Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-08-31
CURE FOR ANXIETY.
o ANAIETX.
BY Rev. Edward Judsor
- $50

That ye may study to be quiet.-I
Thessalonians 4 Ill.
Anxiety involves extreme pain. n
comes from the same root as anguish
The pain, however, Is not physical, but
mental, and for that reason all the
harder to bear.
How prevalent In society is this form
OF mental pain. How infreuuent Is
a tranquil face. Anxiety seems to be
a kind OF hysteria to which Americans
are susceptible. In suicide, at least. we
seem to be in fair way of outstripping
the rest of the world, So.ne Hindus
that Prof. James was showing about
Cambridge remarked upon the strained
faces OF Americans and their distorted
limbs, In contrast to Oriental placidity
and grace. He said that it was the
custom of Hindus to retire at certain
times every day to relax their muscles
and mediate on eternal things.
Has Christianity a cure for anxiety?
The Christian Is tranquil as regards
provision for the future. He provides
Tor the future, but without anxiety.
Over and over Christ bids His disciples !:
BE not anxious. This does not mean
that we are not to work hard and lay
up against a rainy day
The Scriptures teach that righteous
ness is the parent of comfort Seek
nrst the kingdom OF God. and His
righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you" The uni
verse Is on the side Of the man who
does right. Exceptions to this are only
apparent. The life OF the Individual
Is too short for the principle to work
Itself out completely so that it stands
out more clearly In the history OF a
family or of nation.
1t is not only provision for the future
that is apt to make as anxious. We
worry over our past Now, the Chris
tian revelation provides a drug for
these painful memories We learn. like
st. Paul to forget the things which are
behind We cannot change the past,
but we believe that all our sins are for
given. Our very sins then become step
ping-stones, They prevent resumption.
They fill US with sympathy for the err
Ing. We love God, because He first
loved us.
Our work. too, often makes us anx-
ious. We thirst for recognition or else
we grieve over the meager and incon-
spicuous results of all our efforts But
the value OF our work is determined not
by the bulk of the result achieved. buf
by the spirit in which the work is done
1t Is only as we go deep into the work
Itself, without thought Of the conse-
quences, that we vitality affect the lives
of others. Resides the chief value OF
our work is that 1t promotes ample
and symmetrical self-development. God
thinks more of man than OF his work.
The work may be wood, hay or stubble.
In the end burned up but the man k
saved
We are employed by our Great Mas
ter to work by the day, not by the
piece. Every day should have It's ritual
and II is more important to live by rule
than to accomplish some great result.
This Is the secret of Toll answered
rom Tranquility"
The supreme crises of life are an
even more fruitful source of forebod
Ing than our past or provision for the
future. This mind Is Infested with the
thoughts of bereavement and with poy-
erty, sickness and death and old age.
Here, again, the Christians eve is
Gained by faith in the love of God.
Providence is only another name for
the love of God which anticipates these
crises, so that when we arrive at them
we see the traces of the Fathers hand
that has arranged them for us before
land, either tightening the burden or
strengthening our shoulders to bear II
Some OF these things we may never
have to experience at all, and why
should we allow ourselves to suffer
them in Imagination? We have No
right to occupy the mind with unDleas.
ant things. The Imagination has power
to mass untoward events so as to pro- |
duce the effect Of their occurring sin,u,. |
taneously. Real evils come TO us one nv |
one and grace is promised for each
days need.