The Alaska citizen., 1915-10-18
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V V V - - V - - - - v V V THE LORD Is MY SHEPHERD"
 Perhaps more has been written about the twenty-third psalm than any other poem in all literature. IL is composed of six verses and one hun dred and seventeen words, and some comforting thoughts that can never fade from the minds of many men and women who have experienced all their meaning and helpfulnes3 For three thousand years have the familiar words of this psalm been ringing in the ears of saint and sinner As the valley of the shad ow of death" has been approached by the aged these strengthening thoughts have carried them over the river in safety; as the days of constant toll have confronted those in middle life, who an tell how many burdens have been lifted and loads carried far because of the ever present perfume of these kind est of thoughts; as the young have thoughtlessly scampered and faller and risen again, like the lambs of the flock, what Is truer than that they have laid down by waters still and leafy shade, while good shep- herds have guarded them from harm and harmful practices. Surely these are pleasant words and lead in paths of peace.
 , History is replete with proof of the excellenCy of these words in all the days of the past and thou sands rise 10 give their testimony as evidence. In 1881 Isabel Alison hn1 death at Edinburgh for their faith tish Covenant, and both went forth in confidence as they repeated the words of this undying psalm. In 1884, deposed minister of the Scotch PIesbyterion church, Edward Irving conscious of the righteous ness of his life, repeated these words of matchless comfort as he lay dying Thomas Babington Macauley says in his essay on Addison: of the Psalms his favorlte was that which represents the Ruler of all things under the endearing image of a shepherd, whose crook guides the flock safe through gloomy and desolate glens, to meadows well wa tered and rich with herbage. On that goodness to which he as cribed all the happiness of his life, he relied in the hour of death with the love that casteth out fear"
 As child Byron was taught the simple words of the shepherd psalm and never forgot them, and. like Ruskin, rejoiced that he had learned them in his youth.
 When James Russell Lowell was two score and five he wrote to d bereaved friend: "The older I grow, the less am I affected by the out ward observance and form of re ligion and the more confidingness and trustingness do I feel toward God. He leadeth me in green pas lures. Trust in Providence is no longer meaningless phrase to me, The thought of it has oftener brought happy tears into my eyes than any other thought except that of my beloved Nara. It is, therefore, no idle form when I tell you to lean on God, l know that it is needless to say this to you, but know that it is sweet and comfort ing to have our impulses seconded by the sympathy of our friends.
 We all are tall enough to reach
 Gods hand,
 The angels are no taller
 The simple words of philosophy never came to the thoughts of Sir William Hamilton in 1856 to bring him cheer in his last hours, as did the verse Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" While going about the prisons fearlessly with his Investigations prisons foul with disease and corruption-John How ard, the father of the prison re- form, breathed the words of cheer found in the sweet psalm of David, 'Trusting,' says he, lin divine providence, and believing myself in the way of my duty, l visit the most noXiouS cells, and while so doing T.. fear no evil"
 There went to India a Scotch mis- SiOnary of the Presbyterian church, Alexander Duff, and buried deep in his life were the words of the Psalms. He tells of one of hls perilous journeys in the Himalayas when he saw native shepherd fol lowed by his flock Frequently the man turned back to view the sheep. When he noticed one of the wanderers getting too close to a precipice he would take the crook, and, hooking it about the hind legs would gently draw the sheep back from it's dan ger. On catching up to the shep- herd he noticed he had d strong rod beside the crook Fas- tened well to the end of the rod, which was as tall as it's owner was a stout piece of iron The region was infested with wolves and other dangerous animals that often sought to destroy the sheep. With this rod pointed with a sharp iron he was able to protect the flock from harm. The customs of the region today still fits in with the verse, Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me- The staff an instrument of protection for the sheep; the rod as weapon of defense against their common enemies. As he too neared death and lay apparently unconscious his daughter repeated the twenty-third Psalm, and he responded after each verse.
 Says Austin Abbott, once dean of the New York University Law School, when speaking of the words, Thy rod and thy staff they com fort me-" At my fathers house there is little closet where were kept canes and walking sticks. In my visits to the old home, when my father and I are going out for a walk we often go tO the cane