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Review and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 63.

I Will Not Fear
Earlier text: I Will Not Fear

The Gleam of Hope

By Franklin G. Warnick

FRANKLIN G. WARNICK
“The Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone.” Deut. 32:36. “Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.”
Such are the precious promises of our loving Heavenly Father to the unfortunate soul that has fallen a prey to the wiles of Satan. Discouraged, disheartened, tempted one, look up; there is hope for you. In “Education,” page 258, we read: “For the pardon of sin, for the Holy Spirit, for a Christlike temper, for wisdom and strength to do his work, for any gift he has promised, we may ask; then we are to believe that we receive, and return thanks to God that we have received.”
“We need look for no outward evidence of the blessing. The gift is in the promise, and we may go about our work assured that what God has promised he is able to perform, and that the gift, which we already possess, will be realized when we need it most.”
“To live thus by the word of God means the surrender to him of the whole life. There will be felt a continual sense of need and dependence, a drawing out of the heart after God. Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul. Family prayer, public prayer, have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul life.”
When we feel the least like pleading with the Master, we should find our way to the closet, and pray until our proud hearts are broken. When we are deceived by sin and discouraged by Satan, heaven still holds out hope to us—confess! forsake! “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer. 17:9; 1 John 1:5-9.
“When we contemplate his purity and excellence, we shall see our own weakness and poverty and defects as they really are. We shall see ourselves lost and hopeless, clad in garments of self-righteousness, like every other sinner. We shall see that if we are ever saved, it will not be through our own goodness, but through God’s infinite grace.”—“Christ’s Object Lessons,” page 159. In other paragraphs we read:—
“No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is thy property. Keep it pure for I cannot keep it for thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of thy love can flow through my soul.”
“It is not only at the beginning of the Christian life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance step heavenward it is to be renewed. All our good works are dependent on a power outside of ourselves. Therefore there needs to be a continual reaching out of the heart after God, a continual, earnest, heart-breaking confession of sin, and humbling of the soul before him. Only by constant renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely.”
In “Early Writings,” page 119, we have the sad statement: “I saw that the remnant were not prepared for what is coming upon the earth;” and in the same paragraph Heaven’s urgent call, “Get ready! get ready! get ready! for the fierce anger of the Lord is soon to come.” What infinite love is couched in those solemn words! God loves us, and hastens to us with the warning message. What a privilege to hear it! what a blessing to receive it!
Our greatest need is the Holy Spirit, and he “awaits our demand and reception.” “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” Zech. 10:1. This precious boon will be given to those who are “of one accord.” Shall we “pick at straws” and give over to discouragement and doubt, and step off the “firm platform” down into the dark world? God’s people will “see, and flow together.” Isa. 60:5. They will be bound together in an unbreakable chain. Eze. 7:23. Their efforts will tell—yes, are telling—in the conversion of souls in every part of the earth. Isa. 60:9.
There is real peace, love, and joy in the message; and strength in being found in fellowship with our brethren. The nearer we come to Christ, the more precious they will be to us, and the language of the soul will be, Lord, make me worthy to be associated with the least of thy servants.
We can well afford to give all our perplexities, doubts, and surmisings into the hands of the Master, and run for the prize; for we read in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, page 286:—
“All that has perplexed us in the providences of God will, in the world to come, be made plain. The things hard to be understood will then find explanation. The mysteries of grace will unfold before us. Where our finite minds discovered only confusion and broken promises we shall see the most perfect and beautiful harmony. We shall know that infinite love ordered the experiences that seemed most trying.”
Let us kneel now, and surrender to the Lord his own.
“Just as I am, without one plea But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bid’st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”
Danville, Va.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

