An appalling fear is gripping the hearts of men at the present time. Gloomy forebodings of coming ill are oppressing the minds of thousands in every part of the habitable world. This fear arises from many causes. In millions of homes it is a fear of want, the cry for bread, which cannot be satisfied. It is estimated that in the United States alone there are still millions of wage earners without employment. These represent millions of other dependents who have a right to look to these wage earners as their natural protectors and providers.
As another winter arrives, these needy ones view the future with deep forebodings. They know not what a day may bring forth. And the conditions found in America are only typical of similar conditions existing in many other parts of the world.
the fear of disease
The fear of disease and sickness is only increasing the toll of some of the devastating maladies afflicting the human family. Medical science is able, to a greater extent than ever before, to cope with acute and epidemic diseases, but can afford little relief to some of the chronic diseases that are preying upon the human race and are increasing to an alarming extent. In the United States alone, the annual toll of the five great diseases—pneumonia, tuberculosis, Bright’s disease, heart disease and cancer—amounts to practically 100,000 deaths for each disease.
insanity and suicide
Two hundred and fifty thousand beds in the hospitals of the United States are filled with the insane, and the recruits to mental maladies number 50,000 a year.
It is fear, discouragement, loss of life’s objectives and hope giving place to despair that lead men and women to take their lives.
the fear of crime
There is occasion for the fear of crime as never before in the history of the world. We are faced today with the menace of organised crime, as evil men and women unite their efforts to carry on their nefarious work. Thievery, robbery, licentiousness, extortion, kidnapping and murder are now represented by organised, trained and disciplined forces.
[Registered at the G.P.O, Melbourne, for transmission by post as a newspaper.]
the fear of war
Men and women in every walk of life are possessed with the fear of coming war. The leading statesmen of the world view the future with deep concern. They know not when a spark may be engendered that may kindle another great conflagration in which every nation of earth will be involved.
This state of mind is well expressed by British journalist and author Sir Philip Gibbs in his book Ways of Escape:
“The soul of the world seems to be waiting and watching for some change of scene in this drama of life. One may express this sense of waiting, this apprehension and expectancy of change, as the kind of feeling that comes to one sometimes before a storm. Nature seems strangely quiet. There is hardly a breath of wind stirring. No birds are singing. Everywhere there is a hush, and for a moment one’s own heart seems to stop its beat as one listens, uneasily.
“It is, again, as though the foundations of our life, upon which we built our old style of civilisation, our great cities, our social system, our palaces and homes and hovels, are cracking visibly under our feet. We stare at those cracks in a dazed way, wondering if they can be patched up again, while they widen . . .
“This sense of waiting and expectancy is as though we were all marking time before some new and tremendous episode of history—shortly to begin.”
Declared Mr Lloyd George a few months ago: “The nations are drenched with fear.”
Said Colonel Wedgwood in the House of Commons last February: “Everybody is afraid.”
blasts hope of youth
In The Washington Post, American foreign correspondent Mr Wallace Carroll wrote:
“Fear of war broods over Europe these midsummer days like an ominous hush heralding a violent storm.
“A young Austrian said last night while strolling on the green shores of Lake Geneva, ‘In a few years I and all my friends will be killed in war.’
“His statement reflected the thoughts and fears of millions of young Britons, Frenchmen, Belgians, Poles, Slavs, Albanians, Russians, Italians and Germans.
“The hopes of the younger generation, which so ardently desires peace, are being dimmed by the grim prospect of death on the battlefield. Hope of peace is almost abandoned. Every nation is arming feverishly in preparation for the coming struggle. A definite war-consciousness prevails everywhere.”
United Press correspondent Ralph Heinzen painted this dark picture of Europe’s political situation:
“Europe is back just where it was in the mad summer of 1914—divided into two great hostile camps with plenty of powder barrels lying around for an ill-guided hand to set off. Europe learned no moral from the Great War. The same policy of military alliances, coalitions and cannon which prevailed before the World War, dominates European foreign policies again today.”
the meaning of world conditions
This heart-to-heart talk presents a gloomy outlook, a dark, depressing picture, but nevertheless these are grim realities. What do they signify? Why should they be enumerated? Because we need to take account of these conditions and recognise their true significance as signs of the times in which we live. The Bible tells us that when we see these conditions of fear existing in the world, we may know that we have reached the closing days of earth’s history and the hope of God’s soon return.
We see indeed upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity and men’s hearts failing them for fear. They know not what the future has in store for them or how soon property and even life itself may be swept away. The future holds out little hope.
God has not left His children in ignorance as to the meaning of the events that are taking place around them. Dark and depressing as these conditions are, they are omens of a better day. The hour of redemption draws near and because of this the people of God are to lift up their heads and rejoice. They cannot rejoice in the misery of their fellowmen; this can only bring sympathetic aching of heart. But they can rejoice that the long, dark night of sin is soon to end, that the day of deliverance draws near, that the reign of sin, of crime, of disease, of bloodshed and fear is soon to give place to the eternal reign of peace to be ushered in by the coming of the Lord.
peace and rest in christ
In this time when all faces are gathering paleness, in this time of strife and turmoil in the world around us, it is for the children of God to seek and obtain a new experience in Christ the Lord, forsake every sin and walk in the freedom wherewith Christ is willing to make them free. And if they will do this, there will be fulfilled to them God’s gracious promise:
“Therefore fear thou not, O My servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid” (Jeremiah 30:10, KJV).
This rest and quiet and abiding peace is the heritage of every sincere believer. It is the peace which Christ promised to His followers: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14: 27, KJV).
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, KJV).
Yes, in this day of disquietude, of confusion, of darkness, of fear, peace is the heritage of God’s children. With consciences void of offence toward God and man, with the consciousness of sins forgiven and of divine acceptance, we may rejoice in Him in whom we have believed, knowing that our lives are in His hands and that He will shape and mould every experience for our eternal good. He is our Father, our Friend, our Counsellor, our Comforter.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:3,4, KJV).
