Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-07-23
divine message would receive, arrald Of

, uNlne message WOuiu TecSNc, 1ho.u "
the consequences to himself. The trans
formed rod revealed the secret of his hest
fancy; he fled from before II; fear was
within his heart. God gave him mastery
over that weakness. He reached forth his
hand and grasped the menacing serpent
and it became a rod again. Moses was
taught and, as his after life revealed;
learned the lesson of fearlessness for GOD
and His truth, "H God be Tor US who can
5e against u.s." :,
The relation of fear to all life and truth
is an interesting study, one on which more
light is now shed than at any other time
in the worlds history. Fear is altogether
detrimental to the health and growth OF
the physical body. Professor Sul!y tells
us of children dwarfed and ruined in body
and mind through the shock and power
we know from experience that fear hinders
digestion, that it brings mental collapse.
The changing of the color. Of the hair. in
one night through the paralysis Of fear is
we'll established fact. That which can SO
radically change the color of pigment must
have an awful effect upon the more vital
md direct parts of the body. Fear de-
stroys mental and spiritual development:
Every book on pedagogy and tie spiritual nnd
emphasizes this truth. Dickens powerfully
illustrated this truth to all England in his
Nicholas Nickeby." Fear has worked
havoc in the religious life; it has distorted
the vision of God and frozen the genial
md natural expire isions of worship. 1t 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. 1t is
this fear in religion and for religion that
our God would have us overcome even as
He had Moses overcome. A right concep.
ton of God is assurance that He 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
lice and doubt, certain in the midst Of un-
,ertainties. He would have lis obey Him
as implicitly and lovingly as the gentle
,hild obeys the loving parent. In all this
He 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 whole, is more
possessed of fear than we like to acknowl-
edge. A dominant mate: ialism and world.
number-evangelical zeal and enthusiasm
IRE at low ebb in these trembling chill.
iren of the Most High. Critical scholar.
ship, with all the presnpnositions OF the
higher criticism stands before the church.
II must be met. Some fec~ that dire and
dreadful result' to the cause Of God must
ensue The sciel, 'fic spirit stalks abroad
in the land and has seized the people with
= mighty grip. 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
il fleeing with fear from before the mag.
med terror. 10 all such fearful believers
Sod says-cven as to Moses in the miracle
Of the rod-"meet the difficulties, seize
hem in their vtals and fear not"
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 IL an everlasting Kingdom
All things shall he put under His feet
In the preparation of His church our
Saviour gave great attention to the eradica-
ion of tie clements of religious fear. His
addresses to the seventy and the twelve
we're supreme emphasis upon confidence
II God and fear!essness toward man and all
:hngs that were or might appear in. or.
position to the work Divine. "Benold ]
give unto you power to tread on serpcnts
md scorpions and over all the power OF
the enemy and nothing shall by any means
hurt Won"
In His relation to them on sea aud land,
alone or with the multtudes, before and
after death, there constantly appears d.
rertly or nv inference the injunction: BE
not afraid" The Master would have His
children joyfully expectant OF His presence
in every pace 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
hlimcnt OF every promise; that the fear ess
challenge Of the church should ever be:
If God be for us, who can be against