The Newtown bee., 1905-01-27

HE HUME SlNNAE. FAILURE-BECAUsE OF FEAR. A SERMON BY REV H. A. PRICE, FOR MERLY PASTOR OF BAPTIST CHURCH, sTEPNEY, CONN. Fear, as much as anything else, robs us of power and makes our life fail ure. Many one, who had within him the power to make the most of his life, to rise to prominent position in some service for God and man, has simply covered his light and life with a buShel, and lived an unsuccessful life in some obscure place, because he was filled with fear. It was fear that made insignificant his individuality, that weakened his powers, robbed him of his ambition and took all the sweet ness out of service. Fear will be found at the bottom of many an unsuccess- full career.
 It is fear of some kind or other that causes us to fail to attempt, that prompts man to make excuses and to leave undone and even unbegup the work he might have done. By failing to do he loses a prominent position in life which would have been his had he striven with might and main to over- come his feeling of fear.
 This element was at the bottom of the excuses made by Moses. And the words spoken by God to his trembling servant at this time were to help him risc above his weakness. The seven excuses made by Moses and prompt ed by fear are worthy of more than passing notice: At first he complains of his lack of fit- ness: "Who am l." says he to God, that should go to Pharoah and that should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt9" Again fear prompts him to complain of his lack of words in the following excuse: Behold, when come unto the children of Is- rael and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers has sent me unto you and they shall say unto me what is his name, what shall say unto them" In the next instance, fear causes him to confess lack of au- thority, for he cries out: "Behold they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice, for they will say, 'The Lord has not appeared unto thee."
 A COMPLAINT OF HIS LACK OF ELo-
 QUENCE
 follows next: 70 my God, I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but l am slow of speech and of slow tongue" Another excuse made by him reveals his fear in regard to adap- tation: 70 my God," says he, ''send l pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send" Again he makes an excuse because of his lack of success at final defeat: "For since I came to Pharaoh to speak ln thy name, he has done evil to this people, neither hast thou delivered thy people at all. Fear has grown to such an extent within his breast that he now finds fault with God. And finally we hear his last excuse: "Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me, how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumsized lips?" It was nothing more nor less than fear in the heart of Moses that prompted his ut had given way to his feelings, leaving the gracious words of his God unheed- ed his name would have never been known to the world.
 How many of God s children are like him! The difference between the man who achieves success and rises out of obscurity to some prominent position in life, and the man, who may have greater knowledge and more tact and larger ability, but who never becomes known outside of small circle of friends, is very often simply ques- tion of initiative. It is the man who takes the initiative, no matter how much he stumbles, how many mis- takes he makes, or how much he lacks, but who Conquers fear and pushes to the front, that succeeds and makes the most of himself in this life. Many make the least of them selves in the world and in the church and society just because of this lack. But there seems to be coward ly strain in every human breast and only few dare to rise to their highest. We are afraid of our associates, afraid of society, afraid of established GUS toms, and as a result individuality and and originality suffer hard blows, and whene yer our mentality reaches new heights it scares us and we begin to hesitate. A thousand will gladly fol- low where one will lead. He who only waits;and spendsh timeexamining his doubts, betting his fears and feeding a feeling of self-consciOusness will find out, no matter how superior his powers, ability and knowledge may be, that someone always steppeth in before him."
 GOD WAS PREPARING MOSES FOR
 GREAT WORK.
 He would never rise above his fellows unless he take the initiative. God
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