Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-11-16
FEAR CONQUERED By FAITH
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By Rev. DR.. Thomas Reed Bridges.

= $1,000 S0@s ~ 44A10 D EA41d.
By Rev. DR.. Thomas Reed Bridges.
BE not afraid. "-Matthew Ia: 27.
All the world hates a coward. He
Is not wanted anywhere. Boys shun
him in school; men avoid him In busI.
ness; the nation retires him with con.
tempt from her service.
We would Indignantly resent the
charge Of cowardice. But are we al
brave as we think? Can any man hon
estly say: II fear nothing?
1t may not be true, as the proverb
declares, that there Is a skeleton in
every closet, bur there is secret
chamber In every heart where fear
dwells.
Thus we are unhappy. We are rest
less, because we are apprehensiye. To-
day may be secure, but who knows
what tomorrow will bring forth?
Imagination magnifies the chances of
disaster and fills the heart with gloomy
forebodings The fairest prospect does
not please. Even success is robbed Of
its rlghtful joys. Thus also we are
untitled for life and work.
Fear is moral paralysis. 1t robs us
of energy and decision. Opportunity
escapes US. All the prizes go to the
other men; while we are magnifying
the difficulties in the way, behold they
have surmounted them. The problem
Is to get rid of fear. We must find
the causes and remove them. We will
never amount to anything until we
front life with confidence and courage.
Two things will go far toward curing
US of this fatal weakness.
Do right. Live every day SO that
you can look your fellow men In the
face. Act according to the best stand
ards. Initiate the noblest men.
Wrongdoing makes towards of us
ell. There is always penalty at
tached to transgression. II we are
found out we will suffer loss of one
kind or another. II God does not pun
ish us our fellow men WILL We are
afraid of discovery. We try to cover
up our guilt. We have raised up an
enemy in our house and while he lives
we will never enjoy peace
One wrong act leads to another
Day by day we become more deeply en-
meshed in the web of guilt. There Is
but one way of escape, and that way
is not easy. Confession, followed as
far as possible by restitution, will
alone free the guilty one from fear.
Then you can start again with a clean
slate. Prove the honesty of your re-
pentance and your fellow men win be
quick to forgive and ready to help.
Have faith. Distrust is a most pro-
life cause of fear. 1t weakens the
foundations. Skepticism is a sapper
and miner 1t takes the ground from
under our feet. We must feel some
thing under us, substantial and GER
tain, in order to be free from anxiety.
Believe in yourself and in the largest
possibilities of your nature. You can
If you will. Try, and keep on trying.
The men who have won the prizes of
life had no better chance than you.
But they trusted themselves and went
boldly forward.
Believe In your fellow men. They
are worthy of your trust and they will
respond to it. Call no man your en-
envy. The world Is not In league to
hold you back. The world has enough
to do to look after its own affairs. 1t
will give you such honor and reward
as you deserve. 1t needs your serv-
ices and will gladly pay the highest
market price.
Believe In God. His Will toward all
is good will. He wants all his chill
dren to be happy. To that end he will
provide all things needful
Do not gaze into the future with
fearful eyes. Be strong and of a good
courage. You will have trials and dis
appointments, but strength win be
given you TO meet and overcome them.
When you have done your best you
may rest In the confident assurance
that all will be well.