November 24

Let him be your fear. — ISAIAH VIII. 13.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. — MAIT. X. 28.

THERE is a place for fear and hope in the life of faith. God deals with men by holding forth as motives the rewards and punishments of the future. He warns through fear and woos through hope. Fear catches the note of alarm, and the wise soul shuns the evil. Nor does it stop with mere warning: it goes on with help to the end. The fear meant in this verse is awe without terror. It is filial fear that loves while it venerates, and trusts while it adores.

There is a right fear and a wrong fear. The wrong fear is the fear of man, — for the worst he can do is bound up with time, and can but hurt the body. It is always evil and bringeth a snare. It did much for King Saul's ruin; it led David to most unseemly conduct: it brought Peter to great sin and grief in his shameful fall. There is also a wrong fear of God, which is ignorant and hard and cruel as the grave. The right fear is that which knows God's power to destroy both soul and body in hell, and then turns from sin to the way of righteousness, seeking divine truth and a nobler life. And so the wise soul turns to Christ, himself the way, the truth, and the life.

Perfect love casteth out all wrong fear: but the right fear of God abides. It is the beginning of wisdom, a fountain of life. "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever."

A. O. Davies

Fear hath no dwelling there; Come to the mingling of repose and love, Breathed by the silent spirit of the dove, Through the celestial air!

FELICIA D. HEMANS.