Devotional Column

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6764, 23 January 1932, Page 9

Devotional Column

Precept. Keep yourselves in tho love of God. Judo 31. Promise. Ho will keep the feet of His saints. 1 Sam. 2, 9. Prayer. Lot mo not be ashamed of my hope. Psalm 119, IIG. RESTING IN THE HAND THAT HOLDS THE BOOK. “I saw in tho right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book.”—Rev. v. 1. Arc you resting in tho hand that holds tho Book? Tho God of might Who made and lovebh all, Who saveth those who on the Lamb will look And on Him call.

Are you weeping for the sins you should forget? Are they not washed away by precious blood? Remember them again Ho will no more Beneath the flood.

Aro you trusting in tho Lord Who lives to save? How wisely Ho doth guide you with His hand To bind thee to Himself, His life He gave— A mighty band. Aro you faithful to the God Who never fails? He will supply you with every need to-day. He watches o’er your vessel as it sails — So watch and pray. Are you looking for the Ono Who’s coming soon? His loved ones know that hour is on the wing; It may bo in the twilight or at noon — So watch and sing. CHRIST’S PRESENCE ASSURED. "And, 10, 1 am with you alway.” Matt, 25:20. It is said that one of Wellington’s officers, when commanded to go on a particularly perilous duty, lingered, as if afraid, and then said to the general, "Let mo have one clasp of your allconquering hand before I go, and I can do it.” In commenting upon this incident, D. Hooey says, "Our Commander, .Jesus Christ, does bettor for us than this. He not only is willing to give, us the clasp of His all-conquering hand, but lovingly assures us that He null go with us all the way, protecting us from all dangers and strengthening us for every encounter . TO FATHER.

Underenath a rough exterior There I found a heart of gold: Often stern and yet so tender, Is tho memory I hold. Not too prone to show emotion, Not too late to set aright, When my wandering feet misled me Or my judgment failed me quite. But I knew he always loved us Toiled and wore his life away; To provide to make us happy Gave himself, his best each da,y. Tho uncrowned with fame or glory As the world would echo fame, In the book of my immortals On page one is Father’s name. TESTIMONY FOR MISSIONS. 8. Sheba, editor-in-chief of the Japan Times and Mail, one of Tokyo’s great Japanese dailies, says: "No amount, of sophistry will hide the fact that it is the Christian workers and Christian civilisation that have lifted Japan above the darkness of old ideas and backward customs, and put her on the path of progress and higher culture.”

Y. Tsurumi, son-in-law of Viscount

Goto, is & rising- young liberal leader. He gives this witness: “If you will take tho outstanding figures in nearly every Hold of beneficent work in Japan, you will find men and women who in their early lifo came under the influence of American missionaries. ” THE TRUTH THAT SETS US FREE. Over nineteen centuries ago the world received its charter of freedom. No scribe penned it, no legislature enacted it. On a cross outsido an ancient city, God gave the world tho seal of His wisdom and tho emblem of His power. Lifted up, between heaven and ea.rth, the suffering Son of God embodies that divine energy that alone can save.

Jesus is able to save unto the uttermost, because He loved unto the uttermost.

The world of that day in coarse brutality wrote “foolishness” across tho charter of their emancipation, and sat down to gamble, and jest, and die. They knew not that which later wisdom suggests, that “the foolishness of G-od is wiser than men.”

In de-fiance of tho wisdom and power of that ancient day, humble and despised men lifted high tho emblem of the cross and by that sign, they conquered. We to-day scan the past and back in the time of its darkest night we find tho light that can lighten ouir darkness.

We too must be ready to defy the world of wisdom of our day that scoffs at tho cross. We must prove by our lives that the emblem of shame has becomo the badgo of purity; that tho symbol of suffering is tho symbol of poacc, joy and power. Let not the Church of Christ forget the charter of her salvation, the very emblem of His wisdom and power. The truth that can set us free is the truth that triumphed over ancient stumbling blocks, and set at nought ancient wisdom.

Let us listen to the apostle Paul, who said: “But wo preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ tho power of God and the wisdom of God.” TALK UP YOUR CHURCH. Tho prayer meeting and the class meeting have been nearly killed by the discouragers. Spiritual progress has been hindered by the very men who should have pushed it on. Talk your Church up and keep talking it up. Find tho things in it that are worth praising. If there are not many, sot to and make son c. The worst enemy is not material pulpitism, it is defeatism. If the services lack glow in the pu.pit make up for it by warmth in the pew. If there is slackness anywhere do double duty. Unbelief wins no battles. Tho answer to all doubt is God. It is time the oncourag ;rs got a chance. Let ministers bo faithful with the pessimists and tell them frankly that if they can find nothing to praise inside tho Church their place is outside. Fire the pessimists, or, better still, put some fire into them. Wei soy’s reply to a complaining minister was: “You are out of your place. You should bo praying instead of grumbling.” Put ou tho garments of joy. A rejoicing Church will be a conquering Church.

MY SERVICE IN THE WORLD,

The shafts that, bear the grain aloft Are very slender; The roots that hold them to tho soil Are very ten dor; Yet all tho grain is lifted high To ripen under summer sky And tell the millions by and bye, Of God the Sender.

Tho men who bear the Word aloft Are often very lowly; Tho ties that bin-d them to the work All'strengthen slowly; And yet tho Word is carried wido, To every land on every tide, The peoples manifold to guide, To God the Holy.