"ON BEARING SUSPENSE.

"
The Rev. S. Scholes. prior to his sermon last night, delivered a brief foreword
entitled, "On Bearing Suspense." He said :-The human mind is passing wonderful.
In intellectual possessions and powers we are strangely and greatly made. It can
never be that our whole life is to be confined within the limits of these morta
l years, else have we been extravagantly equipped. How manifold are the activiti
es of these minds of ours, and how varied and complex their moods! Suspense iS r
ather a mood of mind than an activity. It, is a mental state rather than a menta
l exercise. The full contents of this state, are difficult to bring under a brie
f and concise definition. Suspense is compounded mainly of anticipation brighten
ed or darkened with an intermittent mingling of hope and fear According to the n
ature of the event anticipated, it may be a quivering excitement or an enervatin
g depression. It is a condition of uncertainty, and we most frequently employ th
e word in connection with uncertainty linked to foreboding. We look forward to a
possible happening. We dread its coming. We hope it will never come. Our minds
dwell on the dread, and then on the hope, and the mood
resulting is what we commonly call suspense. Each one of us to some degree famil
iar with this mood. How we bear it is a test of our character and a revelation o
f the resources available to us in life's sore straits. We may carry ourselves u
nder the strain with a firm self-possession and noble serenity, or we may bend u
nder the weight and allow a great misery to overwhelm us. Let us for a few momen
ts consider this matter of bearing suspense. How may this mood come into our liv
es? Suspense may be induced by a habit -- the habit of being over-anxious. We ma
y unduly magnify small things. We may see life out of true perspective. We may b
e lacking in patience. Our suspense may have its source in unworthy worrying. We
will not wait for events to develop. We may be over-anxious, and that is a pecu
liarly mischievous habit of mind. Again, our suspense may be created by a word,
a mere passing and perhaps not greatly considered word, spoken by someone who we
expect or suppose to know something that we ourselves do not know. Such a word
may put us into the attitnde of painful anxiety or tantalising dread, or disturb
ing hope. A doctor's word may do this. We may read far more into it than he inte
nds. It concerns the health of someone dear to us. We turn the word over and ove
r in our minds. What did he mean? How much did he mean? Our suspense grows with
the tossing of the word. Yet again our suspense may he occasioned by silence - a
break in our correspondence, a long space without a word from a distant friend
about whom we have reason to think circumstances of peril have gathered. This is
the form of suspense that now enters into the experience of so many minds. Brav
e lads are far away on the perilous seas, or are in the fighting line of fierce
battles. Cablegrams bringing vague information appear in the daily papers, but.
no personal card or letter comes. In the long days of waiting how keen the suspe
nse! What unspoken tears and hopes possess the mind. During such dark times wome
n often prove themselves to be both stronger and braver than men. Their fine pat
ience and quiet courage frequently amaze us and make us increasingly proud of th
e mothers of our sons. But in the more serious experiences of suspense there are
certain wise methods of relief and escape open to us all. How may we bear susp
ense? 1) By deliberately diverting our minds to other realms and subjects of tho
ught. This may sometimes be done by an independent act of will. We shall be help
ed to do it by turning to some interesting and informing book; or we may force o
urselves to seek congenial and mind-enriching society. 2) By earnestly engaging
ourselves in some absorbing activity. Work is a sovereign remedy for many ills.
It is a great cure for sorrow. It is a noble escape from suspense. Unselfish w
ork - work which compels thoughtfulness in the affairs of others, has its own sa
crediy benefient effect upon those who spend themselves in doing it. 3) By devou
tly remembering and honestly trusting in the wise and sympathetic over-rule of G
od. Prayer, after all, is the most effective medium of relief. We must learn to
put our confidence in God. He will still our fears, calm our thoughts, and poss
ess us with the heroism of faith. It is one of the highest of all the arts of li
fe that we should know how to cast our care, our anxiety, our suspense, on God.
It is an art to be learned only in the school of Jesus Christ, and when it is le

arned we can say and sing, even though it be with tears.

Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away,
1n Jesu's keeping we are safe, and they.
So shall we best bear suspense.