South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-15
URGES PEOPLE
NOT TO WORRY
Rev. Geo. w. Allison Says 1t
Makes Lives More MiSer-
able Than Anything Else.

eff there is one hendish demon
making the lives OF men and women
more miserable than another, that
evil spirit is worry personi6ed. And
the most pitiful thing about it IS
that those who are the most worthy.
who are willing 20 shoulder respon-
sibiIity. are the very ones who suf-
fer most, as a rule, from this over
load" This was a statement made
by Rev. George William Allison,
pastor of Hope Presbyterian church,
Sunday evening in his sermon on
the theme: "A Cure for Worry and
Care" In treating this theme from
the religious viewpoint. he said:
The faces OF men and women
are deeply marked today with lines
indicating long-continued worry and
carrying Of burdens of care through
many ceaseless days. How many
a soul is tortured through hours
which should be given TO rest, TO
recreation. or devotion. by the cares
of the world?
There are those who can hap
PLY $50 far as they are concerned,
throw oft all sense of responsibility,
and carefree through very indiffer-
ence 10 result, dance gayly through
the world with futtering clothes and
lightsome voice. The very shallow
ness of their lives permits Of no
worry. But we have little TO say
TO them, except to commend some
serious thought to their attention.
They are to be pitied, because they
do not worry; they have no care,
no sense Of responsibility, no weight
of duty. no feeling OF obligation. I
say this 20 their shame, TO use
Pauls words,
Wrong TO Worry.
But for those who hold them
selves to strict personal account
ability. some words may prove help
full. You are rightfully to be COM
mended for feeling a sense of duty,
of obligation, of responsibility, for
taking your life and its relation
ships seriously. But l believe that
you are wrong in carrying this TO
the extreme point of worry and anx-
iety.
After all. what are the things we
worry about? What are the objects
of our burdensOme care? l fear too
often that they are the material
things of life; and only too infre-
quently are they the real spiritual
goods OF the world. But for argu-
ment's sake we may credit you with
this higher type Of anxiety, this
better class of worries. How far
does it extend? Why are we the
subjects of this torment of souls?
Is il for any other reason than that
we feel personally responsible for
things that are entirely without our
control when we pass a certain
limit? We must learn 10 recognize
the fact that personal responsibility
only extends to the limit of duty;
and that duty is always conditioned
by personal ability. What then is
the solution of our wrack of soul
by worry and care? To definitely
perform our duty 10 the best Of our
ability, and TO see clearly how far
our personal ability and hence our
duty extends? To learn that where
we stop, God begins. That God is
not a monster seeking to add grew
ious disasters TO our lives; but a
beneficient heavenly Father. That
when We have achieved our duty,
when we have done our level best,
our share is finished; and we have
no need to worry concerning what
shall follow That is no want to
them that fear God.
Points TO Christ.
The example of Christ in this
respect is interesting and instructive.
Ii there was ever one who had Tea-
son TO worry it was He. He who
had an unfinished task 10 perform.
one which He could not co nplete in
the span of human life allotted Him.
one which He mus. leave 10 weak
and falling men. Yet He always
went about with calm demeanor, un-
runled spirits. doing what He could.
but ceasing TO feel responsibility
where His personal duty ceased. II
is only as we initiate Him that we
perturbable peace of God that pass
eth all understanding. We natur-
ally admire the person who can stand
amid difficulty and maintain his
poise. who can keep his head; shall
we not cultivate this attitude toward
life ourselves? II is un-Christian
TO worry excessively. for worry may
soon become. and in many cases
actually is shrinking doubt
whether God will complete that
which we are unable 20 finish. When
the spirit OF Jesus moves over the
face OF a people all OF the waves.
all OF the wrinkles OF worry are
wiped out. and peaceful counte-
nances Of calm are opened 10 our
vision. We should be able TO say
with Paul I know in whom 1 have
believed; and am persuaded that He
is able 10 keep that which ] have
committed unto Him against that
day"