IF

HOLINESS AND GOD.

BY REV. S. R. DUNN, d.d.

F the God whom we worship and adore is holy, it follows that those "who worship Him in spirit and in truth" not only should be holy, but that, as a result of their believing and spiritual worship, they will become like Him. He that cometh unto God must not only believe that He is, but, also, what He is. It is a universal principle that the belief of a people, or of an individual, in a God, will transform both their character and their destinies. No human character rises higher than that of the God who is adored by him. The whole cultus of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, abundantly demonstrates this principle. If there were found men who rose above the general licentiousness and corruption of their age, and exhibited characters which the world has admired, they were those who had broken loose, in a great measure at least, from the superstitions and mythologies of their age and nation, and grasped, with more or less of clearness and strength, the idea of the unity and the spirituality of the-to them-"Unknown God." But the masses, whose conceptions of God often rose no higher than of "animal-headed divinities," were not only plunged into the depths of ignorance, but, also, of crime and impurity.

Taking these historical facts as a basis, it is comparatively easy for us to rise to the great truth uttered at the beginning of this article. It is one of the grand, eternal principles of God's word, that "all who are beholding with open faces, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." And we have not far to go to find the evidences of this fact. That word reveals God to us as a Holy Being, infinitely, absolutely holy, with none of the weaknesses, frailties, faults and crimes, with which all the gods of the nations are presented before us. That one great fact is the source of mightiest transformations to an intelligent moral agent. But that fact does not stand alone. Right alongside of it comes the further fact, that this Holy God commands His creatures to be holy also. Hence the marvellous associa

"Be ye

tion of the revelation and the command"Be ye holy; for I am holy." perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." So that, not only is it the legitimate-and in a sense, natural— result of the believing contemplation of the character of God, that men are made, or become holy; but there are all the inspiration and urgency of the Divine command to attain unto this character.

But these are not all the facts which enter into this great question. Were they all we would be discouraged in any attempts we might make to reach the ideal inspired in our souls by the revelation and the command. Another factor, wondrous in its power, almighty, indeed, in its agencies, is brought to our view-it is Redemption. There is no human being but who will realize in his yearnings to be like God, and in his efforts to reach his ideal state of holiness, that he is thwarted, held down, and often discouraged by his abnormal condition as a fallen. and depraved creature. His will power is not only debilitated, but often perverse; his affections are low and grovelling; his passions are corrupt and clamorous for their gratification; and his understanding is darkened. And all these conditions, in many instances, are intensified by indulgence in sin, and the legitimate and ordained results of positive transgression.

Admitting that, without the fact of redemption, man might desire and make efforts for holiness, which is hardly thinkable, how could he rise above his disabilities to the place which he would long to reach? But right here in the midst of his helplessness, ignorance, and vileness, and, in a word, of all his disabilities, the "Cross" comes in with its purchase and proffer of divine help, and its sovereign remedies for all spiritual ail

ments.

This very word, which contains the revelation of God, and the command of God, reveals, also, the redemption of God in all its plans and purposes, its agencies and promises. So that while man beholds in this "glass the glory of the Lord," and desires to possess its likeness, and sees in it the Divine command which convinces him of the necessity of its possession, he sees, also, the provisions of redemption which show him the pos

of

sibility of having this change, this transformation, wrought in his soul. It follows that all that is essential to the commencement and completion of the process is faith on our part in the revealed provisions and promises grace. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is," and He is always given where there is faith to receive Him, "we all, with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." It is therefore possible for all to be holy as they are required to be; because all can believe God's word and "receive the promise of the Spirit by faith," and under" the power of an endless life" may "stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." "In the flesh we cannot please God." "Under the law the good we would we do not; and the evil we would not, that we do."

"Under grace sin has

no dominion over us," but "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes us free from the law of sin and death," and we, as divinely authorised, "reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

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Christ for its forgiveness. When they are profoundly conscious that "all their righteousnesses are as filthy rags," that there is no soundness in them, that from the soles of their feet to their heads they are full of wounds and bruises and putrefying sores, which are not bound up nor mollified with ointment," they are then, as they think, in a truly saintly state, their humbleness of mind appearing so profound. In this state, as they think, the blood of Christ does not cleanse away, but covers over, their sins. Christ, as a healer, health-restorer, and giver of life, is an almost, if not quite, total stranger to their faith, because they have no idea of Him as the giver of such blessings. The visible indication of saintly virtue seems to consist, in their apprehension, mainly in a manifestation, by continuous confession, of the profoundness of their sense of sin. Hence the endless repetition of the same dull formulary : have done many things that we ought not to have done, and have left undone many things that we ought to have done. Hence the religious life of such individuals is little else than a dull monotony of fruitless confession of sin, confession from which, at length, the proper sense of sin dies out.

