The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-12-31

INV the constant vi
bratiOn in play
lnE, reiaxes the strings SO that they
need to be returned very often. Nc
matter how good the violin is, il
needs to be tuned every day, and
often many times a day.
Man is like a violin. He soon gets
out of tune with God. The wear and
tear of life, and the d~emoralizing at.
mosphere which sin creates, so af.
fects his disposition that he needs to
be brought into harmony with God
every morning. 1t is not surprising,
when we consider the subtlety OF
xfr, and the weakness of the flesh,
rather it is
Strange that a harp OF a thousand strings.
Should keep In tune SO long.
, Nothing will bring the believer into
touch with God SO soon as a little
taste of the Divine Word. For devo.
hnnal purposes. the Psalms are per-
Ksps: the best, because they cover so
wide a range of experience. Here we
find aspiration and confession, Joy
and sorrow. alteration and praise.
Here we behold the calm confidence
which grows out of a sublime faith.
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall
not want" Again we meet the bit
Ter anguish which comes from ingrat-
Rude, or unrequited love, or the &C.
Aasy, of sin forgiven as in Psalm 80,
orr dta passionate plea for mercy in
Psalm 81, or the shout of triumph in
Pralm 68. 1t is doubtful If there is
any experience in life for which we
cannot find a duplicate in the psal-
Ter, and, noting how the man after
Gods own heart behaved in similar
emergencies, we are unconsciously led
INTO che same feeling.
In the morning read Psalm 10, and
It even Psalm 8. II you are 60
Ing on a journey, Psalm 121 is ap-
mopriate. II it be Sunday, 1872. II
IN perplexity, read Psalm 81. il
you are grateful, choose, los, or
LOG, or 1O7. II your heart needs
searching, Psalm 139 will accomplish
IL. 20. Lord, thou hast searched me
aud known me" and after a sublime de-
se-iption Of Gods ~omniscience, clos.
ing with the prayer which only an
honest heart can utter: Search me,
u God, and know my heart; try me
aud know my thoughts: and see II
there be any wicked way in me, and
sea4 me in the way everlasting" II il
Is comfort you need, you will find it III
abundance in either Of the following
Palms, "a, 81 or 103.
q. The gospels are also excellent fol-
devotional reading because there we
come in contact with the words and
works of Jesus. We e how he lived
IN the home and by the wayside. in the
earpenter's shop. and by the oper
crave. We see him in public life ant
in private ministry always the same
never hurried, o worried, Away.
thinking of others and never of him
self. We e him playing with tho
children, watching the hens in thu
aocr' gard, and the birds on the trees
the growing grains and fading flowers
Ia everything he saw Gods love ant
fare, and from all things natural h
frev some spiritual lesson for his owl
md others comfort.
M It be asked how much one shoul'
read at a time for devotional purposes
kt me answer with an illustration.
suce saw a picture of the disciples o.
Me way to Emmaus. The master ha
Just left them and the two are LOOKING
Ut each other in glad establishment
One Of them is holding both hand
syer his heart as he says with rapture
Did not our heart burn within us
while he talked with w by the way
and while he opened to us the scriI
tu1es?" He can almost feel his hear
Burn still as he recalls the memor
It that blessed walk.
II you ask how long one shall rea'
His Bible for devotional purposes,
answer, read until your heart burns
until your soul thrills with the cor
sefousness Of Gods approval. You ma,
read q chapter or q book or . singh
ya1e; no matter how much or HOY
little, but read Il you can. until you ar'
ennDciously In touch with God, IN,
ftan. with the fathers morning kis
upon your lips. you are readysto NEE
che outside world.
Some people feel that they canno
SPAR the time for the morning watch
mt / question whether any child o
ssod can AFFORD to do without It. Gu,
sssoale need to be fed daily as we'll a,
;usr bodies, and tho Bible 10 the souli
sursSer food. Man shall not live b!
bread alone, but by every word tina
roceedeth ont Of the mouth Of God"