The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-07-24

divine message would receive, afraid OF
the consequences TO himself. The trans
formed rod revealed the secret OF his hesi-
fancy: he He'd from before II; tear was
within his heart. God gave him mastery
over that weakness. He reached forth his
hand and grasped the menaeine serpent
and lt became a rod again. Moses was
taught and, as his after life revealed.
learned the lesson OF fearlessness Tor God
and His trath III God be for US who can
be against us'
TIE relation Of fear to all life and truth
is an interesting study, one on which more
light Is now shed than az any other time
detrimental 10 the health and growth OF
the physical body. Professor Sully tells
us Of children dwarfed and ruined IN body
and mind through the shock and power
Of simple fear. Psychologists tell ua aud
we know from experience that fear binders
digestion, that II brings mental collapse.
The changing of the color OF the hair IN
one night through the paralysis of fear is a
well established fact That which can So
radically change the color OF pigment must
have an awful effect upon the more vital
and direct parts of the body. Fear de-
stroys mental and spiritual development:
Every book on pedagogy and tie spiritual
training Of children now recognizes and
emphasizes this truth. Dickens powerfully
Illustrated this truth TO all England in his
Nicholas Nicklehy." Fear has worked
havoc IN the religious life; IL has distorted
the vision OF God and frozen the genial
and natural EXPIRE 'sions of worship. IL has
paralyzcd and hampered the church in her
triumphant march. Ii has transformed
many of the messengers of God into poor
whining and ineffective apologlsts. IL Is
| this fear in religion and Tor religion that
our God would have us overcome even as
He had Moses overcome. A right eoneep..
| tion of God is assurance that lie must
| triumph in the work of His hands, that
| His kingdom must come and His love and
| truth prevail everywhere. God would have
| His children confident in the presence OF
| difficulties, assured IN tie presence OF
perils. calm in the mighty storms OF prclu-
| dice and doubt, certain IN the midst OF UNI
| certainties. He would have MS obey Him
child obeys the loving parent, In all this
! He would have us open eyed TO danger,
| direct IN the meeting OF II and sure In the
mastery of II.
To-day the church. as whole, is more
possessed of fear than we like TO acknowl-
edge. A dominant mate. la.lsm and world.
liness freeze the faith ard hope oi great
number-evangelcal zeal and enthusiasm
| are az a low ebh in these trembling chill
dren of the Most High. Critical scholar
ship. with all the presupncsitons OF the
higher criticism, stands before the church.
Ii must he met. Some fec that dire and
| dreadful result TO the cause of God must
ensue. The sciei hc spirit stalks abroad
in the land and has seized the people with
mighty grip. Many child of God,
| knowing that his most precious possessions
| have not and cannot, from their nature.
come through or be established hy such
spirit. but that they are the gifts of faith
| is fleeing with fear from before the imag.
| ined terror. 40 all sucn fearful believers
| God snys-even as TO Moses IN the miracle
OF the rod--"meet the difficulties, seize
them in their vitals and fear not"
| There can be but one result to the child
Of God, The Apostle Paul knew this when
he wrote: "All things work together for
good TO them that love God" There can
be but one result to the Kingdom OF God
| Ills kingdom is an everlasting kingdom"
All things shall be put under His feet.
| In the preparation OF His church our
Saviour gave great attention 10 the eradicn-
ton of the clements OF religious fear. His
addresses 10 the seventy and the twelve
were supreme emphasis upon confidence
in God and iearlcssness toward man and NIL
things that were or. might appear IN op.
position 10 the work Divine. "Benold !
| give unto YOU power TO tread on scrpcnta
and scorpions and over all the power of
the enemy, and nothing shall by any means
hurt vou."
In His relation to them on sea and land,
alone or with the multtudcs, before and
after death, there constantly appears di.
rectly or by inference the injunction: 30
not afrnid" The Master would have His
children joyfully cxpcctant of His presence
in every place and under all conditions
and TO realize that that Presence was tho
ultimate solution OF every problem. tho
resolution Of every difficulty and the ful.
hllment Of every promise; that the fearless
challenge of the church should ever be-
"1f God be for NJ, who con be against
usp