DEVOTIONAL COLUMN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 February 1932, Page 7

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN.

PRAYER. Heavenly Father, grant us of Thy mercy to be numbered ■with Thy saints in glory evd'lasting! Bring us forth through the dark night of this world into the sunlit dawn of eternal blessedness, for the sake of the Lamb that was slain! (THE EXAMPLE OP PARENTS. p ro v. 22:6. “Train up the child \u the way he should go: and when he is old he will not-depart from it.” Bishop William Lawrence thus speaks of his parents: “Father did not tell us to go to church; he went, and we went with him- Our parents never asked us to do what they did not gladly do themselves. vPrayer and religion at home were as natural! as meals and sleep. “. . . Father and mother too gave us the best of their time and wisdom. In driving or on horseback I have learn ed more than I could have learned elsewhere about business, horses, morals, politics, and especially about people. His practical philosophy has been of untold service to me. Children are receptive of their parents’ best wisdom. It is thus that family traditions are handed down through ths generations.” HIS SELF-DENYING LOVE, He might have built a palace at a word __ Who sometimes had not where to lay His head; Time was when He Who nourished crowds with bread Would not one meal unto Himself afford. Twelve legions girded with angelic sword Were at His beck —the scorned and buffeted; He healed another’s scratch; His own side bled, Side, feet, hands, with cruel piercings gored. Oh, wonderful the wonders left undone! And scarce less wonderful than those He wrought! Oh, self-restraint passing all humanthought, Lo, have all powet and be as having none! Oh, self-denying love, which felt alone For needs of others, never for its own i —A rel ilb ish o p Trench. THOUGHTS ON THANKSGIVING. 0 give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name; make known unto the people his doings.—Psa. 105:1. The goodness of God has again permitted us to sow and to reap, to plant and to gather up, to labour and to taste the fruits of our labours. He -opened His hand and dealt bountifully to us, over and beyond our merit. It would be rank ingratitude, indeed, were we to take without a thought of •the Giver of all good gifts, Wlid watches over us and provides for our .every need as a merciful Father. The person who does not stop now and then ,to return thanks to God is a heathen in his heart though his name be on the church register and he appear before men as a good citizen.

HOW THE WORD REACHES US.

“The Scriptures have two modes of .revelation: To the soul, and in the soul.” —Extract from presidential ad dress of Rev. H. Tydeman Chilvers, to “Spurgeon’s College Conference, London, May, 1931,”

I learned the Truth of Scripture year 'by year And felt its force Divine upon my soul; Yet never did it touch the inner chords Nor life control. Until one hour its warning voice was heard Within the secret chambers of my heart; .Then a blest Day of Sacred Heavenly Light Bade Night depart. .Then did the Spirit bring the Word with power Within the soul which heard without till then; And Conscience, Heart and' Will, thrill with the Truth And cry, Amen!

—William Olney.

GUIDANCE

“He Leadeth Me.” (Ps. 23:2)

God guides us by His Word,

The Word of God is our supreme means of guidance. Wherever it speaks plainly upon any problem the child of God need seek no further. For its authority is .final. No Christian, for example, needs special guidance as to whether he is called to the consecration of his life to his Lord. The Word of God is absolutely clear in its call to all. Romans 12:1 is addressed to all believers —and beseeches us as “(brethren” to present our bodies a living sacrifice to God. So no believer needs special guidance as to whether he Is called to live a holy life. The Word distinctly declares “This is the will of God—even our sanctification.” No believer needs any special guidance against bitterness, censoriousness and evil-speaking. The great command of God’s Word is that we should “love one another even as Christ loved us.” Wherever, therefore, the Wnrd of God applies to our lives, its authority is supreme—and no guidance beyond it need be sought.