From an article in Barrow News, Barrow-in-Furness Lancashire, England

There are huge waterfalls that are not harnessed to the needs of man. There are mighty displays of power by men, but they end in display and accomplish nothing.

On the [day of Pentecost], however, there was a power given which was both effective and lasting. ... A company of the disciples were quietly waiting in prayer, ... "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind."

The first manifestation was the gift of tongues, but the more permanent gift was the power that came to those disciples. Men, who had previously locked the door for fear of the Jews, now stood out boldly. Peter, who had denied his Lord, ... now stood fearlessly. ...

Something far bigger than the gift of tongues had come to Peter. As you watch him in the Early Church you see the change that came over that bluff fisherman, and the only explanation you can give concerning that change is that he had received power.

The same can be said about the other disciples. They, too, were charged with a dynamic. If it were not so, the Church would never have begun and would never have continued. ...

Power is still given to those who are willing to receive it. The certainty of power must be the experience of all true Christians. The way we express ourselves may change, but the conviction must be there.

The first Christians based their belief on the certainty of the resurrection of our Lord. "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain," said Paul. If men who had seen their Master crucified, and who might well be crucified themselves for proclaiming his resurrection, could squander their lives on this belief, the only explanation is that they had a mighty power.

There is more than a little evidence that the Church is exercising some such power today. ... The first disciples did not receive power for any selfish ambition. Neither can we. If we ... will gladly place ourselves at His [God's] disposal, then effective power will be ours.

From an article in the United Church Observer Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Doubts, fears, and mushrooms have one thing in common. They all thrive in dark places. ...

Open up the windows of the heart. Open up the doors of the soul. Let this be a season of receptivity. We are not children of the dark, but children of the light.

In the pungent words of the King James translation (II Tim. 1:7), "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." ...

Freedom from fear is rightly counted to be one of the basic freedoms of humanity. But how can people be freed from their inner fears? The things your neighbor fears may hold no terrors for you. The things you fear may be meaningless to me. Yet in our heart these fears are very real, and only the most powerful faith and trust in God can bring the personal relief each soul requires.

The secret of freedom from fear is to know that our lives are anchored by the ... presence of God, and [we] cannot drift beyond His love.

The steadying force of such knowledge is tremendous—fear is robbed of half its power when we know how to meet the threat that causes it. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."

Gov. Arthur B. Langlie of Washington in a talk as reported in the News Press, Glendale, California

Governor Langlie said that Christian churches "can be a mighty force in helping America lead from strength."

"We have quite a ways to go," he said ... at a Western Area meeting of the National Council of Presbyterian Men, but he noted a "growing awareness by people that they do want to find God."

The ... governor called for more teaching of Christ Jesus' message by the individual in his home, community, church, and business.

"We should concern ourselves with becoming internally active—not radioactive," he said. "Regardless of how dangerous the world may be, there is peace with Christ Jesus." Americans should give "more and more time to expressing love for God by loving their fellow citizens," he added. And when that happens:

"Juvenile delinquency will take a nose dive; the cost of government will become less; the churches will become more sound; ... and other nations will begin to understand what a Christian nation like America really stands for."

From The War Cry, Chicago, Illinois

Among the ancient Greeks the runner who won the race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time, but the man who crossed it in the least time with his torch still burning.

We are often so busy with life's activities that we are in danger of allowing the torch of our spiritual life to become extinguished. ...

There is a real danger of being too busy to be good, of running too fast to keep our torch burning.