Ellsworth American., 1912-08-07
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING Auq. n, 1912.

Beginning Aug. II, 1912.
Topic.-God's beautiful outdoors: wha,
Il teaches nle.-Ps. lxv. Ills. Gan outdoor
meeting if conveniently Edited by Rev.
Sherman H Doyle. d. d.
1t is most profitable to study nature
and to think of God Unless one be
an absolute materialist he must go
through nature TO Cod for every
thing that God has made speaks of
Him and in speaking of Him is In
structiye to us. 1t is well to remember
that it is Gods outdoors. "ln the be-
ginning God created the heavens and
the earth" Moreover. all the material
creation is in absolute harmony with
the viii of the Creator. The sun. the
moon, the stars. the waves of the sea,
obey his will 1t is sad fact that
In all creation the only thing out Of
harmony with God is the being whom
He created in His own image, and as
we consider this fact we should strive
more and more by His grace to be-
come reconciled to Him in all things
through Jesus Christ, the one media
tor between God and man.
The mountains teach lesson on the
power of God. "By His strength He)
setteth fast the mountains. being
girded with power" Nothing in all
the universe seems so durable and SO
changeable as the mountains. The
passing of the centuries sees little
change In them. God has indeed set
them fast and girded them by his
power, and surely He who established
the mountains and keeps them i'm
movable can sustain His children even
amid the trials and temptations of
a wicked and sinful world We are
not able to keep ourselves. but He is
able and also willing. and we should
be willing to trust Him to do so.
The sea teaches lesson on the
power of God to quiet and still the
human heart God is He who stilleth
the noise of the sea. the noise of the
waves" The winds and the waves
obey His will." and when He says to
them Peace. be STILL" quiet reigns
upon the deep. Like the sea, the hui
man heart is restless 1t is tossed
about and worried by the many cares
and perplexities OF life But He who
speaks peace to the sea can also speak
peace to the human heart The legacy
of Christ to His disciples was peace.
Peace leave with you; My peace I
give unto you; not as the world giveth
a I unr II at ,.&
be troubled" The world says peace -
but cannot give it Christ gives peace
There can be no peace outside of God
in Jesus Christ Augustine has well
said Of God. Thou hast made us for
Thyself, and the heart is restless till it
rests in Thee"
The earth teaches lesson on the
goodness of God He "visiteth the
earth and watereth 1t and
preparest them corn" The fruitful
ness of the earth for the welfare of
man and beast is one of natures
to all created beings Ample provision
has been made for all mankind and
for all Gods creatures. If. as is too
often the case. all are not provided
for the fault lies with man and not
with God. The goodness of God In
providing for mans temporal wants
suggests His goodness in making am
pie provision for mans spiritual needs.
In Jesus Christ our God is able to
supply all our spiritual needs.
Ample provision has been made for
all of US, and If we lack In spiritual
life and in spiritual graces the fault is
ever ours and not Gods. Nor is the
goodness of God incompatible with
His justice. There's a wideness in
Gods mercy like the wideness Of the
sea-" but IL we sin against His mercy
only justice remains for us. and no
censure can be attached to God for the
exercise of justice after we have tram
pied upon His mercy, so richly vouch-
safed to Us In Jesus Christ
The contemplation of God In the out
door world led the psalmist to praise
Him. 1t should have the same effect
upon u.s. As we behold the beauties
of the heavens which He has made
and rejoice in the glories of the world
about us we should ascribe glory and
honor to Him as the Creator and praise
Him for His goodness manifested
upon every hand about Us. To enjoy
Gods creation and not to praise Him.
the Creator. is base ingratitude. Every
beauty of outdoor life should fill our
hearts with gratitude to Him who has
made all things and caused so much
that He has made to minister to our
welfare and comfort