Article May 3, 1919 Issue

Hawthorne speaks thus of fear "Stupefied by the dim,...

The Christian Science Monitor

Hawthorne speaks thus of fear: "Stupefied by the dim, thick, stifling atmosphere of dread which ... obliterated all definiteness of thought." Could there be a more exact pronouncement upon the effect of fear? And it is just because all people know this to be its effect that they are afraid of being afraid. Afraid that perhaps in a time of great danger they may be stupefied by this dim, thick, stifling atmosphere and not be able to think clearly. Indeed to many it is not the thought of misfortune or death that fills them with fear but the fear of being afraid.

Christian Science does not fail a man in any emergency, for it can meet this form of fear as it meets every other form of inharmony. It reiterates the injunction "Fear not," which rings out all through the Bible, and it shows just what fear is and how to overcome it. These words from the first chapter of Joshua should ever be remembered: "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest," as also the wonderful promise in the forty-third chapter of Isaiah: "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." And Jesus often said, "Fear not," and straightway removed the cause for fear.

To-day Christian Science says, "Fear not," and as we learn to "fear not" we lose the fear that in any time of stress we shall be blindly afraid. If one can reach a spring of lovely clear water one is not afraid of being thirsty. If one is out of doors and in pure air one is not afraid of suffocation—and so if a man understands somewhat of Christian Science he is not afraid that he will not have sufficient of that which overcomes fear, for he knows that infinite power is present to draw upon, infinite Love present to rely upon, and infinite Life present in which to dwell.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Hawthorne speaks thus of fear "Stupefied by the dim,...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access