OUR SUNDAY CIRCLE

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13937, 21 July 1917, Page 2

OUR SUNDAY CIRCLE

WHAT THE CHURCHES ARE -:.■'':- DOING. COLLECT. '. Seventh' iSuuday after Trinity. J Lord of'nil power and •might, Thini who art' the author: and giver of all good things, graft in our hearts tho love' of Thy Name; increase in us Into religion, nourish us with all goodnesfi, and of Thy great mercy, keep ub in the'same; through ■Jesus Ghvi3t our Lord.—Amen. 'PRAYER. '-. "■ ■ '■■— \ . Our Father, we thank Thjbe that we cannot put Thee away, from' us, though we may put ourselves away from Thee. We bless Thee for that seeking love which comes after the prodigals. .We , bless Thee for that/welcoming love which opens houses and hearts 'to, the. returning penitent. We thank Thee for that great royal generosity which clothes and adorns tliQ naked and sinful spirit with tho robe of righteousness as .1 bride bedecks herself with her jowds, ami wo beseech Thee that those precious thingsT'of holiness and, purity of love and ami ChristUkeness may more and move be ours, Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen, , THE JOY OP LIFE. There are many to sing us the dolef.il . song ' Of the heart that is heavy with tears; But who will sing us the danntle*; uong— A inarching measure that swings along— Of the heart that has uo fears? The joy of life is a forward road To the heart that is ready to go; There's a laugh and a jest at the end of the day, And a sweet voice calling him far away Whenever the wild winds blow, Though what we shall see at the turn of the road Is hidden from you and from me, Yet with heart that is free of a vain disguise, And face to the front, and fearless eyes, r We will dare whatever we see, Tertius van Dyke,

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS. July 22. Sennacherib's. Invasion of Jutlah.— II Kings xviii.,.lll-19 and 37. ' Golden Text: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."—Psalm xlyi., 1. July':!!). God's Gracious Invitation.—lsiah lv. Golden Text:. ."Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.' '—lsaiah lv., (5. THE GIFT OF PEACE. (By the Bev. J, 11, Jowett, D.D.) "My peace I give unto you,"—John xiv, L»7. But. a soul may possess a peace of Christ, and yet know no end of troublo. Indeed, round about these words of our Lord there are other words which look like unfriendly presences frowning in apparent contradiction. "The world hateth you"; "They shall put you out of the synagogue"; "Ye shall weep and lament'' These are very strange ingredients in a life which i 3 supposed to be possessed of peace. The peace of Jesus is evidently not synonymous with, the quietness of' settled circumstance. It is not the peace of plenty. It is something which is independent of these. It can co-exist with tnrbulnncc. It can go hand-in-hnnd with want. The circumference of life may be the realm of storm, while its homo' is the centre of a profound -serenity. The peace of Jesus is the" harmony of a central and spiritual relation. It is union and communion with God. The soul is at rest. , Its vagrancy is over. It no longer seeks a new doorstep every night; it has found a settled home,

If poaoo wore only a matter of quieted circumstances we might win it for ourselves. We could seek mid find it in social reconstructions, in juster laws, ill more enlightened economy, in ampler comforts, in larger purse. But .if vital peace is supremely a matter-of spiritual relations how is it to be found? And, especially if it is the restoration of a broken relation, who cau reset tho disjointed limb and put it right again? This peace is not the work of the will, It jis not an acquisition of human intimity. It is a gift, and it is the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, "My peace I give unto you," He came,to bring the wanderer home, He came to change our shifting, rickety tent for a settled abode. He came to Olid tlie appalling divorce which is the work of fin. He came to put us right with God, and to transform a sinful and restless vagrancy into a holy peace.

And if we receive the Saviour's gift of peace our life will liavc two distinctions—and those are pnJy two of the many royalties which belong Vo the reconciled soul. First of all wo.shall see things tranquilly, Wo shall have an eye "made quiet by the power of harmony. ' ' We shall therefore see things as they are; and Will not be out.of pro-' jortlon; nor shall w v e be>deeiovod by any jorrowod plumes. "The eyes of them : ;liat 9go shall not bovdini.'' Aml,.foi' a. wond. thing, if wo have t^ie;peace of Jesus, we shall dp things tranquilly. Hiis central peace will affect-our activities on the cireumforbneo. There will bo no fuss, no foverishiießS, no .panic, and wastofnl oare. We shall have IL> 3tvength of stillness. For God's peace, that surpasses all our dreams, shall Keep guard oyer our hearts 'and minds in, Christ' Jesu-;, -''••■ ;;