THE SABBATH.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20272, 14 August 1937, Page 20 (Supplement)

THE SABBATH.

IT IS GOOD. Lord, It is good for us to be High on the mountain here with Thee, Where stand revealed to mortal gaze The great old saints of other days, Who once received, on Horeb's height, Tile eternal laws of truth and right. Or caught tho still small whisper higher Than storm, than earthquake, or than fire. Lord, it is good for us to be With Thee and with Thy faithful three; Hero, where the apostle’s heart of rock Is nerved against temptation’s shock; Here, where the son of thunder learns The thought that breathes, the word that burns; Here, where on eagle's wings we move With him whose last, best creed Is love. Lord, It is good for us to be Entranced, enwrapt, alone with Thee; Watching the glistening raiment glow Whiter than Hermon's whitest snow. The human lineaments that shine Irradiant with a light divine, Till we too change from grace to grace, Gazing on that transfigured face. —A. P. Stanley. DAILY TEXT. Bunday. Why go I Mourning?—Psalm 43:2. Though now for a season if need be, ye Rre in heaviness through manifold temptations. If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hand toward Him lliou shalt forget thy misery or remember it ns waters that pass a\vnv. —I. Peter 1: G. Job It: 13-16. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. —Psalm 116:7. Monday. What Is my strength that I should hope?—Job 6: It. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; ho not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteouness.—lslah 4i : 10. in the Lord have 1 righteousness nnd strength. Tho Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation. —Isaiah 45: 24. Exodus 15: 2. Tuosday. Lord, what shall tills man do?— John 21: 21. What is that to thee? Follow thou Me? —John 21: 22. Acquaint now thyself with Him, and he at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.' —Job 22: 21. Wednesday. Who is this of whom I* hear such things?-—Luke ‘J : 0. Bo of pood cheer; it is I, ho not afraid.—Mark 6: 50. The voice of my beloved—Song of Solomon 2: 8. Thursday. Who are Thou. Lord?—Arts 26: 15. I the Lord, am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the Mighty—ono of Jacob. There is no Saviour beside me. The Saviour of all men especially of those 111 at, believe. —Isaiah 49: 26. llosca 13: 4; T. Timothy 4: UL Save me. O my Lord. Save me for tliv mercy’s sake. Psalms 3: 7, AL: 4. Friday. Wherein hast Thou loved us? — Malachl 1:2. In this was manifested the love of

God towards us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Herein Is love. —T. John 4: 9-10. Beloved:, of God, so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Love one another with a pure heart fervently.—l. John 4; 11. I. Peter 1: 2. Saturday. Whither shall I go?—Genesis 37: 30. Tho eternal God Is thy refuge.— Deuteronomy 33: 27. I will sing of thy power: yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning, for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.— Psalms 59: 16. CHRISTIAN DEVOTION. Devotion Is neither private nor public prayer, but prayers, whether private or public, are particular parts or instances of devotion. Devotion signifies a life given, or devoted to God. He therefore is the devout man, who lives no longer to his own will, or the way and spirit of the world, but to tho sole will of God, who considers God in everything, who serves God in everything, who makes all the parts of his common life parts of piety, by doing everything' in the name of God, and under such rules as are conformable to His glory. We readily acknowledge that God alone is to be the rule and measure | of our prayers; that in them we are to look wholly unto Him, and act wholly for Him; that we are only to pray in such a manner, for such things, and such ends, as are suitable to His glory. Now let anyone but find out the reason why he is to be thus strictly pious in his prayers, and he will find tho same as strong a reason to be as strictly pious in all the other parts of his life. For there is not the least shadow of a reason why we should make God the rule and measure of our prayers; why we should then look j wholly unto Him, and pray according to 11 is will; but what equally proves I it necessary for us to look wholly un- \ to God, and make Him the rule and measure of all the other actions of our life. For any ways of life, any employment of our talents, whether of our parts, our time, or money, that is not strictly according to the will of God, that is not for such ends ;-.s are suitable to Ilis glory, are as great absurdities and failings, as prayers that are not according to the will oi I God. For there is no other reason, j why our prayers should be according to tho will of God, why they should have nothing in them but what is I wise, and holy, and heavenly; there i is no other reason for this, but that ; our lives may be of the same nature, I full of the same nature, full of the ! same wisdom, holiness, and heavenly j tempers, that wo may live unto God in the same spirit that we pray unto ! Him. Wore it not our strict duty to live by reason, to devote all the actions of our lives unto God, were it not absolutely necessary to walk before him in wisdom and holiness and all heavenly conversation, doing everything Jn His name, and for llis glory, there would bo no excellency or wisdom ;n the most heavenly prayers. Nay, such prayers would be absurdities Jiev would be prayers for wings when it was not part of our duty to ily.— , William Law.