Jesus does not stop with His recitation of external calamity. He probes at the internal batterings and sieges to which the soul is liable. Jesus says how that under the pressure of outside forces a man's spiritual defenses may crumble like the Maginot Line before the Nazi blitzkrieg. This is really the crunch and the greatest of the terrors. You and I can stand anything if our faith holds fast. If an anchor holds within the veil, then never mind how strong and contrary the winds might blow. If, on the other hand, our inner defenses fall and our spiritual fortress is breached and overrun, then all hope is lost.

Jesus spoke of it in these awesome words: "Men's hearts failing them for fear." Among so many of us there has been that worst loss -- "a loss of nerve." Things can go so awfully wrong that those central confidences upon which life is built begin to quiver and totter. The night of sorrow or pain can be so long and so lonely that it seems that all about us there is only insanity, and there is only ugliness.

The temptation is to look down. That is what we are getting all around us. We see such violations of honor in places of public trust and responsibility. Many people have decided that everybody is a crook in public life. The temptation is to look down. Those of us who love the church and the gospel and are in the role of the preacher see so much that is discouraging. So many of our churches are little more than social clubs or places for purposeless emotional orgy. Too many of us who preach seem to have little else in mind except how much we can get, how much money we can filch and scheme out of people for our own comfort and luxury.

It is easy to cry, "A plague on all your houses or worship." I am ashamed of some things I see being done in the name of Jesus. I blush at some of the schemes and methods some of us practice who are supposed to be the shepherds of the people of God. I blush. With so much that we can do and so little that we do accomplish, is it any wonder that men and women say honestly: "To hell with your churches!"?

It is easy to look down, but Jesus says that at such a time, "Look up. Lift up your head." Do not look down where all is ugly and corrupt and mean. Yes, people all around us seem so low, so conniving and so selfish. On the other hand, do you not know some people whose hearts beat not just for themselves? Fix your mind and heart on them, not on the lowest and dirtiest. Look up!

The divorce rate seems forever to climb and many people seem not to care a snap of their fingers for the vow "till death do us part." Sometimes I almost choke on those words in marriage ceremonies. Don't look down! I know of couples here who have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries in joy and happiness. Don't look down! Look up!

You and I must want to be one of those examples upon which others may look and from whom other pilgrims may take strength. There are such people. I have known, still know, some in this church whose example gives us courage, whose dauntless faith inspires our faith. Look up toward such examples. I have known people here who lived such giant lives in Christ that we can scarcely hope to have all of their gifts and grace. They are like a man I didn't know but of whom I read and who fell asleep the other day. Someone who knew him wrote for all who were blessed by the brightness of his faith and the dedication of his life to Jesus Christ: