The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1917-09-14

~ s said Jerem h
long years ago.
And history shows
all too dearly that the way that seems
right to man ends in death and dis
aster. There is no way of knowing
what will take place on the morrow or
even within the next hour. An explor-
er or tourist going into a strange I'M
known country will want guidance as
to what lies before him. We take
much care in securing all the infor-
nation we can before starting into
new territory. Many think it neces-
sary to prepare for passing to the IN
known land beyond the grave, but af-
ter all each new day brings such dan
gers and such opportunities that to be
ready for them needs to have the feet
guided into the right way. AS it is not
in man to direct his own steps there
Is need for the guidance of one to
whom tomorrow is as open as yester-
day.
Then by nature man is so self-willed
and Self-Sufficient he needs q higher in
telligence than his own to guide him.
This is humiliating but again history
tells the truth. Ever since Cain in his
self-will chose the wrong way it has
been true that 1.-The way of q man is
forward and strange" as the Proverb
says. Moses knew something of this
when he declared in his last word to
the people in Deut. SO 90 Il know that
after my death We will utterly turn
aside from the way and evil will befall
you"
Again we are so prone to wander
from the right way. AS the prophet
says, "All we like sheep have turned
everyone to his own way" Like sheep
we wander, go astray and without
sense keep on going further and furth-
er astray. Everyone does it" seems
to be sufficient guidance when we
know well that the voice of the people
Is far from being the voice of God.
1t Is true that the majority may many
times appear to be right, but numbers
don't always count. There were four
hundred and fifty prophets opposed to
one, but that one, Elijah, was right and
the crowd was wrong.
II. Because of the Character of the
Way Before Us.
1t is q difficult way for the Chris
tan in these times. Boys and mire
are on either side and the way daily
grows narrower. The master himself
warns US in Matt. 7:13, IA, that wide
is the gate and broad the way that
leadeth to destruction, and strait is
the gate and narrow the way which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it." So difficult is the way before
the Christian, beset by the snares, pit
falls and straps of Satan, and SO
strewn with the aliurements and at
fractions of the world, that left to him
self he would surely come to destruc-
ton. He needs always the guidance
of the one who alone knows all the
difficulties and how to pass them. Nor
only difficult, but dangerous is the way.
There are increasingly large numbers
who are as infatuated with the sup
posed Importance and self-sufficiency
OF man that they think there is no need
for Divine guidance. But such are the
days in which we live, 'perilous
times" the Apostle Paul calls them,
that Divine guidance is not only de-
sirable, but imperative. Many are
being swept from old moorings to drift
out and make shipwreck. 1t is well
for us to hasten to 'Jeremiah's exhor-
tation to task for the old paths where
is the good way and walk therein and
find rest for your souls" Jer. GIG.
III. Because of What the Lord Is as
Guide.
He knows all the way that lies I'M
tried and unknown before the Chris
tians feet. He is omniscient. 1t was
the Lord, not Moses, who led the peo-
pie of Israel of old, and it is the Lord
who would guide his people in safety
today. A story is told Of q little boy
from which we all may learn. During
n storm q mother sought to rescue a
family of six children. AS the water
burst open the door Of her home, she
tied her baby on her shoulder and took
a boy of six in her arms. To her four
teen-year-old daughter she said, you
must carry one child" (Which one"
said the girl. The mother looked at
the two, one of four, one of two, I'M
able to choose. Ben, her boy of eleven,
said, MA, I'll take the little one"
1.-The water is too deep for YOU" the
-dispairing mother said. ITS deep for
true" answered the boy, "but Jesus is
Il tall man." They started, the mother
calling to her children, but soon Ben
ceased to answer. The mother and
the others soon reached place of
safety. When the tide went down
next day little Ben tramped to them
and put his little charge into the moth
er's arms. Had he followed her the
night before be would soon have been
beyond his depth. But unconsciously
he had turned aside and followed Il
bank that years before had marked Il
boundary. The water was to his waist.
and step or two on either side would
have been fatal, but the child trod the
narrow path in safety till he reached
Il house where Il man came down and
took the children in. The path of the
Christian is beset with dangers, but
he may tread it with perfect safety
when he has the guidance of the Lord.
And he can keep the Christian in
the way as we'll as put him on it. He
Is the Almighty one. One day is no
harder for him than another. Though
there be days black with discourage
ment and foreboding and care, he
knows it all and can keep within the
narrow way that leads to life and
light and JOY. A story is told of an
Alpine guide who put out his hand
for a traveller to step up by. When
the traveller hesitated the guide said,
this hand never lost a man." To all
who will listen our guide says, Il will
IL -. L