mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;
forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Col. 3:
12, 13. Such a life is a heavenly life. Think these words over and make
them your experience today. Have bowels of mercies--that yearning,
longing, compassionate feeling that would gladly bring every offender to
Jesus for forgiveness. Be kind. Oh, the power of kindness! It can not be
resisted; it conquers wherever it goes. This cold world knows no music so
sweet as kindness; it charms and delights the ears of all. If you would be
kind in word and act, be kind in thought. Be humble in mind. Think well of
others and not so well of yourself. Life will flow on peacefully and
easily if we are humble; nothing can disturb. Be meek, sweet, and mild
tempered. Bear long with the failings and weaknesses of others, carefully
considering your own and keeping in mind how you would like to have others
bear with you.
"And above all these things put on charity; which is the bond of
perfectness." Col. 3:14. Throw the mantle of love over every act and
thought in life. Love purely, love sincerely, love fervently. Nothing is
so great as love. All the graces have their seat in love; you can not be
compassionate, kind, humble, meek, or forbearing without love.
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts." Col. 4: 15. Let the peace
of God act as umpire, deciding every case. Let it have the ruling power in
your heart and life today and every day. Whatever matters may arise, let
the peace of God take it in hand and dispose of it. If it shows any
resistance, then let the peace of God cast it out.
"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know
how ye ought to answer every man." Col. 4: 6. "Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use
of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Eph. 4: 29.
Have a pure speech, made mighty by the grace of God. Be sober without
gloom, be serious with cheerfulness. Have such a conversation as is suited
to lift hearts to a higher plane. Your words should be such as to make
better those you talk with and make them feel that there is something
higher for them.
"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:16. Time is more
than money; it is life. Do not waste it. Improve its golden moments today.
Be economical in its use. Many complain of not having time for devotional
reading and for prayer, while if they would examine carefully, they would
find that they trifle away as much time as would he needed for prayer each
day.
"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Eph. 5:21. This
is beautiful. Submissiveness is a desirable grace and one that will strew
your pathway with peace. How blessed it is to be always ready to give up
our way! It is the easy way. We shall find life's way a hard road to
travel if we are always wanting our way.
"Be careful for nothing." Phil. 4:6. "Casting all your care upon him; for
he careth for you." 1 Pet. 5: 7. "Take no thought for your life, what ye
shall eat or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put
on." Matt. 6:25. The Christian life is one of freedom from anxiety. Jesus
will bear all our burdens, and cares if we will but cast them on him.
There is no need to worry nor to bear a load of care. A certain brother
was much troubled about not having bread for the next meal. But while he
was troubling himself and bearing his load, a man drove up and unloaded a
barrel of flour at the door. All the time the brother was troubled, the
barrel of flour was on the way. Take no anxiety for future things.
"Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." Psa. 4:4. Each
evening in some quiet place and with interior stillness talk with your
heart and let your heart talk to you. Take a distinctive view of your
inward life. You need to be very careful lest you outwardly appear to be a
little more than you really are inwardly.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me." Gal. 2:20. Is it true? Does Jesus live in you? If you are
smitten upon the right cheek, does Jesus then live in you? If you are evil
spoken of, misrepresented, misunderstood, neglected, dispised and
forsaken, does Jesus live in you then? If you see your brother in need; if
you have two coats and he has none, does Jesus live in you then? There are
some in prison near you; there are those who are sick; there are those who
are thirsty and hungry; in foreign lands there are heathen that know not
God,--are you sure Jesus lives in you?
"Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I can not
perceive him: on the left hand, where he doth work, but I can not behold
him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I can not see him." Job
23:8,9. This may be your experience some days. In fact, if you are making
progress and at all approaching maturity, you will have such experiences.
Some dear conscientious Christians become much troubled because they are
not more conscious of God's presence. They do not feel him, and thus they
conclude they must be very formal. I have always believed and taught that
we should have a consciousness of God's presence with us; I still believe
and teach it; but I must admit that the most spiritual ofttimes can not
perceive God on either hand. They may fear that they are lifeless, because
there is not a fresh and sweet spontaneous feeling in their souls. It
seems to them that they merely go through the form of worshiping God
instead of being in the Spirit. They pray, but their prayers seem to have
no depth of heart. In consequence they may be troubled. They need not be.