"We

Now, the saint life and saintly virtue, as God has portrayed them, do not consist in being dead and knowing it, and in continuously making the fact known to God, and the Church, and the world, in our confessions, or in being covered with "filthy rags," and "wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores," and making our state known, not only in our lives, but every time we are heard to pray. The true believer, as God has portrayed him, is one who was once dead in sin, as Christ was once dead for sin, but is now "quickened together with Christ" to a new and divine life, and who now "yields himself to God," not as one dead or semidead, but as one who is alive from the dead." He is absolutely prohibited thinking of himself, or "reckoning himself" any more, but as dead indeed unto sin (as Christ was once dead for sin), but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The true saint, when in Christ Jesus, has, as Joshua the high-priest had, "all his filthy garments (filthy rags) taken away from him," and "he is clothed

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with change of raiment," "fine linen, pure and white." His "wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores" also, are all healed, and he stands before God and the world in immortal health, "made every whit whole." That, Christian, is what God would have you be, and what you are privileged and required to be. The Saviour whom you believe not only pardons sin, but gives life, healing, "immortal health," and everlasting strength," to "them that come to God by Him." Let nothing hinder or limit your faith.

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A THOUGHT ON BIBLE READING.

BIBLE readings have become popular. They are modern, but not novel. The practice is a revival, not a development or new departure. It is as old, at least, as the days of Ezra and Solomon. Ezra read and expounded the Book of the Law to the people. In New Testament times, Christ Himself was the great expositor of the Word. Are we not told that "He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read " (Luke iv. 16)? The lesson was in Isaiah; and what a lesson! What an experience! Jesus did not hesitate to speak of it. He testified of His blessings-His spiritual baptisms and Divine anointing.

He read and spoke as follows: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke iv. 18). At this point He closed the book and sat down, and then said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." Thus He both appropriated the passage to Himself, and spoke gracious words to them that heard. We may infer from this example of our Lord, that the way to reap a reciprocal blessing is to preach the truth experimentally; to tell what has come to us as an incentive to others. Did not Jesus give another Bible reading on His way to Emmaus with the two disciples ? On

that occasion He expounded the Scriptures, and spoke burning words. But the richest lesson ever taught, even by the lips of Jesus Himself, was given on the Mount of Beatitudes, and that lesson is, to a very great extent, made up of Bible Readings and Expositions. The teachings of every true minister of Jesus Christ will ever be attended with such results as these, "opening the understanding of the hearers, that they might understand the Scriptures,' "their hearts," in the meanwhile, "burning within them," ing within them," "while He opens to them the Scriptures.'

Intelligence.

Work of God in Bradford.

L.

4, Rochester-square, Camden-road, N.W., February 12th, 1879.

MY DEAR DR. MAHAN,-I have recently returned from a week's special service in Bradford. Dr. and Mrs. Lowrey were there a week just a year before my visit. The many mentions of their testimony for Jesus as the Saviour of His people from their sins were very loving and grateful. Do you know the Rev. Henry Burton, B.A.? If you do not, you may remember his name as the writer of several very beautiful hymns recently set to music and published. It was through his invitation that Dr. and Mrs. Lowrey went there last year. And it was by him that I was invited this year.

He was amply rewarded in his own happy experience for the blessing he brought to the people through their visit, for at that time he came out clearly into what he delights to call "the rest of faith." A rest in work it has proved in his case, as in so many others. He speaks of rest. His people say he never worked so effectually before. He tells of freedom from the dread of coming before the people. They tell of the sweetness and preciousness of the messages he brings to them from the King. He rejoices in deliverance from fret and worry over his work. They glorify God for the precious fruits of the work he now does.

Mr. Burton says: "The great benefit of Dr. and Mrs. Lowrey's work here was the general uplift given by the Lord through them to the people." And some of the most intelligent amongst the men and women in the forefront, leading others into the thickest of the fight, expressed to me their deep thankfulness to God for their visit last year, as the wonderfully wise preparation for mine this year. Their sense of the wisdom and grace of God in this order is shared by me most fully.

