Science & Faith

 WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS:

 Preamble to the Constitution of the State of Colorado:

 PRESIDENTIAL QUOTES - 

                               WARREN G. HARDING

 THE FAMILY ALTAR

May 17.

"Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear

my voice; let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my suppli-

cations. If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who

shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest

be feared". Ps. 130:1—4.

Luther calls this 130th Psalm a Pauline Psalm, seeing that

it contains the great apostle's inspiring doctrine of justification

by grace through faith. It was a great favorite with Luther, who,

in 1523, composed his famous hymn of similar title upon it. Sung

to Luther's matchless tune and verse, this Psalm has been a source

of untold blessing to millions and millions of penitent and be-

lieving hearts. The contrite heart, agonizing in the depths of

fear and woe over its sins, as did Luther, can have no greater or

more blessed experience than expressed in the words: "There is

forgiveness with Thee." Self-righteous people know nothing of

such consoling experience. While quick to see the faults in others,

they are generally blind to their own sins, and seek to build ladders

to heaven by their supposed good works and virtues. And when

they must admit that they have sinned, they endeavor to get rid

of their sins by forgetting them or by making light of them. Vain

and foolish undertaking ! The righteous and holy God cannot be

deceived by such hypocrisy. Happy alone is the man that can

truthfully say: "There is forgiveness with Thee, 0 Lord; and in

Thy great mercy Thou hast also forgiven my sin." But such

forgiving grace is also sanctifying grace. A man who has experi-

enced the forgiving mercy of his God in Christ cannot and will

not live in conscious vice and sin, but daily folds his hands and

prays with David, in the 19th Psalm: "Keep back Thy servant

also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion

over me.

" Out of the depths I cry to Thee,

Lord, hear my lamentation;

Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,

And grant my supplication;

For if Thou fix Thy searching eye

On all sin and iniquity,

Who, Lord, can stand before Thee?

But love and grace with Thee prevail,

O God, our sins forgiving;

The best and holiest deeds must fail

Of all before Thee living;

Before Thee none can boasting stand,

But all must fear Thy strict demand,

And live alone by mercy.