By J. H. Rogers

J. H. ROGERS
GREATEST of all spiritual gifts is that of the Holy Spirit. Its operations come to us in many distinct manifestations, all contributing to our benefit in developing Christian perfection of character. In accordance with the promise of our Saviour, and in fulfillment of prophecy, on the day of Pentecost there was a wonderful demonstration of power and an intelligent announcement of gospel truth to the understanding of the eighteen nationalities assembled in Jerusalem. The effect of this preaching caused the conversion of many.
But the great adversary, ever intent on simulating the work of God, has brought in a counterfeit representation of the Holy Spirit, which deludes the credulous and disgusts the sensible and sober-minded. For instance, in the claim respecting the gift of tongues, the great adversary knows that God has promised this with other gifts; and so he devises a gibberish, and calls it tongues.
Counterfeit claims will be more in evidence as we near the end. We need to be filled with the Spirit and with power from on high, successfully to stand against these influences. We have the promise of power over all the power of the enemy.
As to this promised power we have this statement by the spirit of prophecy:— “The life that Christ lived in this world, men and women can live, through his power and under his instruction. In their conflict with Satan, they may have all the help that he had. They may be more than conquerors through him who loved them and gave himself for them.” “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, page 22.
Again we read:—
“So mightily can God work when men give themselves up to the control of his Spirit. To us today, as verily as to the first disciples, the promise of the Spirit belongs. God will today endow men and women with power from above, as he endowed those who on the day of Pentecost heard the word of salvation. At this very hour his Spirit and his grace are for all who need them and will take him at his word.”— Id., Vol. VIII, page 20.
We are to be in readiness to receive the latter rain, being sanctified through obedience to the truth. Now, when “the Holy Spirit is awaiting our demand and reception,” we are to bring ourselves into right relation to God; then all that he has promised is for us. If we are not Spirit-filled, we shall be shaken out as chaff. Now that we are in the time of the latter rain, how important that we be where God can use us to the praise of the glory of his grace, that we may receive a preparation for service in finishing the work, and gain the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ at his appearing.
San Fernando, Cal.

Youth and Age

By B. R. Morse

YOUTH hurries on with vision cast Far down the future's vista fair; Age sits and muses on the past, And lives again the days that were.
Youth talks of what new years contain, And longs their secrets sweet to know; Age tells it o'er and o'er again— Dear story of the long ago.
Youth dreams of joy in coming years, And slights the sweetness of today; Age views the happy past through tears, And sighs for life's fair, early way.
How doubly blest the young who know The blessedness of living now, And still rejoice, when long years throw Their threads of silver o'er the brow!
Who early learn the priceless truth That narrow now is joy's sole range, And scant in age or flush in youth, Rejoice in God through time and change!
— B. R. Morse, in Christian Herald.

