Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1912-08-08
SATURDAY NIGHT
M SERMONS
aW BY
q REvSATUEL
9 W.pURvISDD
THE SUICIDE on BEAR.


Text, Fear not; win help thee."--Isa-
XII. l3
Fear isn't mentioned till after the
4 fall. Adam said, II heard thy voice in
the garden and l was afraid" Fear
and conscience are evidently closely
| connected Adam was afraid. Cain
was afraid When Saul saw the
hosts Of the Philistines and saw the
| ghost of Samuel he was afraid When
Belshazzar saw the handwriting on
| the wall he was afraid. When
the Jews threatened PLATE he was
| afraid. Most of us are born cow
ards. AS babes we were rocked In the
cradle Of fear. All men fear. The only
| question Is. What do we fear-men,
ridicule. danger, poverty, reputation,
failure, sin? Yes; I've heard men say
were making a statement not In har-
mony with fact-which is longer
way Of saying a shorter thing. Even
the men without physical fear are as
scarce as clover blossoms In January.
The traveller met the black plague on
the way to Bagdad. Where are you
going?' "To Bagdad to STAY 5000"
Weeks later the traveller met the black
plague returning. "You said you were
only going to kill 5000, but am told
$4,000 have died" Il slew only 5000;
the other 1900 persisted from fear"
True legend. Disease kills it's thou
sands, fear its tens Of thousands
Power Of Fear.
Fear paralyzes. At sight of hawk
the partridge will stop as though
struck with stupor and so incapable
of flight that 1t is absolutely immov-
able and doesn't regain self control
until the enemy Is gone That in ex-
IRENE Is the horrible effect on man.
Often the mind becomes stupef1ed and
the tongue speechless. 1t is a powerful
motive Fear compels man to sow
crops, build fireproof houses, save
money. Fear is the fog bell on the
hazy coast of life. 1t will compel ac-
ton when other things fall. One good
scare Is worth ton Of advice. Any
one who says there is no use trying to
scare men into doing right hasn't
studied humanity The opposite prin-
ciple of fear is love. They rise and fall
as pair Of balances. When love fails
try fear: when fear fails try love.
| However. there Is limit to fear,
though not to love. Water is good to
| float timber. but waterlogged tree
| viii certainly sink The water is not
only about It, but In 1t. Care must be
taken not to be waterlogged by fear
and anxiety 1t can be an irresistible
spur When his dwelling took fire it
made a rheumatism crippled man rise
| from a rolling chair In which he had
| spent two years and escape down the
stairs.
Fear In Religion.
| In religion fear came first, love last.
| Mems earliest Impressions of religion
undoubtedly carried with them large
element of terror. The fear that he
| was in the hands Of vast unknown
powers which at any moment might
| become hostile to him drove the savage
to prayer and sacrifice The CLEAN Of
lightning. roll Of thunder, tremor Of
| earthquake, were sure indications of
supernal wrath. Early religions were
based on a hostile rather than a benevo-
| lent God The theology of the church
of the middle ages was full of 1t. God
/ was as Gemoniacal as Satan. Dante,
Dore and Michelangelo had God sweep
| ing the generations into hell fire
/ like one might sweep handful Of
/ flies Now we've swung to the other
extreme and the church Is pale, blood
less and dying. religion without
rod is sweet and pretty, but it doesn't
/ save men. 1t neglects fundamental
/ element In our mental and spiritual
/ fiber Law without penalty would
! be Jest In Maine or California. AS
/ long as the wolf and serpent are in
man fear must be a necessary weapon.
! The greatest check on wrongdoing In
| the world Is fear of punishment. 1t Is
a powerful deterrent to the clerk who
| would take his employers money, and
the man and woman who would violate
the seventh commandment pause in
fear of scandal and ostracism.
The Power of Trust.
Fear Is suicidal to those who have no
cause for fear. The world is given as
prize to the trustful There is power
back of one. The power of common
wealth is back Of single policeman.
Conscious power destroys fear. To
! those In harmony with Gods will there
! is love. perfect love, and perfect love
drives out all fear" Trust brings out
the best of Gods gifts. A rock would
seem the last place for the storage of
water But Gods cupboards are in
! very unlikely places Mans extremity
is Gods opportunity Down the cor
ridor Of life be precedes you to open
many doors you would not have no.
ticed Trust Is letter Of credit Going
to London. Paris or Berlin from New
York YOU get letters Of credit. They
! will purchase money in another realm
Don't Sit down and torment yourself
asking If they are good You are not
40 foolish Well. don't question the