Bible Review V15: October 1916 - March 1918 - Iapsop.com

1917 FAITH, CREDULITY AND FEAR 263
in our purpose of attempting generous and noble actions.
But you may say, "0h, I have sometimes done a kindly
act and hurt myself in doing it." True; so have I: there
is however an explanation to that seeming injustice.
It is to test our stability, and will power to do gocd in
spite of such poor reward that this happens, but a great
injury thru a charitable act does not frequently occur,
but when it does, why it is generally because a stubborn,
faithless, godless person needs a drastic lesson to cause
a change in the mode of living of such person.
"When God afiiicts us, think:
He hews a rugged stone
Which must be shaped,
Or else aside as useless thrown."'-
R. C. French.
A strong mental assertion that harm will not come
while we are acting wisely in our charitableness, does
have its effect on evil influences about us, for thoughts,
both good and evil, are constantly affecting us, whether
awake or asleep. This is a well-known scientific fact,
and to prove that, I may mention that several times
I have dreamed of certain events just before rising,
and part of the subject of those dreams was the first
thing that caught my eye in that same morning's newspaper.
Now it is quite reasonable to assume that I received
the thoughts of the printer, or compositor, of
those subjects while my mind was in a negative state.
Two of the deadliest foes to progression are fear and
apathy. Let us then slay these demons and all will be
well: we may take courage and consolation in the sentiment
of those beautiful lines of Longfellow's:
'fLet us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait."
`