The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-07-22

divine message would receive, afraid OF
the consequences to himself. The trans.
formed rod revealed the secret Of his hes
fancy; he fled from before it fear was
over. that weakness. He reached forth his
hand and erasped the menacing serpent
and 1T became rod again. Moses was
taught. and, as his after life revealed
learned the lesson of fearlessness for God
and His truth, "If God be for us who can
be against us?"
The relation of fear to all life and truth
Is an interesting study, one on which more
light is nov, shed than at any other time
in the worlds history. Fear is altogether
detrimental to 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
we know from experience that fear binders
digestion. that it brings mental collapse.
The changing of the color of the hair in
one. night through the paralysis of lear is a
vel! established fact. That which can so
radically change the color of pigment must
and direct parts of the body. Fear de.
stroys mental and spiritual development.
Every book on pedagogy and tie spiritua
training OF children now recognizes and
emphasizes this truth. Dickens powerfully
Illustrated this. truth to all England in his
Nicholas Nickleby." Fear has worked
havoc in the religious life: it has distorted
The vision OF God and frozen ihe genial
md natural eynrc 1sons Of worship. II has
oaralyzed and hampered the church in her
triumphant march. 1t has transformed
many OF the messengers of God into poor
whining and ineffective apologists. il is
this fear in religion and for religion that
onr God would have us overcome even as
lie had Moses overcome. a right concep-
lion of God is assurance that He must
triumph in the work of His hands. that
His kingdom must come ard His love and
ruth prevail everywhere. God would have
Ills children confident in the presence of
difficulties, assured in tie presence OF
nerils, calm in the mighty storms of preju-
lice and doubt, certain in the midst Of I'm.
eertainties.. He would have us obey Him
as implicitly and lovingly as the gentle
,hild obeys the loving parent. In all this
lie would have us open eyed to danger.
direct in the meeting of it and sure in the
mastery of it.
To-day the church, as n whole. is more
possessed of fear than we like to nclnowl-
edge. A dominant mate: ialism and world
illness freeze the faith and hone of a great
number-evangelical zeal and enthusiasm
,re at a low ebb in these trembling chill
dren OF the Most High. Critical scholar.
ship, with all the Interpretations Of the
higher criticism, stands before the church.
It must be met. Some fef- that dire and
dreadful result, to the cause of God must
ensue. The sciei 'fic spirit stalks abroad
in the land and has seized the ppople with
4 mighty grin. Many a child of God.
knowing that his most precious possessions
have not and cannot, from their nature.
come through or be established by such
spirit. but that they are the gifts OF faith
IS fleeing with fear from before the imag-
ined terror. 10 all such fearful believers
God ,says-even as to Moses in the miracle
nf the rod-'meet the difficulties, seize
.hem 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 Cod" There can
be but one result to the Kingdom of God
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom"
All things shall be put under His feet.
In the preparation of His church our
Saviour gave great attention to the eradca-
lion OF the elements of religious fear. His
addresses to the seventy and the twelve
we're supreme emphasis upon confidence
n God and fearlessness toward man and all
;hings that were or might appear in OPP
position to the work Divine. "Benold |
give unto YOU power to tread on serpents
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 multitudes, before and
after death, there constantly appears di-
rectly or by inference the injunction ''Be
not afraid" The Master would have His
children joyfully expectant of His presence
in every place and under all conditions
and to realize that that Presence was the
ultimate solution Of every problem, the
resolution of every difficulty and the full
hllment of every promise; that the fearless
challenge of the church should ever be:
'If God be for us, who can be against