The Bible Story Part 100

"'Ah! still depressed and dim with dew, but wait a little while, And radiant with the deathless rose the wilderness shall smile, And every tender, living thing shall feed by streams of rest, Nor lamb shall from the fold be lost, nor nursling from the nest.'"

"That reminds us of what the prophet said about the time when all the beasts even shall lose their cruel traits and live at peace with each other, and even play with little children."

"Could that ever be true, mamma?" interrupted Harold.

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ON GUARD [End ill.u.s.tration]

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"Well, even now, my dear," replied mamma, "wild and fierce animals have been wholly tamed by kindness. We cannot tell what beautiful things might happen if all evil and unkindness should be driven from the world and men should live as Christ taught us to live.

"Here are the prophet's words: 'And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.'

"These verses are from the Psalms and the Proverbs:--

"'For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

"'I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.'

"'The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.'

"'A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.'

"And here are some of the words of Jesus about animals and birds and about kindness:--

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"'Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.'

"'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'

"'The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.'

"'Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heavens, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not of much more value than they?'

"'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father; but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.'"

"And now it is late and my little lambs must go to their beds. I am sure that you both will be kind in every way to your little brothers of the air and the woods and fields, and your little dumb brothers in the streets of the city."

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SHEPHERD HYMNS

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THE GOOD SHEPHERD By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."--_The Words of Jesus_ [End ill.u.s.tration]

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SAVIOUR, LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US

Saviour, like a shepherd lead us, Much we need Thy tenderest care; In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, For our use Thy folds prepare; Blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us, Be the guardian of our way; Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, Seek us when we go astray; Blessed Jesus, Hear the children when they pray.

Early let us seek Thy favor, Early let us do Thy will; Holy Lord, our only Saviour, With Thy grace our bosoms fill; Blessed Jesus, Thou hast loved us, love us still.

--_Dorothy Ann Thrupp_.

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WAS THERE EVER KINDEST SHEPHERD?

Was there ever kindest shepherd Half so gentle, half so sweet As the Saviour, who would have us Come and gather round His feet?

There's a wideness in G.o.d's mercy, Like the wideness of the sea; There's a kindness in His justice, Which is more than liberty.

For the love of G.o.d is broader Than the measure of man's mind; And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more simple, We should take Him at His word; And our lives would be all suns.h.i.+ne In the sweetness of our Lord.

--_Frederick William Faber_

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THE LOST LAMB FOUND By P. Giradet

Sometimes in winter the sheep suffer greatly from the cold and heavy snowstorms. This is a description of sheep covered by the snow in winter:--

"The flock was buried Beneath a great white billow as high as a barn and as broad as a house. This great drift was rolling and curling beneath the violent blast, tufting and combing with rustling swirls, and carved as if patterns of cornice where the grooving-chisel of the wind swept round. Ever and again the tempest s.n.a.t.c.hed little whiffs from the channeled edges, twirled them round and made them dance over the chine of the monster pile, then let them lie like herringbones or the seams of the sand where the tide has been. And all the while, from the smothery sky, more and more fiercely at every blast, came the pelting pitiless arrows winged with murky white and pointed with the barbs of the frost."--_Blackmore_ [End ill.u.s.tration]

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GRACIOUS SAVIOUR, HOLY SHEPHERD

Gracious Saviour, holy Shepherd, Little ones are dear to Thee; Gathered with Thine arms, and carried In Thy bosom, may they be Sweetly, fondly, safely tended, From all want and danger free.

Let Thy holy words instruct them; Fill their minds with heavenly light; Let Thy love and grace constrain them To approve whate'er is right; Let them feel Thy yoke is easy, Let them prove Thy burden light.

Taught to lisp Thy holy praises Which on earth Thy children sing, With both lips and hearts, unfeigned, Glad thank-offering may they bring; Then with all Thy saints in glory Join to praise their Lord and King.

--_Jane E. Leeson and J. Whittemore_.