Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-16
OLD WRITERS WERE
D|L|GENT STUDENTS
Carefully Studied Scriptures and
Were Fond of Pointing Out
the Parallelism
ALL HAVE SHEEP QUALITIES
International S. S. Lesson For
April Is Is THE Shepherd
Psalm" Psalm %
ALL HAVE SHEEP QUALITIES
BY William Il. Ellis


In a print shop in London I once
bought photograph of remark
able painting called THE Good Shep-
herd" but I have never been able to
learn anything about the original. The
picture shows a steep hillside, covered
with rocks and briars. One whose
/ radiant brow proclaims him the Good
Shepherd is clamoring toilsomely down
to where a lamb is caught amid the
thorns. The sun is setting; the day
soon will be gone. In the sky hovers
an eagle; and the beholder perceives
that if the Good Shepherd does not
get the lamb the bird of prey will.
More of scripture teaching is wrought
into the painting than one finds in any
other treatment of the same theme.
The great teaching which represents
man as straying sheep, and God as
the Shepherd of souls, is found in
two great picture passages in the
Bible, one in the Old and one in the
New Testament. The old writers, who
took more time for careful study of
the Bible itself than we do to-day,
were fond of pointing out the parallel
ism.
Doubtless the most popular piece of
literature III all nuHldn speech is IHlS
ancient hymn of trust, which seems
TO thrill forth naturally from The sweet
flute of the shepherd boy David, on
the hills of Bethlehem. Yet while
written with the simplicity of the open
fields, it bears the profound convic-
tions of a man who has suffered deep
ly, and having, drunk life to the lees,
returns to the childlike faith of his
boyhood. The poem sounds the uni
Versal note.
Jehovah is my shepherd; shall not
want,
He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures;
He leadeth me beside still waters,
He restoreth my soul;
lie guideth me in the paths of right
eousness for His names sake.
Yea, though / walk through the val
ley of the shadow of death.
1 will fear no evil; for Thou art with
me;
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort
Thou preparest a table before me in
the presence of mine enemies;
Thou hast anointed my head with
oil;
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and loving kindness
shall follow me all the days of
my life;
And l shall dwell in the house of Je-
hovah for ever"
The Common Need
When the old prophet wrote "all we
like sheep have gone astray" he voic-
ed no new sentiment. Every man at
all aware of himself knows his own
sheep quality His proneness to fol
low a multitude to do evil''; his ten
dency to lag from tested leadership:
l,te fOlI hi ,lrxaa
defenselessness, all are borne in upon
the introspective man. In his SINGER
est hours he is surest of his need for
shcpherding.
This deep human sense of depend
ence breathes from the oldest litera-
ture. The comfort of the Scriptures
consists in such teachings as My
times are in His hands; Casting all
your care upon Him for He careth
for you; God is our refuge and
strength, very present help in
trouble"
We want shepherd for our souls
We never get beyond the need for
the comfort OF Gods tender patient
care. Some one who is wiser than
we are, and stronger and sufficient
for our spirits needs, is the hunger
of all hearts. Such simple songs as
these stir us, when the grand epics
leave us unmoved:
81 was wandering sad and weary
When my Saviour came to me;
For the ways of sin grew dreary,
And the world has ceased to WOO
me;
And 7 thought I heard Him say,
AS He came along His way,
oh, foolish soufs come near Me;
MY sheep should never fear Me;
am the Shepherd true
"At last I stopped to listen:
His voice could not deceive me!
I saw His kind eye glisten.
So anxious to relieve me;
And | thought ! heard Him say,
AS He went along His way,
'Oh, dying souls! come near me.
MY sheep should never fear Me,
1 am the Shepherd true
"I thought His love would weaken,
AS more and more He knew me,
But it burneth like a beacon,