The riches of God's goodness to them while I was amongst them will be seen by what Mr. Burton writes of the band meeting held the evening after I left. The power of the Holy Spirit

with Mr. Burton, in the mission services he speaks of having held the week following, will encourage all who read this to lift up their hearts in the name of Jesus for the fulfilment of the utmost hope of His servant in the yet "greater blessing at hand."

Mr. Burton says: "Our band meeting on Saturday evening was a remarkable one, both in attendance and spirit. It was full, and testimonies came free and fast. All were in the same strain of gratitude for the abundant blessings received during the services. Over a dozen testimonies were given, and when the time came for closing, and I asked those who had not had time to tell what the Lord had done for them, but wished to do so, to hold up their hands, thirty hands or more were uplifted. I confess I was myself surprised at the number of those who seemed to have come out into the clearer and more blessed light. We have arranged to hold a fortnightly meeting for the promotion of holiness, and I firmly believe that we are on the eve of richer blessings." "The work at Bingley," his mission work the week following, "has been very successful. The power of the Spirit came again and again upon us." after speaking of one's own incompetence to measure results, he adds, "I have seen more fruit this week than in all the previous two-and-a-half years. The Lord has indeed been my helper, and to Him be all the glory."-Lovingly yours in Jesus, W. E. BOARDMAN.

Then,

Work of God in the Cities of Brooklyn and New York, U.S.

THERE are precious revivals in progress now in Brooklyn and New York. I preach almost every night. Souls are being converted by scores and hundreds. There are meetings also every week in different localities and churches for the attainment of heart purity. The number who distinctly witness to the truth that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost, is rapidly multiplying. Dr. Woodruff, Pastor of Allen-street M.E. Church, and once your pupil in Oberlin, has just held a successful meeting of eight days in the interest of holiness.-In haste, yours affectionately,

Work in Madrid.

A. LOWREY.

MRS. FENN (Calle Real 12, Waldra, Cambiri, Madrid) has just forwarded to us a very interesting statement of the mission work in that city. Did our space permit, we should give this letter entire. We have room, we might say, but for the following extract: "With praise and thanksgiving we have closed another year of our little orphan work. Every real need has been supplied, there has been no serious illness since the beginning of the year; the order and obedience of the children have been satisfactory, and there have been proofs of the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of some of them. None have been taken from us through the intervention of our enemies, though two or three times it seemed as if the Mexican orphans would have been removed; prayer has been answered, and they are still under our care. We are also thankful for a Christian

Spanish 'mother' for the house, also for the help of our sister Miss Brolly (now Mrs. Payne) during the greater part of the year in this and other work. One child having died the first day of the year, and the two eldest having left for situations, we have received three new children, suitable cases, so that we close this year with ten, the same number as last.' Mrs. Fenn also reports encouragingly on the work of the Bible-women in connexion with the mission.

Mrs. Mumford.

FROM a letter recently received from this devoted missionary in Philippopolis, a letter dated Feb. 12, we learn that her new term has just opened under the most favourable auspices. She has now thirty-three scholars in attendance, and is to be joined by seven others within one week. Thus the number of pupils will then be nearly double what it has ever been before. Her family, which consisted of fourteen, will consist of twenty one when the new additions are made. The expense of furnishing her pupils and family with necessary food, &c., will amount to quite £6 a week. Will not our readers remember this devoted Christian worker, and her associates, in this wide and open field of usefulness, in their prayers and benevolent contributions?

Book Notices.

Life worth Living: Thoughts on Christian Holiness. By J. E. PAGE, Author of "Fulness of Grace," &c. Haughton & Co.

SHOULD any one enquire of us for one of the best treatises on "Christian Holiness," we should unhesitatingly name the small volume of 148 pages, entitled "Life worth Living." The nineteen topics under which the subject is treated of are very judiciously selected, and as happily elucidated. One topic the reader will never wish to forget, viz.: "Our Pentecost: Has it come?"

Won at Last; or, Memoirs of Captain George and Mrs. Hannah Smith, of Bridlington Quay and York. By their eldest son, the Rev. THORNLEY SMITH, Wesleyan Book Room, 2, Castle Street, Finsbury Square, and 66, Paternoster Row. pp. 141.

THE lives of the subjects of this Memoir were well worthy of being recorded, and the record has been very happily executed by one fully qualified by talents, filial love, and sanctified appreciation, to accomplish such a work. There are incidents recorded in the work which impart to it somewhat of a true romantic interest.

The Lay Preacher. A miscellany of helps for the Study, Pulpit, