Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-19
CHRISTIAN ElIOEAvOR


Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning July "a 1911.
Topic. from the animals.-PA
civ. 1914. tIf convenient. an outdoor meet
ing D. Edited by Rev. Sherman H Doyle
d. D.
The One Hundred and Fourth Psalm
b well called '.the psalm Of creation"
In its main outline It follows the story
Of creation recorded In the first chapter
of Genesis. 1t paints for us In the
frame Of the world and the order OF
nature the living image Of Gods wis
dom. power and goodness. exhorts "a
to praise Him. because In this our
frail mortal life He manifests Him
self to us as a Father" OF this re-
markable psalm Humboldt the great
naturalist, once wrote: 1T might be
said that one single psalm represents
the image of the whole universe. We
are astonished to find the heav-
ems and the earth sketched with few
bold touches The contrast Of the la
Dor Of man with the animal life Of
nature and the image Of omnipresent
invisible power renewing the earth at
will or sweeping 1t of its inhabitants
Is a grand and solemn creation" We
do well to Mediate upon this psalm,
not only for the lessons 1t may teach
US In relation to the topic. but also
that by it there may be breathed into
us a deeper and ruer spirit Of devo-
ton to God.
From the animals we may learn q
lesson on Gods providential care Of
His creatures. This lesson is frequent
ly emphasized In Biblical reference to
animals. The psalmist here has 1t In
mind, and Christ In His Sermon on
the Mount used the Illustration OF
Gods care for 1.-The fowls of the air"
to teach His disciples to put their trust
and confidence In God. How wonder
fully God cares for all His creatures!
Not only the young lions, but all other
beasts Of the forests and fields. seek
their meat from Cod" All creatures
Of the sea. both small and great
beasts" wait upon Thee that Thou
mayest give them their meat In due
season" Each creature must have its
appropriate food, and God has wonder
fully provided Just the food that u
needed and has given to each the skin
to find It's own food Behold the
fowls Of the air. for they SOW not
neither do they gather into barns yet
your heavenly Father feedest themr'
Need we fear them! If God has made
such wonderful provision for all anil
NAL life. will He not care for those
whom He has created in His own Inn
age and redeemed by the precious
blood Of His own Son? Are we not
much more than theyf And II He
cares for the less win He not much
more care for the greater7 Therefore
let us trust Him.
From the domestic animals we may
also learn important lessons. The
ways Of the wild beast may be I'M
familiar to us, but who cannot recall
some trait of the animals associated
with the life Of man that teaches
useful and important lesson? The OK
and the ass. the dumbest Of Gods crea-
lures, teach Us lesson on gratitude.
Isaiah In denouncing the ingratitude Of
Israel contrasts 1t with the gratitude
of these dumb beasts when he says.
The OK knoweth his owner and the
ass his masters crib. but Israel doth
not know, my people doth not con-
slider" While animals are grateful to
their masters for food. are we ungrate-
full for all the goodness Of God? The
faithfulness Of the dog Is proverbial.
and the horse Is all but human in its
manifesto lions Of intelligent affection,
and from these animals we should
learn the lessons that they are capable
Of teaching M
Visiting the geological gardens and
noticing the variety Of creatures and
the variety Of food required to meet
the needs and daily conditions Of each
one, we were set wondering over the
divine response to the dependence Of
all living things. He giveth them.
each one. their meat-that which Is
precisely suitable for each one-in due
season or whenever the need Of each
one really rises into cry. "Our suffi-
cheney is of God" Dependence on Him
meets response from Him. which
claims our thankfulness and our serv-
Ice.