The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-10-26

doubly hard to exercise liberality.
One who has strong passions
must put forth vigorous exertions to
cor troll his temper. Those who are nat
urally melancholy must fight for spir-
itual joy or they will not attain it. So
e man, whose temperament inclines
him to worry and fret, must apply him
self with unusual diligence before he
can learn to rest in the Lord" But
this grace can be attained by everyone
who will use the means and accept the
help of the Spirit.
Christian calmness is not fatalism, or
stoicism, or Indifference, or laziness.
1t is founded on faith in God. The
belief that God governs the universe,
that He is acquainted with the
circumstances of all His creatures,
and that He is making all things
work together for the good of His peo-
Pile, will Danish unquietness and fear
from the believing soul. Why should
we be anxious about that which is in
the hand of the heavenly Father? Why
should we be worried about matters
which are under His care? Faith is not
only the prerequisite to salvation; of
this there can be no doubt; it is also the
preventive and cure of all undue
anxiety. Let not your heart be
troubled; We believe in God, believe also
| in me-" "Iie that believeth shall not
| make haste" The members of the
| church, perfectly sanctified ms they are,
restless as the waves of the sea. worry
ing about things great and small, fearful
of what may be or may not be, plan
ming and working as if all the events of
nat ure, providence and grace depended
on their wisdom and skill and strength,
need to have their thoughts often
turned to this word of revelation: The
Lord God omnipotent reigneth."
| Christian calmness manifests itself in
patience, contentment, fearlessncss,
cheerfulness, resignation. 1t does not
lead to neglect of duty or weaken the
hands for labor. The calm spirit,
while resting in an overrujing
Providence, recognizes the neces-
sity of appropriate means, and uses
them with diligence and wisdom. If the
church is not what he wishes it to be,
he does what he can to revive it, and
then calmly waits for Gods time. II
disaster threatens his fortune, if dis
ease visits his body, if bereavement
hovers over his home, if the pestilence
is marching across the lands and sail
ing over the seas, he puts forth his best
| b la III y,
harm, and then lays aside distressing
anxiety. Why should he not be calm?
God is able to care for His people. Ha
is willing to care for them, for He spared
not His own Son. He clothes the 81 ass
of the field. He feeds the young lions
when they cry. Surely then He will
not forsake those who pat their trust in
Him.
There is need of Christian calmness
every day. A calm Christian will dc
most efficient work. A trembling hand
can not effectively swing the hammer
or guide the pen. Trembling lips can
not speak the strengthening word. The
trembling heart can not teach con-
fidence in God. What the church needs
to defend it's battlements and to push
on its aggressive warfare is an army ol
calm veterans, confident in their King.
This grace has as much to do with the
believers happiness as with his useful
ness. Anxiety banishes peace. silences
our songs of praise. and interferes with
the enjoyment of others. Useful and
happy is that man who inherits any
considerable portion of the Saviour''
) bequest: Peace | leave with you, my
peace give unto you" United Presby
e terrain.