Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-30
FAITH THE ROOT OF COURAGE.

No quality of mind is held in higher
esteem amongst men than moral cour-
age. or that fearlessness of spirit which
enables a man to stand firmly at the
post Of duty whatever perils or opposi-
tons may environ him. 1t is this quail
ity that makes the true hero whether
on the larger or the smaller battle-fields
Of life. When human character attains
this excellence, it rises to its loftiest
score, and is sure to win the approval
of the good, even if it does not com-
mand the homage of the unworthy.
But while in the discharge of duty it is
courage that sustains the man, what is
it that sustains the courage? The an
swer which the Bible gives, and perhaps
the truest and simplest answer that can
be given, is faith-strong faith in God.
For he who fears God has certainly moth
ing else to fear, and while God is for
him, and he believes that God is with
him, who can be against him?
We have only to read the catalogue
of Old Testament heroes and martyrs
enumerated by St. Paul in the eleventh
chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews,
to see what place faith holds in the for
nation of Christian character, and in
the achievements of the highest moral
courage. The distinguished names
there mentioned were not mor remark
able for their fearless and triumphant
courage in the face of opposition, danger
and death itself than they were for their
strong unquestioning faith in God, and
in all the promises of God. Indeed, it
is obvious from the whole record that
their faith was the very pillar and
groundwork Of their courage. 1t was
the faith that both produced and sus-
tanned the courage steadfast to the end.
Not only were they justified by faith,
they wrought by faith. Through faith
they subducd kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of liars, waxed
valiant in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens"
We need strong faith, not only as an
impelling principle of action when we
are required to make great sacrifices and
do great works in Gods service, but also
as a sustaining principle Of the soul, to
cheer and encourage us in the dark hours
of trial, tribulation and death. At least
half its office is to support and comfort
us undert the multiplied temptations, dis
appointments and disasters of life. The
true believer in God has, in this respect,
a source Of consolation, an antidote
against evil, and a we'll spring of I'M
failing joy, to which the unbelieving
soul is a stranger. And this happiness,
this tranquil Joy, this perfect peace, will
be in all cases according to our faith in
(vn1 IT. &c of f1,o po+,,~o &c ,%,o~~
faith to inspire the good mans soul
with a serene satisfaction amid the
t%iercest storms of adversely, and a hero
ic courage in the presence of the most
appalling dangers that can ever befall
him. The Divine promise is: "I will
keep him inperfectp peace whose mind is
stayed on Me, because he trusteth in Me-"
The life OF the apostle Paul, from the
day of his conversion until his death of
martyrdom, is a signal illustration of
this strong, courageous faith in God,
and Of this inspiring, loving, sustaining
faith in Christ. Faith was unquestion-
ably the handspring of his life, the key
note of his character. It was the inn
pelling principle Of all his actions, the
sustaining principle of all his suffterings
and all his heroic sacrifices. True, all
other noble, Christ-like graces and
virtues had their place in his remarka-
BILE career. But faith was his prominent
characteristic. 1t was his faith that
made him the great missionary hero of
the Apostolic age. He was undaunted,
cheerful and happy amid all his self
denying labors, and under all the dan
gers and disasters that marked his
career on land and water, because his
faith in God. and in the coming glory
of Christ, never failed him, or
even for one moment wavered.
What a bright example of
cheerful, happy, heroic faith in
God is set before us in the graphic ac-
count of the in which he bore
himself during the weary days and
nights of that long, p%erilous voyage in
the Adriatic, which at last ended in
shipwreck on the Island Of Melita!
When all other hearts in the vessel were
failing for fear, and ''all hope that any
should be saved were taken away,n
how he stands erect and calm to the
last, saying to his fellow passengers:
"Sirs, be Of good cheer, for [ believe
God that it shall be even as it was told
me" He who has already faced so
many dangers in the past, and was ere
long to face the greatest dangers of the
imperial city. was ready for death in
whatever form It might overtake him.
1t had no power to disturb the deep
tranquility Of Il soul at peace with God,
whose mistaken faith rested on the
sure Word of God, and whose hope was
anchored to that within the vail. Such
a courage, such a character, could
spring from 10 deeper root than faith
in God.
Nor have the days of such courageous
faith in God wholly gone by. All Chris
tian history is full Of the triumphs of
such faith. In despite OF the prevailing
skepticism and mbelief of the world. the
true church has never lost it's faith in
God, has relaxed one lot or little
of its hold upon the sure word of God.
Uncounted multitudes Of godly men and
OF sanity women, in our day, and
through all II Evangelical churches.
DO still put their souls trust in the God
OF their salvation, and are living in the
daily exercise Of that same inspirjno
faith and hope which shone with such