The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-10-19
A Psalm Of
Deliverance
s-.dsy sehssl Lsssss f~ o.. -. 1911
Specially Arranged Tor This Paper
LEssoN TExr-rsaIm 8.

Specially Arranged for This p.psr
LESSON TExT-psaim &c.
MEMORY vERsES-ion
GOLDEN TExT-''The Lord hath dons
great things for US: whereof we are CHAD"
-Psa. i2s:s
PLACE IN HrsToRY-Just when this
Psalm was written II unknown. but IN tts
spirit u belongs 20 the return from the
exile. the times OF our last two lessons.
Psalms i2i. iss i2s. 40 are among the
Psalms Of Deliverance'' came rs q
vivifying power into the hearts OF the
returned exiles. who In the midst or
their Joy were overwhelmed with din
culties. and hardships and discourage
ments. The reality was far differ-
emit 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 20
on tho pilgrimage to the Celestial
City: rs this the happiness you have
told me all this while Off" 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
M Al
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 overlooking fullness.
The loving kindness Of God proves
that he has forgiven their past trans.
gresslons. Thou hast forgiven the
iniouity OF thy people" Cancelled II,
as an account OF debt Is Cancelled,
or taken away as heavy, crushing
burden. Covered all their sin. Blot.
ted out Of sight. covered II with
mantle. so that they were In Gods
sight as those who had never sinned.
We need forgiveness as wide as the
sin. And we find In the Bible a. many
terms expressing forgiveness as we
found for expressing sin--Forgive, Re
init. Send away. Cover up. Blot out.
Destroy. Wash away. Cleanse.
The returned exiles gained q new
knowledge of Gods Word. new
world experience. they lost the indie
pendent nation. but gained the indie
pendent church. from which blossom
ed the Messiah. the Saviour of the
world. The old. eternal law of sin
and death was irrevocablc, never
ceased: but the changed character
permits a new law to override the
consequences. In the words OF Dr.
John Thomas OF liverpool: Every
yuan who knows anything knows that
one law can be neutralized by anoth-
er. There is law Of gravitation
which keeps this Bible here upon the
desk. That law cannot be altered, II
cannot be stopped; II will draw. and
draw. and draw, whatever you may
say or do. but II can be neutraiized
by the law OF my will. I can lift the
book and make the law Of gravitation
to appear as though II were not. That
In exactly what we say about the par.
don OF sin and the arrest Of its conse-
Quences."
God has done much for them, but
they longed for more. So many evils
remained, the nation was yet 30 i'm
perfect. 30 far from what II might be.
Illustration from DR.. Chapman's ad.
dress to the Harvard students. Re
member. friends. that Il IL Gods
standard your life and mine must
come up against. A friend OF mine
went to see an old washerwoman, and
as he entered the house the sheets
hanging on the line In front OF the
house impressed him AZ especially
white. spotlessly white. He went into
the house. and was there for some
time. II had commenced to snow In
the meantime. When he came out,
he noticed that the snowfiakes had
been falling on the clothes. and that
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 l came In. and now they don't
look white at ALL The old woman
said: What can stand against God
Almighty's white"
There Is a charming little booklet
called Expectation Corner" an ale
CORY on prayer almost as good as "Pil-
grim's Progress" A poor man In
Redeemed land mourned over his pow
erty. and was taken at last to see
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. 80 that his door was
closed when they were brought. He
saw another storehouse. called the De-
iayed Blessings once. full OF good
things for which the receivers were
not prepared. or which were not fully
ripcned for their best use. They we're
growing and would be rent In fullnsss
OF time.
Truth shall spring out Of the earth.
from men on earth, as plsnts grow