Fear Hath Torment by Frederick M. Rossiter

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 14, 1903

Fear Hath Torment

By Frederick M. Rossiter

FREDERICK M. ROSSITER, M. D.

Fear is an emotion, or passion, that had its origin in the garden of Eden, following the first sin. As sin becomes more and more prevalent, fears multiply proportionately, and as a direct sequence have a more pronounced influence upon the body.

Fear is an apprehension of danger, and may vary in intensity. It may be unconscious fear, worry, anxiety, dread, or abject terror.

Fear torments its victim, for “fear hath torment.” Torment comes from the Latin word tormentum, which means an instrument of torture, or, more literally, an instrument for twisting. Torment causes anguish, the utmost degree of misery; it vexes, harasses, inflicts excruciating misery upon mind or body. No physical pain is more excruciating than that produced by an instrument for twisting any part of the body. These words alone express the rack and ruin that may be produced in the human body by fear.

In Corinthians we read that “the sorrow of this world worketh death.” And the sorrow of the world is so closely associated with fear that it is difficult to draw a line of distinction between them.

Fear has ever been an effective agent in keeping man from the full enjoyment of physical and spiritual blessings. As we are born in sin, so we are born to fear, and it is about as common among Christian believers as among unbelievers. An infant in its mother’s arms often has fear of falling, though it has never been dropped nor injured. Our fears are legion—fear of calamity, of pain, of storm, of flood, of lightning, of fire, of wreck, of drowning, of disease, of death, of sailing on Friday, of the number thirteen, and numerous other superstitions; fear of financial losses, of poverty; fears of heat, of cold, of droughts; fears of secret sins; fears of eternal damnation; fears of committing the unpardonable sin; fears that torment soul and body day and night. Many are in distress most of the time because of fears, often more imaginary than real.

Fear sometimes becomes a form of insanity,—morbid fears, such as being afraid to cross a bridge, of riding in a boat, of filth, of being poisoned by some friend or relative, and so on ad infinitum. The time has come when men’s hearts are filled with fear because of “looking after those things which are coming on the earth.”

Influence on the Physical Nature

Now we are led to inquire, what is the influence of fear upon the body and its functions, and hence upon the health. It has long been recognized by physicians that the patient’s fear of not getting well stands very much in the way of his restoration to health. Fear of not getting well has brought death to many a person who otherwise would have recovered. On the other hand, great hope and confidence have snatched many a soul from the grave. Hence it is evident that fear is inimical to health. It effectually stands in the way of abounding in health.

One is in eminent danger of sudden death or loss of limb. What is the effect of fear in such a case?—One is “paralyzed with fear.” The heart beats rapidly, it “comes up in the mouth,” the face is marble white, cold chills pass over the body, the sweat glands pour out a cold perspiration, the blood has left the skin, there is goose-flesh, the muscles tremble, the flow of saliva is checked, the mouth is dry, and there is intense physical weakness; in other words, there is intense physical shock, which may almost wreck the nervous system. In such fright one may “faint dead away,” or the mind may be unbalanced for months or years. We must conclude from such a manifestation that fear excites a most profound nervous commotion in the body; that it depresses every vital activity, and throws the organism into the utmost confusion. Fear may also have a marked effect upon the secretions. A woman who saw her husband killed, nursed her infant shortly after, and it died in a convulsion caused by the poisoning of the mother’s milk.

If a great fear of a few moments’ duration will excite such a profound commotion in the body, we are just in saying that all lesser fears will act upon the body and its functions in a corresponding degree. Lesser fears are often of long duration, and so produce more permanent results. All such fears exhaust the nervous energy, lower vital resistance, and make one a prey to disease.

Promotes Disease

In every great epidemic of disease, such as cholera, yellow fever, or smallpox, fear has played a prominent part in the spread of the disease. In certain epidemics of cholera it has been said that the mortality among those who were sick from fear was greater than among those who actually had the disease.

The lesser fears may not cause a chill or a fever, but they so act upon the nervous system that the circulation is checked in various portions of the body, as is illustrated in cold hands and feet, loss of appetite, or poor digestion. Every square inch of skin, and every organ of the body is represented in the brain. The brain receives messages from these organs, and in turn sends messages back to them. Every emotion and every controlling mental influence in some mysterious and subtle manner goes out to all the body, promoting health or else disease. Many illustrations could be given to demonstrate this fact. Fear causes depressing influences to be sent out. Fear entertained in reference to any organ for any length of time depresses it, interferes with its circulation, and encourages disease.

The world is full of people who are fearful that they are going to have cancer, tuberculosis, or that they are going insane. These fears prey upon the mind until the vital resistance is so lowered that the disease may actually appear.

No inconsiderable number of people are in fear that certain foods will not agree with them, and sure enough they do not. Fear that a food which has been eaten will cause trouble, is quite sure to invite the expected trouble. I do not think there is any doubt that fear of the disease, because of a knowledge of it and of its location, has made appendicitis more prevalent in these days.

A speaker addressing an audience often has a dry mouth and cold hands and feet, because of fear. A morbid fear of draughts is pretty sure to lead to colds.

Most of our fears are subjective; that is, they come from within, and are of our own creation. Many of our fears are of long standing, and so exert their influence upon the body almost unconsciously, but most effectually interfering with the health. Imaginary fears lead to introspection, and hence foster selfishness, for the mind becomes self-centered.

Now the apostle says “fear hath torment,” and every one can testify to the truthfulness of this statement. It torments its victim to death if it can, and keeps him in a constant state of suspense, worrying mind and body.

The Remedy

To fear is to doubt. Fear and faith are opposite to each other, and incompatible. Fear depresses, faith energizes. Fear promotes disease, faith promotes health. Fear interferes with the functions

of the body, while faith enables each organ to work at its greatest efficiency.

What will cure one of fear?—Love, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” God is better than all our fears. To fear him means that he will help us not to fear anything. The Christian has no right to fear. Fear is antichristian. Fears are discouraging. He alone who is out of Christ has reason to fear.