THE DAILY ROUND : Meditation Prayer and Praise ADAPTED TO THE COURSE OF THE CHRISTIAN YEAR "A FEW CALM WORDS OF FAITH AND PRAYER" 一人に 6-3-29 Prof. F. M. Taylor PREFACE. A RIGHT faith gives motives for a right life. In means of grace we come for the power of God in order to do His will, and grow worthy of Him. Truth is made known, and grace is given, that men may live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope laid up for them in heaven. God did not send His Son, Christ did not die, the Holy Spirit did not come, that heaven might be filled with pardoned felons, but that earth might be filled with children of God, led by the Holy Spirit in the steps of Christ towards their Father's home. No one now thinks to save himself; there is no risk of any one vainly trusting to his own works instead of Christ. Crowds are content to "trust in the Lord," while they do not "good," but evil, or nothing. They seem to think it matters not what they believe, or how they live, or what they are, so that they are only "saved" at last. It is as if man had no work to do here, no need of God's favour, day by day. It is as if God's laws need not, or could not, be kept, and the life lived here had nothing to do with forming the character, or fixing the state for man's hereafter. It is as if Christ lived and died to make sin safe, not to save from sin; to relieve man from the need of holiness, not to enable him to be holy. Religion is not for the end of life, or for stray hours in life. It is for the whole life, and for every hour of life. It is vain so far as it fails to influence a man in his common work and pleasures, as well as to inspire his worship. It should make him "pitiful and courteous," true and kindly, as well as devout. It should guide him to make this world brighter for others, as well as to reach heaven himself. Religion needs thought and care, if it is to be learned but a and practised well. The Bible is not one verse, large volume. To neglect any of God's words is to trifle with Him. To make light of any means of grace or help that God offers is to show self-trust, and want of faith in God. To be unwatchful or idle in daily duty is to forget the seriousness of life, and to grieve God, who worketh in man to will and to do of His good pleasure. The aim of "THE DAILY ROUND" is to help, day by day, in few, plain words, those who wish to know God's truth, to gain God's grace, and to do God's will. The course of the Church's year, and the order of the Church's services, are followed. Thus the deep things of God, the mysterious workings of grace, and the laws that claim to rule man's life, are dealt with as they come. Each page has five parts: 1. Some words of Holy Scripture. 2. A short statement of what those words mean and teach. 3. Some thoughts and reflections intended to bring home the general lesson, so as to make it of personal, practical use. 4. A prayer, in which what has been brought before mind and heart is laid before God. 5. A verse of a hymn. Those who use the book can add to, or change, any part, as their own cases need. Thoughts, and feelings, and prayers of others may help to think, and feel, and pray; but each mind and heart must act for itself: a living soul will always have its own words to say to its God. |