen Cps. lxxxix.
81; the fourth, Blessed be the Lord
God Of Israel from everlasting to
everlasting, and let all the people say
amen: praise We the Lord Cps. cvi.
49,; the fifth. LET everything that hath
breath praise the Lord; praise We the
Lord" Ops. cl, O..
The Forty-sixth Psalm is lesson to |
the church and to us as members Of
st. In the midst of all the trials of
the church God is in the midst Of
her; she shall not be mired God
ehall help her. and that right early"
So 1t is with our lives. God is in the
midst of them, and We need not fear
though the earth and the mountains
be moved or the waters roar God
- our refuge and our strength
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. 1, 1-6; Ky, Is; xix, ia; xiii,
xvii, Is; xiii, Ill; xvii; Gill, Is;
evil, IS; cxvi, 1919; cl,