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38 THE EABNEST CHBISTIAN."I FEAR GOD."Never was the saying that "thefear of the Lord is the begiilning of•wisdom" more forcibly illustratedthan in the life of Joseph, the belovedson of the patriarch Jacob.The singular purity of his life,his integrity of character, his resistanceof temptation, have throughthe ages been a source of wonder andadmiration to those famiUar with hishistory. What was the hiddensource of his moral strength ? is anatural and important query. Thatquestion is fully answered in thecaption of this article, it being hisown solution of the problem: "IfearGod." The conviction which filled hisheart was that the eye of the God ofJacob, was always on him and hisear attent to his words. • He believedin the justice of God to punish sinas weU as to reward virtue ; andthis moved his fear as truly • as itexcited his loving jonfidence. Thuswhen that great temptation in thehouse of the captain of the guard ofPharaoh, the continuous, dailysoUcitation of Potiphar's wife cameupon him, what was it which constitutedhis power of resistance ? Allhuman considerations said, Yield ;—sensuous gratification ; the gratifyi-igof his mistress, the fear ofprovoking her displeasure—all thesesaid. Yield. But conscience said :"Hew can I do this great wickednessand sin against God ? It wasenough ; temptation's power wasbroken and its chains of steel wereas scorched tow ; he went from herpresence in conscious rectitude.True, he had aroused a fiend whichwas to pursue him with relentlessfury until "his feet were hurt withfetters and he was laid in iron."But God was •with him in the "dungeon,and his hour of triumph cameat last, and he emerged from thatdungeon to sit next the throne andbind Egypt's princes at his pleasure,and teach her senators wisdom. Andmore than that ; the honr at lastcame when his envious and cruelbrethren who had conspired hisdeath and left him to .die in the pit inwhich there was no water, and thenhad sold him a slave into Egypt,were completely in his power and athis mercy. What now shall hinderhim from being avenged for such awrong ? Only one thing restrains theavenging blow : "This do and live,for I fear God," and they are safe."Hearken unto, me," then, "yechildren, and I will teach you thefear of the Lord. What man is hethat desireth life, and loveth manydays, that he may see good ? Keepthy tongue from e'vil, and thy Upsfrom speaking guUe. Depart from,evil, and do good, seek peace, andpursue it. The eyes of the Lord areupon the righteous, and his ears areopen unto their cry. The face of theLord is against thein that do evU,to cut off the remembrance of themfrom the earth."Never was there mofe need of tbeinculcation of this lesson on old andyoung, than at the psesent time,whUe the fear of God is so nearlyextinct in the world. What is theroot of all licentiousness, the blasphemyand cursing, the peijury, thedisobedience to parents, dishonestinsolvency, defalcations, forgeries,truce-breaking, gambling, disregardof law, and a thousand other crimes,against both hnman and divine law ?It is because "there is no fear of Godbefore their eyes." The so-called"liberal" preaching of the day discardsall idea of fear of such a goodbeing as they say God is. And solong and persistently have thesesentiments been reiterated that evenso-called "orthodox" pulpits andpens have almost been hushed tosUence in reference to the "terrorsof the Lord," and few are to be foundwho dare speak boldly the terriblethreatenings of God's holy word;—theatenings which are sure sooner orlater to be executed to their fullextent on those who incur them.Until a change in this respect shall