Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-24
The Curse of Cowardice
sermon by
REV. FLOYD ". TOMKINS.
Text. 81. John AyliI. 1877.

could hardly have told OF what he WAS
lraid. lie WAS III Il panic % fear.
INC events OF the last few hours had
unncrved him aud he had lost control
OF himself. II seemed a strange thing
that Peter. who made til" great con
icSsioii--Thou art the Christ. the Son
OF the Living Cod ,Matt. Ayi., TO-
:houlh 30 forge; himself aud tho Mas
Ter Whom he loved az to deny three
times that he knew Him But when
we lose control Of ourselves .Nc ar.
capable Of anything. cod calls US u
mastery Of self. without which we
cannot Succeed in living. And because
We are so weak and liable TO become
unbalanced He has given US His cspc-
"lal help,
Sc'f-rcvcrencc. self know ledge. self
control:
These three alone lead man 10 SOY
crcign power.
There were steps ia Peters fan.
First, he fell asleep when his Master
was suffering III the Garden of t;e;h-
*cmanc. Then he seems TO have ran
away when the soldier, seized Jesus
christ; and, third. h" placed himself
among the servants in the Judgment
nan. away in the rear. doubtless think
ing TO hide himself. Perhaps there va.
SIN another step. namely. that he for
got his Lords trouble while he warm.
ca himself by tn. IRE II we wUuit.
be brave wc must watch and pray: Vs..
abused We must never run from
trouble. and wc mus, not think too
ihhch Of our So: comfort. on. Ii,ji.
deed OF EeliishncSs easily icads 10 an
othcr. ahd tho man who never dream
CD he would bc coward and :, liar
sinks into It miserable" shame becaus.
he has not taken :. iirrn stand At ,h.
iIist call for action
I,iAGINtTION HAS MItH
TO 30 MIiH FEAR
Imagination has much TO do WIKI
FEAR. At night one thinks lie hears :.
noise, and before he knows II II" has
hil"d the house with burglars Short
stories can 50 iirc the mind with queer
suggestions that IN" darkness seeing
pcoplcd with apparitious. When the
thoughts RUN Wild and arc no, con
troicd the BODY yields TO their call
Yet II is true. ihat The mind can simply
twist the body 50 that IL loses all
mastery. In" Hiblc speaks often
about thoughts. Belshaz1ar's thoughts
TO God. Try me and know my
thoughts tfsal;ns CNXXiN 23) AMI
Peter rehukcd Simon. VINO thought tina,
tn" g!!ts OF God could be purchased
Win money. saying. Pray to God. If
perhaps the Thought Of thine heart
may be forgiven thee" ,Acts viii. 22,.
Many a sinner and many :, coward
Logan The downward path 10y letting
his thoughts and his foolish and wicked
!masinatOns master him.
Boosting is generally associated with
cownrdic.. So II was with poor Peter.
who cried: II viii lay DOWN nay life
Tor Thy sake" and Though all men
shall be offended because OF T'ac.. get
wiN / never hc offended \ truly
BRAY" man never boasts lie sccur-
:s.lcs within h!mscl: II pcssib!lity Of
weakness and Is humble. But he who
cries out that y" in 10 THIS or that
and deems himself 4 hero fore the
time for herOi" deeds arrives is sure
- fail IN the time OF necessity Pride
also goes bc:or" destruction H.. who
he ought to mink, instead OF think
in. sobcrly. is SO uL!fed up in his
seif-esteem that he is driven like chac
before the wind Of adversely. Con-
c:it makes tn. coward strut before his
fellows when there IS no apparent,
danger, and sends him dying back win
All uasecmly speed when there is a
call for courage
ROW ONE tAN Try TO
OVERCOME. FEAR
How can We overcome fear First.
lE remembering that cod has promised
=" take care OF us lov. that dear
hymn. God W!l! Take care of You"
lie care,h for you" said Christ He
Is about oar paths ANA by our beds
and knows all our WAYS. I'll, CAT r
Tim nor c,r -. .,
He t. no, Gin ,h.., ~,
II;s b.,ovod ,.LIa ~
tpsalp, cxx,.ii =, cn ID. u,., 80
us not to hc troubled and not 20 he
;.fraid our lives are in Ill, hand
Eo,hi,r .,n Ln,, '
comes is in accord win rs I'm 80,
since He loves -. 49,, u.;i, ,.,,'. -,
nlv.ys fo, a., ,,J h,,
be a kind of divine i,,J;u.r.n.e as -,
what comes Ia ~ ,,,,, ~ .,, I,.
All things 10 cod. n,d.r;,,, uorr,
anxiety fr,,fuIp.. .nnr..i,,.,;o
All Weakening. tbev dn,w o,r h,nas
and nery, force from, ,s A.. ,;,,Io
children trust tbair ,,r.,,, .,,d h
no anxious ,bongu,s 80 .i,oi%
with us. Courage comes frn,, ,r .
surancc tina, ,iod.s loyc and ,.rn en-,
never fail So our Du.,kct ,oa, .i,,r.
II cannot dri:, beyond Ills love ,n,i
care"