Boldness

By J. S. WASHBURN

J. S. WASHBURN
He who truly fears and fully trusts God will fear no other, will never tremble in terror before tempest, fire, or flood, before wild beasts, wicked men, or cruel demons. With Luther he may boldly say:—
And though this world with devils filled Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.”
He who knows that the Author of life is with him always, has all power in heaven and earth at his command. The fear of the Lord does not make a man uncertain and wavering, but calm and bold. “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.” Prov. 14:26. It is God’s wish that we should “serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” He has overcome the world; and while we rest on his word, he is overcoming the world in us; and no one in the universe dare stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Whatever our condition may be, even if we have sinned deeply, we may still come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. God does not wish us to be cringing slaves, but his own dear children, coming with confidence to our Father, who delights to give, and who never upbraids us when we turn to him confessing our sin; who never reproaches us nor taunts us with our weakness or failure. He wishes us to “have boldness in the day of judgment.” 1 John 4:17.
It is when our love is made perfect that we have boldness. Perfect love casts out fear. Fear comes as a result of sin. Where God is, where love is, sin cannot be. Love not only does no evil deed, speaks no evil word, but actually “thinketh no evil.”
Until Adam sinned he had no thought of fear in the presence of his divine Father. But the day he fell into sin, he hid himself in terror from his best Friend. Thus does a guilty conscience make cowards of us all.
Sin is the only cause of fear. But all have sinned, and therefore all have reason to tremble at the “judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Then how is it possible for us to have boldness now or in the day of judgment? There is one true ground for boldness, and one only, and that is the forgiveness of sins, the absolute, complete destruction of sin in us. No one can be bold on the ground that he is better than any other man. Such hope is a snare. He who is nearest to God will count himself the chiefest of sinners. Paul, who thus counted himself, faced every deadly peril boldly from the time he was converted till the day on which he fearlessly died a martyr’s death. How could this man, who had been a murderer, a blasphemer, meet death and the judgment joyously, without trembling? Only on the ground that he had obtained mercy and had been forgiven.
In the parable of the prodigal son, when he returns and is forgiven, there is no taunting of the son on account of his evil course. He feels that the past is forgiven and forgotten, blotted out forever; and so God says to the sinner, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins.” Isa. 44:22. “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer. 31:34. “In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found.” Jer. 50:20.
When sin is confessed, it is forgiven. With the forgiveness of sin the life of Christ is imputed to the sinner. His sinless life is now where the sin was. He who accuses a man of a sin that is confessed, and forgiven by the Lord, is bearing false witness. Forgiveness of sin is not only taking away the sin, but taking the sinfulness out of the inmost life, and filling its place with the pure life, the eternal life of God.
Thus, whoever reproaches another for a sin confessed, is doing the terrible work of the accuser of the brethren; and he who will not acknowledge that another has been forgiven, thus reveals that he himself has not received forgiveness. With quiet confidence, with perfect assurance, may the forgiven sinner face a frowning world, going on from victory to victory, ever conquering self.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?” “Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”
May the following words be our experience not alone in the day of judgment, but now and forevermore:—
“Bold shall I stand in that great day, For who aught to my charge shall lay, While through the blood absolved I am From sin’s tremendous curse and shame?”

Like and Unlike

By Philip Giddings

PHILIP GIDDINGS
How alike some people seem to be, who are, however, so unlike!
In the fourth chapter of Genesis we learn that Cain, going out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelling in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden, begat Enoch, who begat Irad, who begat Mehujael, who begat Methusael, who begat Lamech, who was the first polygamist on record, and who like his progenitor, slew a man. In the fifth chapter we read that Seth (in place of Abel, who was killed) begat Enos, who begat Cainan, who begat Mahalaleel, who begat Jared, who begat Enoch, who begat Methuselah, who begat Lamech.
The Lamech who took two wives, and killed a man, was a very different individual from the Lamech who was the father of Noah. The Enoch who walked with God was not that Enoch who dwelt in Nod, to the windward of God’s appointment. And while the ages of those of the one list are given, of the other no account is made, as if their mislived years were not worth the counting.
There are those called “my disciples,” and those who “draw away disciples after them;” those who go in the path of the Lord’s commandments (Ps. 119: 35; Matt. 15: 3), and those who travel in the bypath of man’s tradition. The way of God ought to be God’s all the way. “Bethel,” the house of God, should be God’s chapel and court—not Jeroboam’s. Amaziah, having departed from God, must be displaced and replaced by Amos, who will take the “plumb line” message “in the midst of my people Israel.”
“Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.” See Amos 7: 7-15.
Thus, too, must Israel stand—like Israel’s God—on plumb line’s straightness, with plumb line in his hand.
For “judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” Isa. 28: 17; Eccl. 12: 13, 14; James 2: 10-12. From any given point outside a straight line, only one perpendicular can be drawn to the straight line; all other lines are oblique. There is another wall being built not true to center, and daubed with mortar not tempered. There are men “that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing,” who “have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord,” who “have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.” This wall, the builder, and the dauber of it, shall fall. Eze. 13: 1-16.
Though we sit in the same pew, and be called by the same name, yet it is still true that “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” Rom. 9: 6. We may even preach the truth, but unless it be found also where God desires it,—“truth in the inward parts” (Ps. 51: 6),—the truth on our lips is turned to a lie by our lives. “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. . . . For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, . . . but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; . . . whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Rom. 2: 17-29.
It is not enough to have the plumb line in thy hand; it must guide thy feet on the wall built by it. Thus, standing on the wall, a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.
Unless Gehazi’s feet be found with his master’s, with Elisha’s staff in Gehazi’s hand merely, the Shunammite’s “child is not awaked.” 2 Kings 4: 29-31.
Gehazi was in office to Elisha as Elisha had been to Elijah; and yet you know the difference in successorship: the one succeeded to the double portion of the spirit of his master; the other, seeking after Naaman’s lucre, gained it, but with the leprosy attached. See 2 Kings 2; 5: 20-27.
And so there was Judas, and another Judas not Iscariot: the one who by transgression fell from the ministry and apostleship, whose “bishopric let another take,” Judas who traded away his Lord; and Jude the servant of Jesus Christ.
There is a Lamech and another Lamech; Methusael and Methuselah; Mehujael and Mahalaleel; Irad and Jared; Enoch and another Enoch; Cain and Cainan.
There have been the Cain line and the Abel line of worshipers from the start: “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. . . . But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Gen. 4: 3-5. “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” Gen. 4: 4.
But why this difference? “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” Heb. 11: 4. And “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10: 17. One took God’s way, making an offering by the shedding of blood; the other took his own way, without the blood, and finally shed his brother’s blood.
You may worship, but in vain, unless you be and do how and what God says. Matt. 15: 8, 9.
Remember, Adam’s oldest son, Cain, brought an offering unto the Lord, which the Lord did not respect. And the warning is given to worshipers away from God’s plumb line: “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain.” Jude 11.

