Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-12-26
The Sin q To-yilg.

Tie discomfort Of Worrying everybody
admits: brt its siufulnoss is not so com
monty recognized. Worrying habits are
not supposed to hc 81 the personal tenn
perameut. and. therefore, inevitable.
Those who indulge in them are sorry that
they must do SO: but they never think Of
chasing those habits with stealing and
living and impuritv Of speech or action,
in their manifest Inconsistency with a
Christian profession. Yet DO wronS-do-
ing whatsoever Is mere clearly a sln 10
the Christian discipline than is worrying 4;
none more clearly dishouors Christ or
may be supposed TO qrievo Kim more.
Worrying is being IN nervous anxiety
lest things are gong wrong, or lest I'M
supplied need is coming. 1t IS having
n restless timijity as to the results. or
consequence. or insuliiciency OF things
done. or Of things doing or TO be done
by ones self or by others. Worrying
is therefore the plain evidence Of "a lack
Of confident belief that the ordering and
controlling of ones self and ones affairs.
and Of ali things which may indirectly
affect ones interests. are sure to be wise
and loving. and for that persons III
dividual welfare. Worrying is perfectly
consistent with the blind cropping Of The
infidal. or the piti:ul helplessncss Of thc
fatalist: it is absolutely incompatible
with true Christian trust. Yet the one
all-essential thing to Il Christian is trust.
Whatever else he lacks, q true disciple
must believe in his master. Without
faith If is impossible to please that mas
ter. to honor him. or to hc faithful IN ms
service. What failure then could be
worse than q failure in that which Is OF
chief importance? What wrong-dolng
could be more truly reprehensIble than
an unjust suspicion Of the love and truth
and faithfulness Of the son of God?
Think how worrying distrusttulncss
would appear If It were manifested hy
your own child towards yourself IN or
dinarv home-life Suppose your son,
whom You love with all your heart, were
in the habit of having and showing =
nervous fea least somehow he should he
in danger or need at the very point where
vou are always rcldlest and best able To
provide for him. Suppose you found
him i'll tears on some autumn day be
cause winter was coming On and he might
lack comfortable clothing to keep hlm
from freezing Suppose he should start
back, OF cry out for terror, when You
took up the clIvmg-knife at the dinner
table. as though it were to be used
agains. instead Of for him. Suppose he
were continually moaning OF trembling
over the possibility Of being neglected Or
forgotten 10y you-and this in Il home Of
affection and plenty and Of uever-faillng
care. Suppose you found that way down
in his heart Le disbchevcd IN your love
for him. or distIusted your ability to he
good and true parent in the days Of his
dependent childhood. Which would hc
the worse in your sight-such distrust-
fitness AS this on his part or common
Hovish vilfulucss and disobedicnce
Could any misloine. indeed, be more
truelv wrong against You, or an evil IN
him, than such unrhildlikc, unnatural
questioning Of your ability and good
ness DO you thial that your Father IN
heaven is less desirous that an earthly
parent Of the confidence of his children
Do think that the Saviour attaches
less importance than you do TO thnt trait oI
character which he makes the supreme
test Of discipleship? How then can yo'
suppose that the worrying which grove
out Of and evidences distrust can be les
truly a sin in His sight than the NOR,
bold immoraliti.s Of dishonesty, W'
truthfnlnass or impurity?