The Penn's Grove record., 1915-05-28
WORDS OFCOMFORT
"Fear Not Them Which Kill the
Body but Are Not Able to
Kill the Soul"

Jesus had long been describing to
his disciples the perils which awaited
them as the ministers Of his gospel.
Behold" he said, Il send you forth
as sheep in the midst Of wolves. +.
Men will deliver you up to the coun-
ellis and they will scourge you In the
synagogues. And We shall be
hated of all men for my names sake"
But fear not them which kill the
body, but are not able to kill the SOUL"
was his last word of mingled comfort
and inspiration; rather fear him
which is able to destroy both soul and
body III hell"
Here Is al admonition not merely
for the disciples who knew Jesus, but
for all men who are faced by the
v1cissitudes of everyday existence. OF
what are we commonly so much afraid
as Of the things which kill the body?"
Storms that sweep from heaven, pesti-
lences that walk in darkness" con-
~1agrations that devour cities, financial
crises that ruin fortunes, the burglar,
the footpad, the assassin-are not
these the chief terrors Of our lives?
And do we not make it a prime object
of u existence to provide ways and
means of escaping these direful con-
~tingencies. To safeguard u prop
erty, to shelter ourselves from expos
ure and exhaustion, to avoid disease
and accident, to secure protection
against violence, to live out our allot-
ted span of years-this Is what we
want! And we are inclined to justify
device or law or weapon of any kind
which will achieve for us this end.
Soul the Central Part of Life.
That such a viewpoint, however hui
man, is essentially unworthy of true
manhood must be evident to anyone
who gives the matter a moments con-
s%ideration. Why should we bother to
any extent about this body Of ours,
which is at the best but a tool to use
or a tenement in which to live for a
brief period? And especially why
should we make the preservation and
protection Of this body an object of
existence, and, as a result, fear every
one of the kindred chances which may
injure or destroy 1t? OF course 1t is
foolish to mortify the flesh or weaken
the body uselessly. Prudence, result
ing in good health and material secur-
ity, is wise. But our question con
Germs primary purposes and especially
the crises when choice must be made.
Then should we know with clearness
that not the body but the soul is the
central fact of life, and the things,
therefore, which may kill not the body
but the soul, the things to be noted
and feared.
Real Things to Fear.
Temptation, vice, ~cowardice, idle
ness, sloth, ease, selfshness, sin
these are the things of which to be
afraid. And these the things, let it
be added, which must be conquered
and overthrow even though the body
be blasted in the process! Not to be
healthy, but to be holy; not to be
rich in goods, but abundant in good;
not to live long, but serve well-this
is the task which is set each man
by the hand Of Almighty God. Hence
the testimony of all the prophets Of
the ages gone! The true man, said
Socrates, will not calculate the
chance Of living or dying, but will
consider whether in doing anything he
is doing right or wrong, acting the
part Of a good man or a bad" ITO die
sooner or later is not the business"
said Seneca, "but to die well or ILL.,"
HE that findeth his life shall lose it"
said Jesus in his greatest word, "but
he that loseth his life for my sake
shall find II"