How Can the Lack Be Supplied?

By Mrs. Bertha Shanks Chaney

MRS. BERTHA SHANKS CHANEY
It is by no means an infrequent experience for those who are urging forward the church school work, and planning for its support and equipment, to hear that the children who attend do not make the progress that they ought, that the expense for tuition is money spent “for that which satisfieth not.” Certainly no more serious complaint could be brought against any school than that of being inefficient.
But, did we but realize the real facts, it is by no means our church schools only that are criticized for failing in their purpose. Writers of prominence, men to whose voice the world listens, frequently call attention to the fact that the education which the vast army of children in the State schools are receiving, is failing to train the pupils for their life work. The schools are ineffective, they say. Some give one reason, some another, for the failure. It is, however, the complaint of inefficiency that is brought against the public school and the private. These things bring a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety to those of us who have sons and daughters whom we are educating for the Master’s work.
In looking for a solution of the problem of how this lack is to be made up, let us first ask what an education ought really to do. The following sentences have been chosen from an article by Dean Russell, as a reply to that question: “When you ask me what counts most in education, I have no hesitation in putting to the front good health. Most of the responsibility for good health rests upon the parents. More and more this care is being shifted to the schools by both careless and ignorant parents. . . . The next desideratum is proper manners and morals; in a word, suitable habits. . . . The next vital thing in the education of anybody, man or woman, is the ability to engage in useful occupation. . . . This leads me to my fourth point — the appreciation of what is best in life.”
Could you choose better foundations for an education — good health; good and to character, good sense, a rooted and grounded love of truth?
It lies within the power of parents to make up what the schools fail to do. The home is primarily the great educational center, and it is because so much of the responsibility that belongs there has been shifted onto the schools, that they have failed to do all the work laid upon them.
Too little interest is taken by parents in what their children are getting in the school. They troop off, up the street or along the country road, and house-mothers are glad to be rid of them,—glad to have them out of their way for a few hours of the day. There is always plenty to do at home, and it is far easier to get it done, with restless hands and feet and noisy voices absent.
But what the children are learning or failing to learn is quite outside the knowledge or care of the parents. Too often the schoolroom is a foreign land to the parents, and its language an unknown tongue. This is one very vital reason why the schools are inefficient. There is no cooperation between home and school.
There is no question that the child whose school work is followed up at home is the one who makes the best progress in his studies, other things being equal. There are a number of ways by which a mother can keep herself in touch with the daily work of the school. Children should read aloud every day at home. Perhaps there is no other one thing that the mother can do at home that will be so helpful to her boys and girls as to have them read over some of their lessons to her each day. In this there is wonderful opportunity for giving help. A good expression in speaking and reading may be attained. New words are met with, which need to be correctly pronounced and simply explained. But, above all, the reading to mother brings out very pleasant and helpful discussions of what has been read. This discussion of lessons and school work brings one of the rarest opportunities for a mother to keep acquainted with the fast-growing young minds.
Reading aloud is one way of helping at home. Further, where it is in any way possible, there should be some drill at home of the memorizing work, such as Bible texts, lists of names, a list of dates, the multiplication table, or the tables of mensuration.
This keeping in touch with the children may be and certainly is a help to the boy and girl, and indirectly an aid to the teacher; and the father or mother will find it a wonderful education, if time and pains are taken to do it. The mind of man is the greatest thing God ever created, and to be able to watch over and assist in its development through the stages of babyhood, childhood, and youth is a rare privilege.
In the first few months and years of baby days, the whole family, indeed the whole neighborhood, take an interest. Each new word or trick, every little bit of progress, is wonderful. But when the little one goes to school, then the interest dies, and it is left for one teacher to watch over and urge on the advancement of all the children of the neighborhood. A prominent editor writes:—
“If you have a child in school, ponder well what it means to be there, and ask yourself how you can be of help. In proportion to the parents’ understanding and acceptance of their part in education will the schools be able to advance the children toward the life worth while.” San Fernando, Cal.

