The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-13

IN, ioohsh souls. come near Me.
Ny sneep should never fear Me; |,
am the Shepherd true"
The Promise of Provision.
one IS IN goodly fellowship when
ne reeds his spirit upon David's Shep-
nero Psalm, for millions of devout
souls through thousands of years have
zone so-JeWish patriots in exile:
christian martyrs facing death: pa
tlent sufferers on beds of pain: hosts
OF the poor, knowing not where they
would get their next meal: and mod
erh business men in perplexity
which the ancients scarcely knew.
Nobody is too high or too low for the
comfort of this Psalm 1t is better |
| medlclne for the sOul-carking disease |
of civilization than anything the doc
| tors can prescribe.
Take the little Psalm apart, and
note it's promises Above and under
all is the presence and power and
provision and protection of the Good
Shepherd. who is God over ALL bless
ed forever.
| No comfort counts that is not bed
trocked on God. Much of our modern
jejune optimism fails in life's real
crises because it leaves God out
Reams Of modern poems and cpl
: grams and philosophy to the contrary
not withstanding, man is not self-suf-
ficient. He Graves and must have a
!, power outside of himself to help him
become his best possible self A shep-
| herd God is the souls surest sOlace.
: Green pastures are promised in
5 the Psalm That figure is easier for
! us TO imagine tnan for the oriental
shepherd. Sparse and dry picking is
the food of most Of the sheep of Bible
lands / have wondered how those in
f Arabia manage to exist at ALL When
the figure is applied we must admit
| hot 'c 10 hn 1,1r
= have had the best provision in the
f world.
G Christians own most of the earth
They possess the bulk of the wealth.
It they live in the best cities, and in the
best homes; they have the greatest
n number Of luxuries, and the mos,
lstable order Of life. Their safety and
health are far above that of non.
Christian peoples. In the large thi:
: promise has been fulfilled for God.
people. The misery Of our moder,
l. life is only comparative. Civilization
has nothing to compare with the pov
h erty of Arabia, for instance.
Not only may Gods sheep lie dow,
rt serene and in safety in green pas
lures, but they are also led besid
ia still waters, or as the Hebrew beauti
!: fully puts it. waters Of rest" Salts
tn faction for soul-thirst is boon Go
reserves for His beloved. "All m
are 1ncc, CRIES tIlC ucFOu
SIS soul. God Himself is the refreshmen
of of His sheep. The worlds spiritus
questing. never more intense thar
of today, fulfills itself only in God.
After q Downfall.
Critical reading often discerns
all literature the personal experiences
he the author. Back Of the single lin
an He restoreth my soul" we may rea
1is the word "Bathsheba." Out OF til
to bitterness Of a terrible sin that WE
his yet forgiven. the psalmist wrote tn
er- tremendous truth. Here is the beaco
k of hope that flames from the cross
ire Gods love. "Let the wicked forsal
an. his way, and the unrighteous man h
of thoughts; and let him return unto j
hovah, and He will have mercy upo
ID him; and to our God, for He WI
ra- abundantly pardon" God is great
res mercy. He has a plan for forgivir
Nv sins. No message is needed by tn
all stumbling. SHINING world more deep
for than this
yth Dan Crawford, of Africa, one d;
drew out Of his wallet and read to m
lis in that rich voice Of his, these lin
for by an Irish factory girl
ent Il will cast in the depths OF the fat
IAN OmleSs sea,
ent All thy SINS ana tranSSreSsionS' "ha
ger ever they be;
as Though they mount up to heave
,ics though they sink down to he
They shall sink in the depths a
above them shall swell
All my waves of forgiveness,
mighty and free.
xoo l will cast all thy sins in the dept
of the sea.
''In the depths, in the depths, whe
the storm cannot come.
Where it's faint echo falls, like
musical hum.
Where no mortal can enter, thy fau
to deride.
For above them forever flows Low
!, mighty tide.
OF their sepulchres vast, I thy G.
hold the key,
And l bury them there, in the dep
of the sea.