The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-02
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
"BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING" I"

"BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING"
"Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat!
or what shall we drink? or wherewithal Shali we oe
clothed?'
Such is the command of the Master to
the disciple. He does not mean that we are
to give up our several callings and sit down
in ideness, expecting our daily supplies
through some miraculous agency like that
which fed Elijah at the brook Cherith,-that
the Christian merchant must close his shop,
and the Christian farmer stop his plough,
and the Christian artisan forsake his trade.
Nor does Christ condemn an industrious use
of the time that he has given us, in provid-
ing for the maintenance and comfort OF those
who are dependent on US for the means OF
living. The Lord did not intend either to
denounce the various industrial pursuits that
are connected with the welfare of society, or
to encourage and foster spirit of Incidence
among his followers. There must be labor
and division of labor, and there must be
prudence and forethought as well.
But Christ does forbid an undue and ex-
cessive attention to all that is merely tenn
poral; and he condemns all anxious, d's'
tracing thought about the future, a0hether
that future be near or remote.
"Take no thought" does not mean that
we are not to think at all, nor act at all, nor
make any provision for coming days; but
that we should not be in the slightest degree
anxious as to what is in waiting for u.s.
that the peacefulness of our minds should
never be disturbed with even shadow of
solicitude as to how we are to be fed and
clothed,-that the eye of faith should ever
rest calmly and hopefully upon these prom
ises of our heavenly Father, which can never
be broken-that where mortal vision fails,
| land where indeed does it not fail = We
should walk with hearts so docile and trust
ing, as to Danish all disquietude and remove
all fear.
And the considerations by which our Lord
enforces this command, are
1. That all disquieting anxious thought
about our worldly support, is utterly useless
1t really accomplsheS nothing. (Which
of you by taking thought can add one cubit
unto his stature?" We may rack our brains
both night and day with care, and yet all
our anxiety will not prolong our days one
hour beyond their allotted limit. We may
rob our life Of all enjoyment and crowd it
with di8quietude, in asking, How are our
families to be supported and our means to
be increased ? And yet, anxiety and dis
trust will not control the seasons and make
them more propitious; will not add single
sheaf to the harvest that is ripening in our
fields, nor affect the markets and bring a
single farthing into our Golfers.
All results depend upon the will of God,
and mans Solicitude cannot change them.
God is the providential ruler and dispenser
of all events, both great and small. He not
only wheels the planets across the fields OF
space. but guides even the sparrow in its
flight, and the rain-drop in its fall He can
send the sunshine and the shower; or call
for the stormy wind, and bring the roaring
flood to sweep off the growing grain. He can
marshal the frosts of winter and the heats
of summer to act as ministers of destruc
ton; or summon the softly falling snow to
nrotect the tender blade and the balmy
breath of spring to clothe the fields with life
again. He can thunder in his majesty, anc
bring disaster upon all human schemes; ol
smile with his benignant providence, anc
crown the most unpromising enterprise witt
success.
But if all our anxieties about our future
support are useless, they are more than use
less. They perplex and trouble all who har
Dor them, but they accomplish nothing
They are intruders upon our peace and dis
turbers of our happiness, but they bring n
blessing to counterbalance the annoyanc
and pain that they always cause. They ar
the vampires of hell that suck our blood an
wear down our strength, but give us no sub
stantial good in return for the harm tina
they do. They are plunderer8 from the evi
one that enter our dwellings and steal GU
D treasures, and leave us destitute and de8olatt
i They are the poison of the soul and the gar
$ creme of the spirit; and the Christian wh
= admits them into his breast, is an enemy
. himself, and plots against his own healtl
e and takes counsel against his own hlghe'
t interests. CKhFh'