Wisdom of God and Wisdom of the World

By MRS. LUELLA L. HARMON

MRS. LUELLA L. HARMON
THERE is the wisdom of God, which he “ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew” (1 Cor. 2:7, 8), and there is the wisdom of the devil, which Eve in the garden of Eden chose in preference to the wisdom of God, when Satan made her to see that the forbidden tree was “a tree to be desired to make one wise.” Were Adam and Eve wiser after they had eaten?—No, a thousand times, no! They there exchanged the wisdom of God for the wisdom of Satan, or the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God.
The wise of this world have arrayed themselves against the true Teacher and his pupils, and call them foolish; but God says: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” He also says that the thoughts of these wise are vain, and that he will take them in their own craftiness. 1 Cor. 3:18-20.
With God as their daily teacher, Adam and Eve might have learned true knowledge day by day, as they walked and talked with him. He could have taught them truths concerning the worlds all about them that even to this day the wisdom of man has not searched out. He could have taught them all that man has since been seeking to find out. God tells us, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” All the things of earth are not to be compared to the true wisdom of God, which he alone can give, and will give, to all men who ask it of him in faith. Before man will ask wisdom of God, his heart must be right with God. He says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.”
God says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17. Again, before we can receive the wisdom of God, which is the only true wisdom, we must have the Spirit of God, “that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” 1 Cor. 2:12, 13.
Again, the psalmist says, “Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies” (Ps. 119:98): but those men who have the wisdom of the world do not believe these words. Searching God's Word to learn who are the truly wise and the really foolish, we learn that the commandments of God and the wisdom of God are close companions; that the really foolish are those who say, “There is no God,” and blaspheme his name, despising his wisdom, hating his knowledge and instruction, not obeying his word after hearing it, but living for this world. Such shall not stand before God, for their way is right in their own eyes, and they continually refuse the true wisdom of God.
Flint, Mich.

Why Christians Need Health

By D. H. KRESS, M. D.

