SUNDAY CIRCLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22712, 26 October 1935, Page 27

SUNDAY CIRCLE

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME SPRINGTIME. It was in the Springtime when Ho died. Let us remember this. And think of Youth, and the urge of life, Created new, and earth reborn; and the Thrill of beauty, trembling on leaf. And still, in evening sky. Let us think of the wind’s freshness, And the morning light, and all the Loveliness and charm of this green earth; Of life in little things, of birds’ song,_ Of the play of children, and the fall of night. Let us think of how He loved such things as these. Yet gave them up so splendidly for Heath, and know It cannot be that life like that, Once given, self-denied. Should end with heartbreak, and the Body’s pain, and never know The quickening stir of Springtime In the earth again. —Norman Arlex in the British Weekly, PRAYER. Almighty God, who inhabitest eternity, so that we can but name Thee, with Whom nevertheless we one by one have to do, it is Thou Thyself Who hast joined together these two confidences, these two emotions in our heart; and we would not sunder them. Help us rather to attend the more strictly to Thy dealings with us in our souls, to the lights and _ to the shadows which uplift us and which cast us down according to our private integrity; and help ug never to be impatient of Thy so indisputable strictness towards us, but rather to regard it as the proof of Thy concern. Do Thou open our eyes also to Thy disclosure of Thyself in the large events of Nature and of history, that we may perceive how true it is that the same God rules on high ag labours within our heart and mind.. For Thou Who dost cause a light to arise upon an inner trouble art pleased fi’om time to time to cause a light to arise amidst the darkness of events; as even at this time we gratefully acknowledge; Who hast been pleased to give to the world a sign in the sky that a long night of tossing is ended and that a better day is dawning for the world. Grant, 0 Lord, that it may be so indeed. And that in such a day we may play our part through Jesus Christ our Lord and to His further glory. Amen. A TEXT FOR EACH DAY’S MEDITATION. Sunday.—“ He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortress: my God in Him will I trust.”-—Psalm xci, 1 and 2. Monday.—“ Seek the Lord, and His strength, seek His face evermore. Remember His marvellous works that He hath done: Hig wonders, and the judgments of His mouth. He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.” —Psalm cv, 4-5 and 7. Tuesday.—“He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 0 that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men. For He satisfieth the longing soul.” — Psalm cvii, 7 to 9. Wednesday.—“ I love she Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. . . . Gracious is the Lord, and righteous. Yea, our God is merciful.” —Psalm cxvi, 1-2, and 5. Thursday.—“ It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Thou art my God, and I will .praise Thee; Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee. 0 give thanks unto the Lord for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.”—Psalm cxviii,'B, 28 and 29. Friday.—“ Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works. The entrance of Thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the simple.”—Psalm cxix, 18, 27, 130. Saturday. —“ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”—2 Corinthians i, 3 and 4. -—H. R. Higgens, in A.C.W. A LINK WITH TAMATE. A link with the pioneer days of missionary work in Eastern Papua is an old preacher named lakobo Sulupava, of Ware Island, near Samarai. When James Chalmers and his party first began to explore the islands to the eastward of Papua they came one early morning to Ware Island. Some of the youths helped to pull their dinghy ashore, and among them was young Sulupava—to-day the last of the band. With other lads he helped in the further exploration of the group with Chalmers. When, later on, Polynesian teacherg were placed on the island he became one of their first domestic helpers. He soon began to assist in the services, and now, for upwards of 40 years, he has been a preacher of the Gospel. A FINE CONFESSION. Elizabeth Fry, during her last illness, said to her daughter: “I believe I can truly say that, since the age of 17, I have never waked from sleep, in sickness or in health, by day or by night, without my first waking thought being how I might best serve the Lord.” In this continual recognition of Christ as her life’s guide, she fulfilled the condition on which we are promised that He will direct our paths. STREET-WALKING PREACHERS, Dr Lyman Beecher believed in preachers, and he loved to preach himself. He was not, however, so vain as to suppose that there were not other preachers, or a need for them. It is reported of him that he once declared: “Every member of my Church is a preacher when he walks through town on his way to worship, and says by his very walking, ‘ I am going to the House of God’ ” APHORISMS. Here are some aphorisms from Hugh Redwood’s latest book, “Live Coals”:— There are landings on all God’s stairways. Man can take ore and fashion from it a watch-spring. Think to what fine ends God can fashion a*man. Doubts swoop in the gathering night like bats; we may find them heads downward when morning comes. Some so-called religion is like a kettle on a dying fire; it sings a lot but never comes to the boil. People who want a formal receipt for everything they give to God seldom file hig invoices. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCHES. “Probation After Death” is the subject of the lesson-sermon in all Churches of Christ. Scientist, to-morrow. The golden text is: “ Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.”—(James i, 12.) Among the citations which comprise the lesson-sermon are the following:—“lf the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falloth, there it shall be.” (Eccl. xi, 3.) “As man falleth asleep, so shall he awake. As death findeth mortal man, so shall he be after death, until probation and growth shall effect the needed change.” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.” by Mary Baker Eddy.)