The times., 1899-04-10
FEAR OF A WHOLESOME KIND.
How Christians Are Safest When
Aware of Their Insecurity.

Aware of Their Insecurity.
Bishop j. C. Granbery, of Virginia, filed
the pulpit in the Mount Vernon NJ. E.
Church yesterday morning. The edifice
was so crowded that before time for the
service to commence the doors were closed.
Chairs were placed in the aisles and all
available space was occupied. Bishop
| Granbery talked for over an hour, in a
clear penetrating voice, SO that every
one in the entire congregation was able
to hear his words. His remarks seemed
to be addressed to each person individ-
ualIy and made. profound impression.
He took his text from Jude, and the
subject of his discourse was the dangers
and safety that always surround the be-
liever in the Gospel of Christ. After
a few preliminary remarks he said, in
part:
Believers in the Gospel, in the rules
and principles of Christianity. keep them
selves and are kept by God from the dan
gers that constantly threaten them. One
means of security in faith is a sense of
this danger: in word a feeling of inse-
curity IS one of the best means of in
surfing security itself. The Christian is
always in danger. There are crises in his
spiritual life as there are in his physical
existence. and these crises strike all the
d
, We least expect them. The dangers in our
lives are multiform, and each is complete
in itself to destroy the soul of man.
We often hear of besetting sins sins that
come close to man, sins that are i'm
Fortunate. These ought to be guarded
against with the greatest care; the veal,
door of our nature should be guarded with
unceasing vigilance. These sins differ with
the temperament, education, previous hab-
its and circumstances of the man, and
these weak points should be guarded we'll,
II is not enough TO guard against par
ticular sin, or the possibility of it.. He may
succumb eventually where he considered
himself strongest and safest, because il is
unguarded.
Our advantages and attainments in re-
ligion may in a measure be regarded as
snares. To have been born of Christian
parents is great privilege, but think not
TO say that We have Abraham for our ia
ther. for We are ourselves and as our
selves We will enter the kingdom of God.
To be well instructed in the scripture is a
great blessing and another safeguard to our
Christianity, for even though Solomon has
wisdom above all men he was led into idol
airy. Happiness and experience in re-
iigion are TO be priced highly also But
Peter saw the glory of Christ on the Mount
in the magnificence of the TRANSPORTATION
and atterward denied his Lord.
We are always surrounded with dan
gers. but the gospel promises victory not
despair. God is able to keep us from fall
ing, or. as they have 1t in the revised YER
sion, is able TO keep us from stumbling.
He guards us as the shepherd guards his
flock. as the nurse guards the child as the
| garrison guards the city. We must unite
wholesome fear and full assurance. The
fear of caution, sobriety, diligence. does
not hurt the faithfulness or the love of
God and does not create anxiety and agi-
tation, and with this fear must be COM
bined joyous assurance which is not pre-
sumptive and does not encourage sloth and
ease God is able to guide us and present
us faultless at the throne OF heaven There
| will be no fear of sin lurking in our hearts
undetected. and there will be no tempta-
| tions. We shall stand before the unmeas-
| ured glory of God to praise and to adore. -