The Alaska citizen., 1917-01-08
Sermon to the People
BY THE REV. c. G. BRUCE

the gold uay De free.-HilHs.
 He Uaketh me lie do7yn iu green baStWeS; He Icadeth me beSidc thc StH lvaterS. - Ps. 23:2.
 If YOU would know inc trna set
 ting of these verses it would be nee
 essary to visit the hills and dales of Palestine and watch the Oriental shepherd care for his flock. You
 would sec how he leads them out of the fold upon the grassy places for pasturage. At times the sun is scorching hot, and the air is heated { and blistering, the eyes feel with a
 stinging pain the glare of the suns
 rays upon the burning sands. and everything is hot to the touch Woe
 be to the sheep A they have none to lead them to places of rest where
 they may drink from the stream and lie down in the shade. The shepherd 1 knows of these places and he leads the sheep to them. He who appre-
 ciates the spirit of the making to lie down" and the leading beside"
 knows the real care that flows from
 the true shepherds heart as he finds Ir
 Sheep seek quiet waters to drink. They will not drink from rushing streams if they can find the waters still. There are times in the life
 of us all when we would change
 all the busy, busting world for
 few hours of calm quietude. The days ride through the Gunnison val ley in Colorado is always filled with
 interest The dizzy heights. the smothering depthss the vastness of
 the spectacle. with a mountain stream
 at your side flashing itself into white
 ness as it tries to speed faster and
 faster to the plains below, now dash
 ing against the granite rock, now calmer in a pool, yet always onward such scenes are beautiful, but one feels fuller the force of the calm
 below and glides rapidly along the
 calm waters widened until the sur face seems like crystal glass. The days journey has led you to forget the parks and fountains made by the hand of man and has brought you 1 face to face with the possibilities in
 the kingdom of AAture, where God
 dwells in His marvellous fullness and joy You are now ready to eat and lie down for you have experienced the
 world of nature in all it's excitement the lower levels. The rest is en-
 joyed the more for it comes with con tentment.
 Every man needs Just such a rest from the worries and tolls of the
 day. Hands weary from the constant
 carrying of burdens, feet tired from
 bearing about the body, eyes seem ready to burst from their sockets as they are taxed too heavily with the
 constant strain, ears ring and ring until all music and melody is just sound, brains have done their utmost
 and call loudly for rest, rest, rest. The child receives it's plaything with glee and soon sends it running about
 the room, but one day something
 breaks and the toy ceases to move.
 The spring has snapped. Overwork
 ed nerves and lowered vitality tells
 of the need of rest before the spring shall snap. So God has provided a Sabbath for every man that he may l get the needed rest from the nerve
 racking and brain consuming work 1 of the week. He wants men to lie
 down in green pastures and rest be-
 side the still waters. In fact He
 "maketh" them if they understand Him alright, but if they will not understand Him He permits them to go on in their blind way of business and pleasure until one day the very soul seems to snap" and man be-
 comes bitter towards his Maker,
 while he, himself alone, has been
 the one who is to blame for all his
 harshness, his disagreeableness, his i discomfort, his ugliness. Activity
 takes energy; we labor best with
 reserve. God has provided a Sab
 bath that men may have reserve. There are some things that both sheep and man find needful:
 1. consciousness of safety. The growl of a dog, or the flutter of flock of birds, or the presence of a child may disturb the quiet rest of large flock of sheep. They are | capCitiva to Stranga noises Man