Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-23
Th0u Shall Not Worry.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
Matthew, vi, "a.
Christ was, above all things, practi
cal. That was His marked character
istic, the one which especially endears
Him to mankind, for it establishes be-
tween us and Him the personal rela-
lions of teacher and pupil. l like to
think of Him as friend who has all
the resources of wisdom at command,
who is for some reason interested IN
nv welfare, who has furnished me with
certain truths which 1 could hardly
discover for myself, and in which can
place as much confidence as the mari
ner on tempestuous seas does in the
compass that guides him through storm
and darkness.
Some of the advice He has given is
difficult to understand and more diff
cult to follow. The text is an illustra-
ton of this. If He tells ms that the
angels of God are never beyond hear
ing distance when we are in need OF
help, or if He declares that there is an
other life for which these few years are
simply a preparation, and that we must
so act to-day that we shall have no re-
grets in the great tomorrow, we can
catch a glimpse of His meaning, for
there is mysterious something III our
souls which corroborates His words.
But when He assures us that in our
daily lives we ought to face the present
moment and do the present duty, not
allowing ourselves to be overanxious
about what may happen during the
day to come, it is necessary to think
the matter over very carefully before
we can see the principle which under
lies His words.
Suralu He was well aware Of the
trials, troubles, sorrows and uncertain
ties through which we pass, for they
filled His own short career to the very
brim. No man has ever suffered more
than He did, and none has been prick
ed by as many thorns. And yet He
calmly tells us to possess our souls in
peace, not to anticipate the future,
neither to worry about what may hap
pen tomorrow, but to bear as best we
may whatever burden is on our should
ers and let the morrow take care of it.
self. He did not speak of this as the
better policy to pursue, but as an i'm
perative duty imposed by the laws OF
the universe and by the God who de-
creed them. What does He mean by
this strange utterance? Perhaps by
searching we may find out.
Worry, 20 begin with, is useless. II
: produces no good result. On the con
trary, it is utterly destructive in its ma
ture. So far from preparing you to
overcome disaster, it renders you unfit
to meet it. 1t debilitates the soul and
robs you of the very strength which
you pray for because you see it will be
needed. To worry is to endure an
agony before its time, and SO prolone
your misery. God says, You must
suffer pain tomorrow" and YOU reply.
"Then will suffer it to day also.''
Do not think | am forgetful. know
that coming events cast their shadows
before; that one cannot laugh up to the
moment when the clock strikes and the
blow falls. The imagination is winged
and it flies into the future. Love thinks
of the hour of separation which cannot
long be postponed, and tears tremble
on the eyelids, not because of what is,
but, of what is to be. We should be,
not more, but less, than human if this
were not SO.
Suppose, however, that our faith was
perfect. If our souls were in accord
with the providence of God, if we real
~ felt that Hand controls events, and
that behind the Hand is the Heart of a
Father; that what we must bear He
will give us strength to bear; that if we
are not masters of the situation He is
would not such a faith quiet our rest
lessness, and should we not resemble
the Sea of Galilee after Christ said,
Peace! Be still p The element of
worry would be we'll nigh eliminated,
and with the feeling that whatever is
is right we should borrow nothing from
the future, but simply bear the present
sorrow.
1t is true religion that we need, and
more of it. In our professed belief we
have God enthroned, but in our daily
life we have God dethroned. In our
heart of hearts we do not have con-
tidence in Him, but act as though there
were no God at all. If we could climb
to that high spiritual level, so far above
our heads and well nigh out of sight,
on which Christ lived, we should be
healthier in body, more vigorous in
soul to meet the inevitable more cheer
full, happier, less restless and immeas-
urably nobler.
1t is profitable for you to so far antici-
pate the effect of a given cause that
you prepare to meet it, but when you
have done all that can be done it is
exceedingly Improbable to so weaken
yourself by worry that the coming sor.
row is doubled in weight. As much as
lies In your power-and it is a quality
of character which admits of great de.
volopment-live in to-day. Cultivate
a quiet and peaceful frame of mind.
He did it, and was undistributed by
threatening circumstance, and you may
follow afar off. What you are doing
now calls for all your strength, and if
there is more to follow, then the addi-
tional strength will be given. Gods
providence is both wide and tender,
and the more you trust in it the sweet
er will be your life, the brighter will be
your hope, the fairer will be your gen
eral outlook, and the nearer will heav-
en- seem to you. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof
GEORGE II. HEPwoRTH,