D. H. KRESS, M. D.
“I WISH above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health.” In God’s sight there is nothing more essential to those who have given themselves to him than health. For this reason above every other, he wishes us to have this blessing. When we give ourselves to him it is for the purpose of serving him. To all to whom he says, “Come unto me,” he also says, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples.” In order to do the most effective work, it is necessary to have health; for it is what we are more than what we may say that influences men and women to turn from darkness to light. It is the spirit we manifest, rather than the words we utter, that God uses to make favorable impressions.
Jesus came to this world to reveal to its inhabitants the character of God. He was Immanuel, or “God with us.” As he went about doing good, healing all who had need of healing, blessing little children, comforting those who mourned, giving to them the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness, he was merely expressing in his life God’s thoughts toward all his creatures. As he was, so are we to be in this world. We have been called from darkness into light for but one purpose—“to show forth the virtues of him.”
When he said to his disciples, “Go ye into all the world,” he also said, “Heal the sick.” They were sent forth, not to make converts by arguments which appeal only to the head, not as wolves in the midst of other wolves, but as lambs in the midst of wolves. While they were to be as wise as serpents, they were to be as harmless as doves. In other words, “the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all.” The gospel worker must be a gentle man or a gentle woman, in order to make converts to Christianity.
To be gentle and considerate or to manifest Christlikeness, it is helpful to be in health. It is difficult, to say the least, for a dyspeptic, for instance, to be always as pleasant and agreeable as he should be, or to make the most favorable impression on those with whom he may associate day by day. It is difficult to have harmony in the mind and war in the stomach at the same time. A sweet disposition and a sour stomach are seldom associated. Many an irritable, nervous, impatient, disagreeable person is so because of some physical condition. He is disagreeable, not because he does not pray enough, but because he is sick. Prayer is essential in the Christian life, but health must not be ignored. Many an irritable woman has great difficulty in revealing that tenderness and sweetness in her home which she knows she should. Possibly she does not need so much to pray more, as she needs medical counsel. Many a husband is coarse, harsh, and unreasonable. Perhaps he needs to pray more, but in addition to spiritual help he may need medical advice.
When ill with rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, or sick headache, we go to the doctor for advice and help; but strange to say, when we are nervous, irritable, impatient, we think all that is necessary is to pray more, when often the same irritant which causes the pain in the head, joint, or muscle, is responsible for the nervousness, irritability, and impatience.
What we eat and drink has much to do with what we are morally as well as physically. It is unreasonable for a woman to pray, “Lord, help me to be more patient with my children,” so long as she depends upon her cup of tea. Tea drinking, possibly more than anything else, is responsible for nervousness among women. It is equally inconsistent for a man to pray, “Lord give me true refinement and Christian courtesy,” while subsisting largely upon a meat diet, and depending upon his after-dinner cigar or pipe for comfort. Patience and tea drinking do not as a rule go together; they are incompatibles. The same may be said of beer drinking and riotous eating of flesh, and true Christian refinement and gentleness. Elevation of morals is difficult, if not impossible, without the correction of the physical habits.
The gospel of Christ exerts a refining influence. It does not leave men and women where it finds them. Conversion marks the beginning of the Christian’s career; it enables one to enter the school of Christ as a learner. While faith is an essential all through the life of the Christian, it is not the only virtue for which we must strive or pray. The apostle says, “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience.” Knowledge, temperance, and patience come in their rightful order here; one is the outgrowth of the other,—knowledge of the human body, its needs, and how best to glorify God, and then temperance in all things. When these two steps are taken, the third one will not be found impossible or even difficult. But temperance must precede patience.
True temperance means self-control, or mastery of the body with its passions and desires. The Greek athletes practiced temperance that they might win a corruptible crown. The crown which is incorruptible cannot be obtained without temperance. In referring to these athletes, Paul says, “They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” Of himself he says, “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” It is easier for one who is in health to be in possession of self-control than for one who is in an abnormal physical state.
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