We are not necessarily lukewarm because we do not feel God. The most
humble men are those who are least conscious of their humility. The
greatest of men are those who take no note of their greatness. The
Christian has life; but when we get in the habit of living, we are not so
conscious of life.
Let me illustrate the point in this way: Suppose your weakness to be
selfishness. You struggle hard against that selfish principle; you notice
that you are becoming more unselfish; you are conscious of it because you
have had to put forth such effort to attain it; but after you have gained
the victory and have become habituated to living an unselfish life, you
will be less conscious of your unselfishness. The musician is not so
conscious of his skill after he has mastered the art as he is while
learning it. Those who are the meekest and have the most intimate converse
with heaven, diffusing a fragrance round about them from their holy lives
and seeming to be visitants from some world where there is no sin--these
are least conscious of their high spiritual attainments.
Live a holy life, obey the commandments of God, have a will to serve God,
and if sometimes you do not feel him nor perceive him, do not be troubled,
but consider that he knows the way you take and that when he has tried
you, you shall come forth as gold.
"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." Rom. 12:10.
Brotherly love is precious in the sight of angels. It is the most
convincing proof of the Christian religion. "By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another." But in
addition to brotherly love there should be kind affection. This is love
felt and expressed. There are those who really love, yet whose nature is
such that they do not feel much love. Kind affection, like every other
grace, is capable of cultivation.
"In honor preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer." Rom. 12:10-12. These words contain depth of
experience, but only by prayer and deep meditation can we descend to their
depth.
But we must close by referring you to the whole of the Bible. It is a holy
book, yea, the holiest of books. A life in harmony with its precepts is
the holiest life. Such a life will grace the earth and shine as a star
forever in heaven. Cleave to the Bible, study its pages, appropriate its
truths to your own heart by faith. By living upon the Word of God, we
become more like God. Heavenly words taken into the heart form a heavenly
life.
Let your soul be fed each day from the blessed Book of God. Take the time.
Drink deep into its pure, crystal stream, and the beauty of the Lord will
grow upon you. Watch the little things in every-day life--the thought, the
word, the act--until you bring the whole of your life into the habit of
acting godly. Be as kind as you can be today, and you can be kinder
tomorrow. This is for the Christian. We do not become Christians by
growth, but we must grow after we become Christians. We can be more
patient tomorrow by being as patient as we can be today. We can be better
men tomorrow by being our best today. We grow as we live. If we live the
right way, we shall grow that way, and the longer we grow that way, the
more natural and easy the way.
Therefore let your whole life flow out in a trend with the Bible, until it
wears a channel in holiness and Christian character. Gather food daily for
your soul from the sacred page; live in the most intimate communion with
God that is possible; meditate in his law day and night; let the love of
your heart grow warmer; let life be the holiest possible. Do this, and you
will be one of the jewels God will gather to bedeck the temple of the
skies.
A tender blue is in the sky
As sets the golden sun;
Another day is passing by,
And thus the moments run;
The song-bird's note is soft and low,
Flying to leafy nest;
In evening's peaceful twilight glow
All nature sinks to rest;
The fields are wrapped in somber shroud
As fades the light of day;
A tender flush is on the cloud
Beside the milky way;
A hush is on this world of ours;
Day, dying, drops a tear;
Angels' hands unveil the stars,
Which one by one appear;
Now Pleiades grow sparkling bright
In deepening blue above:
O mild, serene autumnal night!
Thy voice is full of love.
Such sacred awe my soul doth fill!
Such quietness doth reign!
The Voice that uttered, "Peace, be still,"
Has whispered once again.
The silver bars that streak the West
Are short'ning one by one;
Another day has gone to rest,
And thus the moments run.
I've one day less to watch and wait,
My Savior's face to see,
Some day, and ope will be the gate.
Sweet heaven, I come to thee.
Oh, may it be when sets the sun
So peacefully and calm!
Oh, may I hear the sweet, "Well done,"
When evening sings her psalm!
* * * * * * *
It is a pleasant autumn eve;
The blue is in the sky;
My task is done; I take my leave.
Good-by, dear friend, good-by!
* * * * * * *
Dear reader, live alone for God;
Walk blameless in his blessed Word.
We may not meet each other here,
But let us live in Heaven's fear,
So when our work on earth is done,
We'll meet each other round God's throne.
Just one request I make of thee:
Until we meet, pray oft for me.