The San Francisco call., 1913-08-04
DEV. W. C. POOLE'S
II SERMON ON PSALMS

Rev. william c.. Poole OF Wesley
Methodist Episcopal church took for
his topic The Metropolitan Seat OF
Christian Confidence" In part he said:
Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall
"On the face of the earth from earl-
lest times there have been spots where
by common consent, men have nassed,
building themselves cities and finding
their unity. So on the great continent
OF sacred literature there have ever
becn points of Capitalization, where hu-
man souls instinctively have gathered
forgetting the things that divided them
them one.
such metropolitan seat and CEN
ter is the twenty third psalm. 1t has
Around % M It men eAs and svo Women M OF Of every sSs
rank and race have gathered with pro-
found and holy JOY, and from it have
drawn the courage to. attempt the
endure
FOR most of us this psalm must
rank among the earliest pieces OF
ory W was entrusted. SO SO that att from s child child
hood we have been familiar with the
cadence of its song:
While such familiarity has its ad-
dulling our expectancy It might OBJ s
scure our vision. The Lord is my
shepherd: shall not want The psalm
and are wa
terms. They cancel each other. Je-
hoyah stands for ali q man needs in
time or eternity The oriental shep-
God Is in the tomorrow Of our lives
With the thought Of God as shepherd
among the certainties OF our life we
will be emancipated from the bondage
OF fear. His presence Will go with US,
and he will give us rest.
And not only does the shepherdly
care OF jehovah obtain ample provi-
life by redeeming 1t from caprice.
He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. He leadeth me beside the still
waters
HE maketh me to lie down In green
pastures. This means two things at
least. Safety and satisfaction.
Those God leads are secure. Our
of the divine compulsion, He. maketh
me, should be met with joyful acqui-
!. He leadeth me beside the stin
exquisite blending OF the two ideas Of
activity and rest charm-the mind. The
repose OF harmonious and frictionless
movement Is ever the bible idea Of
I'm these days of breathless haste and
vexing competition. when we are driven
under the lash OF nervous tension, we
ship beside the still waters.
We must fence off some periods OF
life for quiet contemplation. BY fall
Ing to do so w0 abridge life on its
highest side and mortgage eternity to
time Life is a tremendous trust. and
without God 1t Is too heavy liability.
We need the healing sflences thronged
with spiritual ministers.
He restoreth my SOUL He healeth
me In the paths OF righteousness for
his names sake The restoration we
note Is personal. He restoreth nv soul.
The fulfilling of personal relations with
God Is our hope OF renewal. Nothing
can take the place OF God. Religious
observances, sacraments, good books
and all other aids to personal piety are
subordinate to immediate access to the
supreme personal presence. A vivant
reading OF the first phrase would be- He
turneth back my desires. This indicates
the ethical inwardness OF the restora-
ton.
"TIe leadeth me in the paths OF
righteousness.' The supreme purpose
OF Gods leading Is to restore man to
righteousness. All the economies OF
providence and grace have been framed
for this purpose and adjusted to this
end. How IS this accomplished?
Here we touch the heart OF the
whole matter. Guidance assumes con-
sent to be led, and consent means sur
render OF our personal will. God re-
stores W to Righteousness by winning
our will. And the appeal to the will IS
made for his names sake"