Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-08-29

In all probability-judged by the past
will never aGiiet your life? DO you
not feel that the old English proverb
is right which declares. "You must not
cross the bridge until you come to itY'.
In the journey OF life you will find
many bridges down You will discover
that the spring freshets have swept
away the embellishments upon which
countless abutments We're placed. But
in all probability the bridge you worry
most about will be firm enough and
strong enough to bear you over its
stream, although you may have to
wade into other angry waters a little
farther on.
Anticipating troubles is n sin. be-
cause the present duties OF life tax al
most every mans physical and mental
resources to the utmost limit. We read
with sorrow and admiration about the
pathetic struggle Sir Walter Scott
made in his old age to pay Off his
debts. BY foolish investment he be-
came responsible for something like
100000. With his magic pen he went
to work. He worked during the day.
He worked during the night. He
worked when walking upon the street.
He lived and worked for the one pur-
pose. that of being able TO say he
owed no man penny. But while be
worked he so worried over this debt
that one day his physician came to
him and said, "Sir Walter. il you do
not cease worrying you will die"
With that the magician of Abbotsford
looked up ana gave Il wan smile as he
said: 'Why. doctor. as long as that
debt is hanging over my head l cannot
help worrying. | know the worrying
Is killing me. But you might as well
go and tell my cook 10 order the water
I'm the kettle not to boil as to COM
mand my brain not to worry"
But Sir Walter Scott, tolling to pay
of his debts by the use of his pen, did
not have to work any harder than
thousands and hundreds of thousands
of men and women have to work to
meet the responsibilities of the present
time. Take. for Illustration, the min
listers of our generation. Last week /
received n message from so called
gentleman which politely Informed me
that 1.-The preachers of our time, as n
rule. lead an idle and an unoccupied
existence and that there is nothing for
them TO do" Nothing for the average
preacher TO do? Why, the average
preacher today is working as hard as
ever beast OF burden worked under
drivers lash. He is working SO hard
that from Monday morning TO Sunday
night he is mentally and physically on
the strain all the time. 1 tell you that
the preparation of two sermons and
the meeting of the many duties of the
pastorate combine TO make herculean
task. n task which gives but little time
for the sleep and recreation that are
necessary for physical well being, but
the average preacher has no more de-
mands made upon his time than the
average doctor, lawyer, editor, mer-
chant, clerk. wife or mother. Almost
without exception all people are work
ing up TO their physical and mental
limit, yet strange TO say, though most
people are working very hard, COM
paratively few break down from over
work. God gives TO all of us strength
enough TO meet the duties OF the pres
cnt day, but God does not give TO any
one strength enough TO meet the du-
ties OF the present day and those OF to-
morrow ut the same time. So most
people when they break down do not
break down from overworlx, but, like
Sir Walter Scott. from worry. and from
worry alone.
Carry ing the Cares az Tomorrow.
People who are uniting themselves
for the duties OF everyday life by wor-
~ remind me OF an old story that is
told about n traveller In the far east
who was trudging along n highway
under what he regarded as n grievous-
ly heavy load. Along that highway
came king driving In his chariot. He
refined In his horses and asked the
tired pedestrian II he would not like to
ride. The weary traveller gladly as
Eented and climbed into the rear OF the
chariot After awhile the king looked
back and. to his surprise. saw the trav-
eler sitting crouched In the rear OF the
chariot. with his heavy pack still strap
ped to his back. stranger" said the
king, why art thou still holding thy
packT Because" answered the man.
Il did not feel that thou wouldst like
IL IL / placed IL in thy chariot
thought IL thou vert willing to carry
me l ought ut least TO be willing to
hold my pack" "0h, foolish man." an
swered the king, "if l am willing TO
carry thee am / not willing to carry
thy pack also?" So God promises that
he Will help us carry the duties of the
present day. But instead OF trusting
him as to the future most people go and
pile upon their own backs all the cares
and the anxieties OF the morrow. They
sit in the Divine Kings chariot, like
the tired traveller OF old, weighed down
with pack OF tomorrow's cares. which
they ought TO be willing to lay at their
Masters feet.
AS worry racks the physical frame
so that the tired mind is unable TO
think clearly; as II overtaxes the nerv-
Gus system until the gapglia or nerve
centers have imperfect connection, or
complete disconnection, like the tele-
phone when the wires have become
broken or crossed; as worry paralyzes
the digestive organs until they refuse
properly to asslmilate the food upon
which the human body Is dependent
for the sustenance OF life; as it is the
lorerunner or all the fatal diseases
by which the human race Is invaded
and destroyed, so it Is an awful sin
for you 20 fret and worry about the
future and destroy your life's useful
ness and influence. Can you not as
true Christian men and women 60
forth to meet the duties OF the present
day and leave the visionary future In
Gods hands? Worry Is not a harm
less gadhy, an insectile annoyance, a
buzzlng irritant. a haphazard playful
habit 1t is sin which has destroyed
more victims than have ever been
slain upon the field of battle or ground
into pieces between the upper and the
neither millstones of persecution and
SANDER. Beware how You allow its
fatal poison to enter your sinful heart.
Anticipating trouble is form of in
tellectual and spiritual sin by which
some men are blinded to the apprecia-
ton or euiOyment 0f nreSent hlaSSinCS