The Raymer enterprise., 1911-10-19
A Psalm, Of
Deiverance
s..l.y sehe., L.s.ss f.. oe.. y. 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT-Psalm IS.
MEMORY VERsEs-lo-1l.
GOLDEN TEXT-"The Lord hath done
great things for US: whereof we are glad"
-Psa. 1858.
PLACE IN H1sToRY-Just when this
Psalm was written Is unknown, but in its
spirit it belongs to the return from the
exile. the times of our last two lessons.
Psalms 12l. l22. 126, 1870 are among tho
Pilgrim Psalms.
Psalms of Dellverance" came as a
vivifying power into the hearts of the
returned exiles, who in the midst OF
their Joy were overwhelmed with difii-
culties. and hardships and discourage
ments. The reality was far differ
ent from the ideal pictures in their
minds. They had seen Victory glori-
GUS In the distance, but were not
plunged into the turmoil and smoke
of battle. They were tempted to say
to the prophets that Pliable in the
Slough Of Despond, angrily said to
Christian who had urged him to go
on the pilgrimage to the Celestial
City: rs this the happiness you have
told me all this while of" But songs
OF deliverance keep the celestial hope
ever In view. They point out the
way to the things hoped for, and show
the evidence Of things not SEEN"
Thou has been favorable unto thy
land" shown by bringing back the
captivity of Jacob. This was a most
marvellous event and not even to be
hoped for in the natural course Of
things.
when the Lord turned again the
captivity Of Zion," caused the stream
OF captives that flowed to Babylon to
turn back and flow to Zion; ''like the
streams In the SOUTH" in suddenness
and overflowing fullness.
The loving kindness Of God proves
that he has forgiven their past trans.
gressions. Thou hast forgiven the
iniQuity Of thy people" Cancelled it,
as an account of debt Is Cancelled,
or taken away as a heavy, crushing
burden. Covered all their sin. Blot.
ted out Of sight, covered 1t with a
mantle. so that they were in Gods
sight as those who had never slnned
We need forgiveness as wide as the
sin. And we find In the Bible as many
terms expressing forgiveness as we
found for expressing sin-Forgive, Re
nit, Send away, Cover up. Blot out
Destroy, Wash away, Cleanse.
The returned exiles. gained new
knowledge Of Gods Word, a new
world experience, they lost the inde
pendent nation, but gained the inde
pendent church, from which blossom
ed the Messiah. the Saviour Of the
world. The old, eternal law Of sir
and death was irrevocable, never
ceased; but the changed character
permits new law to override tn,
consequences. In the words of DR.
John Thomas Of Liverpool: Ever,
man who knows anything knows tina
one law can be neutralized by anoth
err There Is law Of gravitatior
which keeps this Bible here upon tn,
desk. That law cannot be altered, Il
cannot be stopped; 1t will draw, ant
draw, and draw. whatever you ma,
say or do, but 1t can be neutralizet
by the law Of my WILL can lift tn,
book and make the law Of gravitatior
to appear as though 1t were not. Tha
Is exactly what we say about the par
don Of sin and the arrest Of its conse
quences."
God has done much for them, bu
they longed for more. So many evil
remained, the nation was yet so i'm
perfect. SO far from what It might be
Illustration from DR.. Chapman's ad
dress to the Harvard students. RE
member. friends. that 1t is God'l
standard your life and mine mus
come up against. A friend of min,
went to see an old washerwoman, ant
as he entered the house the sheet,
hanging on tho line In front Of tn,
house impressed him as especially
white, spotlessly white. Ho went int
the house, and was there for som,
time. 1t had commenced to snow In
the meantime. When no came out
no noticed that the snowlakes hat
been falling on the clothes, and thai
the sheets did not seem white at all
but yellow rather. He spoke to the
old washerwoman. Why, what's the
matter? They looked so very white
when came In, and now they dom,
look white at ALL The old woman
said: What can stand against God
Almighty's white.'"
There Is charming little booklet
called Expectation Corner" an allie
CORY on prayer almost as good as "Pil
grlm's Progress A poor man In
Redeemed Land mourned over his pov
erty. and was taken at last to sec
the Lords treasure houses. There he
found room called the Missed Bless
ings ONCE. full Of blessings marked
for him which his weak faith would
not expect, so that his door was
closed when they were brought. He
saw another storehouse, called the De
layed Blessings Oflce, full Of good
things for which the receivers were
~ NAl III -.