SUNDAY COLUMN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 38, 27 January 1912, Page 8

SUNDAY COLUMN.

CHRIST SHEPHERDING HIS FLOCK.

(By, Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler.)

' To us, in our land and times,. tjh’s Oriental figure loses much, of the vividness that it has to one who visits Palestine and sees a Judean shepherd among his flock, He is the master of a household of sheep—as 'much attached to his fleecy friends as daily intercourse and nightly watchings and .personal exposures for them could make him. He searches out fresh pastures for them; if a sheep is caught in a thicket, he hastens to rescue It; :f a lamb falls into a swollen torrent, he is' at hand to lift it out; if a wild beast shows himself at night near the sleeping flock, the shepherd seizes a club or crook and gives him battle. Not only the savage beast, but the Bedouin robber must sometimes be encountered. Dr. Thompson in his “Land and Book” says that one faithful fellow, between Tabor and Tiberias, instead of fleeing, actually fought three Bedouins, until ho was hacked to pieces, and died among the sheep he was defending. “I am the Good Shepherd, I lay down ray life for the sheep.” This is the supreme acf of devotion to His flock. To analyse the theology of the Atonement is for most believers as bootless as an attempt to analyse the maternal feeling before a mother who has just given the parting kiss to a dying daughter. The Christian’s heart understands the Atonement better than the Christian’s head. It is a difficult doctrine for the brain, but a sweet and simple one to the affections. Jonathan Edwards could not apprehend the Atonement a whit more clearly qr feel it more intensely than the Dairyman’s Daughter when she sang to herself:—

“How glorious was the grace When Christ sustained the stroke. His life and blood the shepherd pays A ransom for the flock.” ’ Three things our beloved Shepherd assures us.

1. The first one is, “I know mine own sheep.” Ho does not recognise them by any church marie, for some persons may hide an unbelieving, unrenewed heart beneath a false profession ; others, who never have on-' rolled themselves in any visible church membership, may belong to the floodbought flock. Jesus recognised the penitent sinner through her tears as distinctly as he saw through Judas behind his treacherous kiss. It is a precious thought—“My Master knows me; He has me on His heart. He is a brother to my griefs. He knows what pasture i require; yes, and Ho understands when I need the chastening stroke 1 . He detects my sins, therefore let mo be watchful against temptation. He sees all my tears or my heartaches, therefore, let me bo cheerful under sharp trials.” H. The second thing our Shepherd assures us is, “Mine own know Me.”* This knowledge is gained by sacred instinct. His own know Him by the witness of the spirit. How do i know my mother;- 1 l>y somebody elso’s description of her, by her picture, by an analysis of her mental qualities? No; I know her by the instinct of love. f have tested her sweet fidelities. I believe in her both for why.t she is to me and what she lias done I for mo. The sincere Christian has J

a hcartknowledgc which is gained by | being sought out by the Sbcphcid, . saved by Him, and by trusting and | following Him. Of this experimental knowledge no scoffer can outwit him and no enemy can rob him. Ho lias heard Christ’s voice when Ho called his own sheep by name and loadeth thorn out. No one can counterfeit that voice. Sometimes in Palestine or Syria a stranger will try t° mimic the shepherd’s call; but the flock pay no hoed to it. lAs soon as flie genuine voice is hoard every head is up and the flock is in motion. 111. The third thing that Jesus assures us is that “Ho gocth before His sheep and they follow' Him.” Ah, what pathways of trial He sometimes appoints to us! Never has Ho promised an easy or a smooth road, or such as our selfishness may select. Ho never consents that the flock shall decide as to the lot in which they shall bo pastured,,.or over what deep hills he shall conduct them, or through what valleys of the death-shade they shall walk, listening to His voice through . the dark. More than once faith stumbles and falls, but Ho lifts up and restores. Sometimes the burden breaks us down but He says tenderly, “Cast that burden on Me/’ Sometimes w r e cry out in anguish for s ome lost treasure of heart and home, but His firm reply is, “Your treasure I will take care of, follow Me.” Whom He loves Pie chastens, and in proportion to Die ToTefiS the discipline. The trial tl^at,toasts grace and purifies character must he something more than a pin-scrapb. It. must cut deep, it must try, AW, find sharply too or it d oos not deserve the name. It is bard to ■be pooi'n while others prosper; it is hard to lie still and suffer while godless, mirth goes laughing by the door; it, is,hard to lose our only wee lamb, while our neighbour’s fireside is surrounded by a group of rosycheeked, children 1 ; it is hard to drink the very, cup that we prayed might pass on from us, hut the loving Shepherd comes very near at such times and puts His arm about us and says, “I know mine own and mine own trust Me.” If Mine, then an heir to all I have. Where I am there thou shall be; let not thy heart be troubled. What is poverty or failure or sickness or bereavement to Thee? Follow me. ,vilf thy feet are sore the green pastures will be all the softer by and by! IB If thy. cross is heavy, I have borne a heavier one. Let mo share tlris Kvdth thee. Shall the sheep fare better than the shepherd? And 33 througlH every .step in life the Shepherd i offers •to guide us, if we will but hear His voice and follow Him. He never promises us smooth paths, biit! He does promise us safe ones. Wo< may often, be called to severe service and self-denials, to encounter opposition and, perform ministries of love to the unlovable arid' the thankless; but wp, f s\iull never be called to sacrifice a principle or commit a sin. Our Shepherd will never Ic.ad .ps t ( p, .a precipice ,of cJTpr .p.r ipto, a quagmire of doubt. He will never lead us into sepsual temptations or up the dizzy heights of vainglory. If we follow him wo mnj .find the steepest cliff a path of pleasantness./ and the lowest vifle-'of humiliation ,a highway to peace.' ... 13 ret Inkle-of the flock,,,wo may have some Hard < climbing yet before wo reach heaven. Let us/-keep close to the Shepherd and take' short views. If we look down we may get dizzy, it wo look ;too far on we may get discouraged. T With steady grasp on the Great Shepherd let our hearts continually pray:— Keep tli'ou my feet: I do not ask to seb; 1 ; i The “'distant scene; one step’s enough, for me.--