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K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
August, 1935
NOTES on Christian Sndeavor B y M a r y G. G o o d n e r
SEPTEMBER 8, 1935 DEFEATING DISCOURAGEMENT P salm 42 Suggestions for the Meeting 'Hymn—“Praise Him! Praise Him 1” Hymn—“Revive Us Again.”,.. Prayer. Verses-of Praise—All. Quartet—“Living for Jesus!” Leader’s Message. Testimonies. Hymn—“My Faith Looks Up to Thee.” Benediction—Jude 24, 25. Meditation on the Lesson Every condition that we are likely to experience is. described somewhere in the songbook of Israel. Read the Psalms for strength, read them for faith, read them for comfort, read them for courage, read them for joy and praise! Read them! In Psalm 42, we have the panacea for discouragement. David describes first a weeping, downcast believer: “My tears have been my meat day and night.” It is truly a melancholy portrait, yet how true to life! What is the remedy? Praise His name, we are not left-to grope in dark ness. Verse 5 gives us the remedy: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” It is “hope . '¡t'j. in God” that cures discouragement: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38, 39). “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). Leader’s Helps I. S atan ’ s C hoicest T ool There is a fable called “The Devil’s Wedge,” which tells that once upon a time Satan made public announcement that he was going to retire from business and would sell his tools at public auction. On the evening before the sale took place, many came to see what he had to sell. The chief tools were malice, envy, hatred, jealousy, sensuality, deceit; and in one corner lay a wedge-shaped instrument marked at a higher price than any of the rest. One asked the devil the reason for the exorbitant price, and he answered, “That is Discouragement, the most useful weapon in all my aggregation of tools. It is worth more than all the rest put to gether. I can pry open and get inside a man’s conscience with discouragement when nothing else avails me." The devil still uses that tool daily. But for the Chris tian, “discouragement” has been defeated, for we have a victorious Christ.— H ouse .
that which, in submission and. obedience, says:. ‘‘Not nty -will; : but thine, be done.”
SEPTEMBER 1, 1935 THE COURAGE OF JESUS CHRIST M a tth ew 23:16-24 ; 26:36-39 Suggestions for the Meeting
Leader’s Helps I. W h a t C onstitutes C ourage
Hymn—“All Hail the Power.” ■ Hymn—“Beneath the Cross of Jesus.”',.. Prayer. Hymn—“In the Hour of Trial.” Scripture—Matthew 23 :16-24 ; 26:36-39. Violin Solo—“W o n d e r f u l Grace of Jesus.” Leader’s Message.
It is related that in the Duke of Well ington’s campaigns two officers were once dispatched upon a service of considerable danger. As they were riding together, the one observed the other tp be greatly agi tated, with blanched cheek and, quivering lip, and‘.limbs' shaken as with a paralysis of mortal fear. Reining' his steed upon its haunches, the first officer haughtily ad dressed his companion, “Why, you are afraid.” “I am,” was the reply, “and if you were half as much afraid as I am, you. would relinquish the duty altogether.” Without wasting another word upon his ignoble companion, the officer galloped back to headquarters, and complained bit terly. that he had been ordered to march in the companionship of a coward. “Off, 'sir, to your duty;”' was the com mander’s sharp reply, “or the coward will haye done the business; before you get there,”—W. M. P ussiion V• IL T raveling a M arked P a th They tell us that, in 'some trackless lands, when one friend passes through the pathless forests, he breaks a twig ever and anon as he goes, that those who come after may see the traces of his having been there, and may know that they are not out of the road. Oh! When we are journeying through the murky night and the dark woods of affliction and sorrow, it is. something to find here and there a spray broken, or a leafy stem bent down with the tread of His foot and the brush of His hand as He passed; and to remember that the path He trod He has hallowed, and that there are lingering fragrances and hidden strengths in the remembrance, “in all points tempted like as we are”.—bearing grief for us, bearing grief with us. —M aclaren . III. S ource of C ourage The word “courage” comes from the Latin word cor, meaning heart. Courage is not a matter of the head, but of the heart; not of the understanding, but of the feel ing. You may have the theory of courage perfectly and still be a coward. What you need is the hero’s heart. Love prompts courage—love of some dear one, love of one’s church, love of one’s country, of one’s home, love of Christ. If you want to be more courageous, be more loving, for “perfect love casteth out fear .”—Christian Endeavor World.
Testimonies. Quiet Hour.
Hymn—“Where He Leads Me.” Benediction-rflPsalm 1 in concert.
Meditation on the Lesson “ 'Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow The star is dimmed that lately shone ; ’Tis midnight,; in the garden now The suff’ring Saviour prays alone.” In the fulfillment of His Father’s will, Christ’s fearlessness has been shown on many occasions. We have seen Him standing on the hill at Nazareth amidst a jeering mob who were endeavoring to thrust Him over the precipice; then He calmly passed through their midst in quiet triumph. We have heard His voice as He spoke peace to the troubled waves on the stormy Galilee. We have heard Him an swer with bravest dignity and power the bitter, sign-seeking scribes and Pharisees who sought to trap Him. We have listened to His stern denunciation of the hypocrisy and cant which led these leaders to make intricate rules for religious observance and at the same time to dishonor God by their lives (Matt. 23:16-24). Finally, we have watched Him set His face toward Jerusa lem, although He knew it meant death for Him. But now, as we come to this most sol emn event in the life of our Lord, we feel that “courage” is not the word to use con cerning Him. “Courage” sounds too or dinary, a word too commonplace, to apply to Him at this dark hour. Rather, we feel like falling on our faces in holy adoration. “Hark, what sounds, of bitter weeping, From yon lonesome garden sweep? ’Tis the Lord His vigil keeping, Whilst His followers sink in sleep. Ah, my soul, He loved thee,
Yes,'He gave Himself for me. He is speaking to His Father, Tasting deep that bitter cup, Yet He takes it, willing rather For our sakes to drink it up. Oh, what love! He loved me! Gave Himself, my soul, for thee.”
As we witness the spirit in which our Saviour faces His great trial, we find the basis for true moral strength. The highest courage, achieved by the grace of God, is
Conquest pursues, where courage leads the way ¿^-S am u el G a rth .
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