Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-12-09
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.

Topic For the Week GeglAaIng Dec.
13-Comment by Rev. $. II. Doyle.
Topic.-An antiworry meeting.--John xiv
1-31.
We are living in an age when worry
and its pernicious elfects are most prev
alent. The contest for place and power
and the strife of competition at time
when so much stress is laid upon ma
terial things are so great that the lives
&C many are filled with undue anxiety
concerning the things of life. In addi-
ton to this, there are many other
causes that produce worry-the aflic-
tons, sorrows and bereavements of life
as we'll as its duties and unnatural am
billions.
But worry is anti-Christian. Jesus
Christ, the author and finisher of our
faith" was an optimist and not a pes
simist. He recognized the fact that
there We're sorrows. adversities and
tribulations in life, but in spite of them
all He preached the gospel of good
cheer. To the paralytic He said, "Be of
good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee"
~ ltlC dAStlIiCS oI tAtS SUNNY
He said, BE of good cheer it is 1; be
not afraid" To them again when
about to leave them in the world a
parting word was, I'm the world We
have tribulation, but be of good cheer,
for l have overcome the world" To
Paul, face to face with shipwreck in
the Mediterranean sea, He appeared at
not, Paul" So ii was continually in
the life of the Master. Recognizing the
sorrows of life, He yet preached cheer
fitness and warned His disciples
against undue anxiety about the things
of this life. And where do we find
better illustration of this truth than in
the instance before us. where when
about TO leave His disciples in the
world He said, LET not your heart be
troubled; ye believe in God, believe
also In Me?'
Christ's practice and teaching make
worry wrong for the Christian. 1t is a
manifestation of doubt of God. 1t is
an expression of lack of faith in Christ
Real, genuine faith in God and in
Jesus Christ as the Son of God and
our Saviour should exclude worry from
our lives, and worry INDUCED in be-
comes a sin.
But worry is worthless as well as
wrong. 1t improves nothing. 1t makes
bad worse instead of better. Nothing
in the midst of trouble is more harmful
than worry over it. Cheerfulness
strengthens and encourages us. it helps
us to endure, but worry weakens us at
every point and makes us all the less
able to stand against the trouble that
assails u.s.
If not worry, what then? Trust
trust in God, trust in Jesus Christ. "Ye
believe in God. believe also in Me-"
That Christ declares should be our at
titude toward the troubles and adver-
sites of life. We are not TO fear. but
beiieve; we are not to wary, but to
trust Christ Himself is the basis of
Christian cheerfulness which should
supplant worry. BE of good cheer, it
is |" He said to the disciples, and again,
I'm the world We have tribulations, but
be of good cheer, for l have overcome
the world" Christ has overcome and
In His name and power we can over
come. Therefore "let not your heart
be troubled, neither let it be afraid"
BIBLE READINGS.
Josh. i, z; lisa. xi, 25-31 Ps XII, IT; xvi.
Ill; xiii; xxxvii, is; XVI. 1t; Mark
vi, 1851; John xvi. 80; Acts xvii,
21-2a.
----------------