^ The whole current of modern thought runs against this faith. It insists on the insignificance of man. It emphasizes the
* George MacDonald.
144 HUMAN ANXIETY AND DIVINE CARE
question which Pascal shuddered at. What are we, shut in and lost amidst these frightful wastes of space, encompassed by flaming and unknown worlds ? As Mark Eutherford has said, " Our temptation is to doubt whether it is of the smallest consequence whether we are or are not, and whether our being here is not an accident." The one answer is that for us Christ died. When we turn to the New Testament, we find the unseen ranks of good and evil contending for our souls, and every victory and every defeat an incident in the war of wars. The battle with flesh and blood, which often seems so sore, is hardly worth naming in presence of the graver struggle. Our fight is with principalities and powers, with the spiritual hosts of wickedness. Angels have charge con- cerning us. They whisper with saving voices when we are on the edge of peril. They bring back the words of Jesus in hours of despondency and gloom. They watch and rejoice over every movement of purity and tenderness. We belong, in a word, to God and Christ and the angels, and though here accounted nothing, it is otherwise in worlds where the measures are true.^
^ My father's note on " The Children's Hospital " is : "A true story told me by Mary Gladstone. The doctors and hospital are unknown to me. The two children are the only characters, in this little dramatic poem, taken from life."
Miss Gladstone's letter ran thus :
There was a little girl in the hospital, and as the doctor and nurse passed by her bed they stopped, for her eyes were shut and they thought she was asleep. "We must try that operation to-morrow," he said, " but I am afraid she will not get through it." I forget what the child said, until Annie the girl in the next bed suddenly suggested, " I know what I should do, I should ask Jesus to help me." " Yes, I will, but oh ! Annie, how will He know it's me, when there are such a lot of us in the ward ? " " I'll tell you," said Annie, " put your arms outside the counterpane." The next morning the little girl's arms were outside the counter- pane and her eyes were closed. She was dead.^
III.
The Eemedy foe Anxiety.
1. " Casting all your care upon him." St. Peter says that the condition of being able to cast our care upon God is that we should humble ourselves under His mighty hand. We cannot cast our
^ W. Robertson NicoU. ^ Tennyson, ii. 253.
I PETER V. 7 145
" anxiety " upon Him unless we submit ourselves to Him. One of the penalties of independence is that we cannot lean upon another. One of the advantages of all true sovereignty and government is that we can look for protection in the measure that we are the subjects of such rule. The independent man, to be consistent, ought to be satisfied with himself and his own resources, and never look to another for assistance or shelter. The moment he seeks aid or sympathy his independence is gone. The truth taught here, therefore, is a self-evident truth to every man who thinks for a moment — that if we would be relieved of some of our distracting cares, the only condition upon which God will relieve us of them is that we subject ourselves to Him.
My Father, it is good for me
To trust and not to trace ; And wait with deep humility
For Thy revealing grace.
Lord, when Thy way is in the sea,
And strange to mortal sense, I love Thee in the mystery,
I trust Thy providence.
I cannot see the secret things
In this my dark abode; I may not reach with earthly wings
The heights and depths of God.
So, faith and patience, wait awhile ! — ■
Not doubting, not in fear; For soon in heaven my Father's smile
Shall render all things clear.
Then Thou shalt end time's short eclipse.
Its dim, uncertain night; Bring in the grand apocalypse,
Eeveal the perfect Light.^
2. Having humbled ourselves let us next have faith in God. For beneath such humility there lies a still deeper feeling, the feeling of entire trust. The hand that was found mighty to bruise will be found now mightier to bless. When we not only cease to
^ George Rawson. JAS.-JUDE — 10
146 HUMAN ANXIETY AND DIVINE CARE
resist it, but strive to be led by it, we learn to do without caring for ourselves ; we can joyfully cast on Him the burden of anxiety which surely grows as life moves on, because we know that He cares for us and has both power and will to give us what we need. Without such confidence humility itself is not possible. Without humility, faith in the righteousness and loving-kindness of God becomes the presumption of those who suppose themselves to be His favourites. Thus all true humbling of ourselves before Him lifts us above the earth and makes us to sit with Christ in heavenly places.
^ How to trust — that is the question. It is to be such a trust as a child has in its father. What are the characteristics of perfect trust? (1) First, it is a trust that obeys. There is no good in a trust that does not. You may put aside altogether the idea that you are trusting properly, if there is any known thing which your father wants you to do and you don't do it. After all, obedience is the test of trust, " If ye love me, keep my com- mandments." Those who trust their father obey his lightest word ; it is far more than any feeling. It is not a question of working ourselves up into feeling ; it is the personal obedience of the child that is the real test. (2) Secondly, it is a trust that works. What more is there to be done here that you have not done ? I do not know your lives. If I were speaking to you one by one, and we went into it, I have no doubt I might be able to suggest something which you might do for God that you are not doing. Is this trust we are speaking of simply a trust which issues in no action, which issues in no work for Him ? That is not the right kind of trust. When the whole world is crying out for help, ours must be a trust that works. (3) Thirdly, it is a trust that ventures. I think myself that we do not make anything like enough ventures of faith. We are making a venture of faith in the diocese now — a venture of faith in building a theological college for London. At this particular time it is a great venture of faith. And yet I feel it is a venture of faith we are justified in making, in order to have a more efficient ministry in the Church of England. I hope that venture of faith will be recognized by God, and that He will supply us with the funds that we need. But you may have ventures of faith in your individual life. A girl may know she ought not to be in the place where she is, and yet it seems a great venture of faith to leave it. She must make a venture of faith if she trusts. She may not know where she is going. I have seen several off lately to Australia and Africa. It is a great venture of faith for them to