The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-05-20

showing Courage in Faith.
Courage is essential to maniness. Man.
llness Is essential to the being of a man,
young or old. Faith il essential to courage
or TO maniiness; for no man has power tc
do his duty. or to meet his enemies, or to
be competent for the encountering of his
conflicts and struggles, in and of himself,
without strength or skill beyond his own.
Faith is confidence in One stronger than
mere man-strong enough to overcome
every enemy, every danger. every difficulty
that can oppose the weakest man, young
OF old. Therefore it is that manliness and
courage and faith are essential to man in
his life career, with its obstacles if he
would be man, and no man wants to be
less than a man.
There is no such thing as being manly
and courageous without faith Even men
who have neither belief nor confidence in
our God, the one true God. know that they
cannot OF themselves endure or meet all
that opposes them, hence they call on their
gods, or trust in supposed unseen and su.
perhuman powers, for aid and this is their
substitute for faith. When the idolatrous
Phiiistines OF old, worshipers of Dagon,
gave battle to Israel, they cried out to ono
another, anXlousy Y and encouragingly:
Woe unto US. who shall deliver us out OF
the hand Of these mighty gods? these (the
strength OF Israeli are the gods that smots
in the wilderness. BE strong, and uuit
yourselves like men, o We Philistines, that
We he not servants unto the Hebrews
as they have been to you: quit your,
selves like men and fighr." And then it
was that the Phlistines fought and Israel
was smitten. The lsraeiites in that con.
fict had not faith in their God, the living
God. bat their confidence was in the sacred
ark, and that confidence failed them and
the ark was captured and they themselves
We're vanquished, while the Philistne wor>
shippers OF Dagon were triumphant
Long after this the prophet called on
the israeiites to have faith in the living
God in their conflicts and be strong in His
strength strengthen We the weak hands,
and confirm the feeble knees" he said
SAY to them that are of fearful heart
lie strong fear not behold, your God will
come with vengeance, with the recompense
OF God; He will come and save you" And
the Apostle says to Christian believers
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit
YOU like men, be strong" The call is the
sare in the, olden time and in the new
Tor the need and the duty of those who
would show themselves men are ever tho
same. We must realize this if we would
I'LL our place and do our work
The apostle sounds his call in view of the
lie we have to live and Of the foes we have
to hght:, Finally. be strong in the Lord
and in the strength of His might. Put on
the who'c armor OF God, that We may be
able to stand against the wes OF the devil
FOR our wrestling is not against flesh and
b.ood, but against the principalities
against the powers, against the worldrul.
hosts of wickedncss in the heavenly places
Wherefore take up the whole armor of
God that we may be able to withstand in
the cyl day, and, having done all, to
stand. In our own strength we can do
nothing; IN Gods strength we can do all
I n rFa II 20. IL -. 4
1T IS sad thing for young man to have
all the physical and spiritual enemies in the
: universe to face and combat unaided. 1t is
q comfort for young man to feel that he
mas on his side, ready at his call to give
! him protection and assistance all the limit.
less and infinite spiritual forces of the uni.
| verse, capable OF triumphng over every
! physical, moral and spiritual evil Everv
| young man has the choice between these
| two conditions.
=, Soon after our Civil War, while General
| Glant was still at Washington in com.
mand of the armies of the United States. a
young officer on enlisting duty was sta.
toned IN one OF the northern cities. This
! young oiiicer was not only soldier of the
army OF his Government, but he was a sol.
hler oi the Great Captain of his salvation,
| and he was active in winning recruits for
his spiritual Commander. He sought out
! young men in places OF cvil-doing and Of
| moral danger in order to win them from
their evil ways. Hearing OF a vile den OF
! special peril, where young men were led
astray, and where it was difficult for an
| hohest man, even policeman. to obtain
| entrance, because it was so closely watched
and guarded, he set himself to find access
| TO the p,ace and its endangered Young
men. At length he obtained entrance, and
ne was quickly recognized as the only well.
| doer IN the place, and as there for the ey.
press purpose of aiding to break UP the
VIE business OF the establishment.
As he was describing to a friend his ef.
iorts TO OBTAIN an entrance to that den,
and his experiences among those desperate
evil,doers. his friend asked him:
Were YOU not afraid, all by yourself?"
Afraid, replied the Young officer.
"Why, should be afraid? Suppose / had
special orders from General Grant To do
this work, should feel afraid? Why, il
any one attempted to stop me. | should
cap my hand on my orders and say to
him, iou'd better not interfere with me-
General Grant and the whole United States
Army are back OF me. ready to give me
support. You'd understand that then I'd
feel strong and confident. But I've more
than that support back of me now. All
the spiritual powers OF the universe are
ready to give me aid I've no right to feel
AFRAID while in Gods service. doing His
work for those whom He loves"
mat Is the way for young man to feel
while he is where he ought to be, doing
what ne ought to do. In Gods service we
have no right to fear or fly. We are 10
stand courageously, having boldncss in
faith, whoever is our enemy, or whatever
forces our enemy brings against us. There
are only two great powers in the universe
God and the devil. Being with God. God
will be with US, and all other foes or forces
are as naught to us. BE subject therefore
unto God, but resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Draw nigh to God and He
wii draw nigh to you Near to God, there
Is our safety; there is strength; there 10
the place to have courage through faith.