The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-08-18

Il
(RASIOR RUSsELD) and closest atten-
ton given through
out. The speaker said in part
The world does well to keep up
cheerful. outward demeanor-to drive
dull care away TO the best Of its abil-
ity. Nevertheless. there is great force
and weight to st. PaulS words to the
effect that the whole creation is
grooming and Travelling i'll pain togeth-
er, waiting for MeSSiah's Kingdom
and its long promised blessings to lift
the curse of sin and death and TO re-
store TO mankind the smile OF the Fa-
theirs favor Reason though they may
that there is no personal God-that
there is merely blind god of nature.
an evolutionary force, etc. neverthe-
less. deep down in the heart, men be-
Heve that there is God. Almost un-
consciously the mind attributes to Him
Wisdom, Justice and Power--but little
of Love or sympathy with humanity
and its frailties.
This very intuitive knowledge of
God is closely associated with many
human troubles. AS the root of near
~ every trouble. perhaps deep below
the surface. is sin-diSObedience to
recognized principles of righteousness.
and a fearful looking for Of retribu-
ton. and uncertainty as to what it
will mean This is true. not only of
many Christians. but frequently true
oil % hn ho1
fession, who have taken upon them
no solemn VOWS of obedience.
This troubled heart condition does
not always show upon the surface.
Sometimes the troubled heart is in the
theatre to try to forget its troubles.
Sometimes its owner is immersed in
sinful pleasure-seeking. in endeavOr to
drown some haunting grief. Some
times relief is sought through intOx1-
eating liquors or narcotics; sometimes
in suicide. Sometimes the troubled
one is on the stage. One cannot sure
ly know that the merry laugh and witty
joke and CHEEKY song do not come from
a troubled heart. We are sure that
they do. in many instances. for fire.
quently those who have been indulg-
ing in merriment have committed sui
eide a few minutes thereafter, leaving
messages that their hearts had been
severely burdened. while outwardly
cheerful.
We have much sympathy with these
sorrow laden hearts. AS a race we
are walking through 1.-The valley OF
the shadow of DEATH day by day.
On every hand we have reminders of
this-grief, disappointment. headache.
heartache. etc. If we are measurably
free from pain ourselves. yet have
sympathy. we are panied in the inter
est of others. Ii none of our own
dear ones has recently died. the great
Enemy, Death, has laid hold upon the
home of neighbor. brother, and he
upon our hearts: and further. the
thought comes that our home may be
invaded by the great Enemy which has
already swallowed up twenty thou.
sand millions of our race-and that by
Divine permission. because we are sin
ners-and because sinners are I'M
worthy of everlasting life.
The Fear of the Lord.
In our troubles we, sooner or later.
realize the lack of human sympathy
or, at least. its impotency. Feeling
our helplessness, we instinctively look
to our Creator In the hour of trouble
remarkably few doubt the existence of
God. As Jesus said. ''Ye believe in
God" But as we look to the Almighty
for protection and consider Divine
Justice and realize our own weakness
es and shortcomings, the heart Of man
fails How could he think that the
Omnipotent One would have interest
in or care for such worm Of the duSt
as he feels himself to be? How could
Divine Justice look with any sym
patty upon the course of selfishness
which he recognizes stretches out be
hind him in full view Of the All-Seeinl
Eye?
''The fear Of the Lord is the begin
ming Of WISDOM" is the inspired Mes
sage. Surely many have this begin
ming of wisdom come to them at some
period in their life's experience. Blu
such a fear is the start to wisdom only
when it leads the fearful one to great
er carefulness Of living and to de
sire for the Heavenly Fathers approx
al If this be the leading of the fear
it is indeed the precursor Of. the lead
er to. wisdom. AS proper fear or rev
acts as restraint upon sin. 1t tend
to make one more thoughtful. NOR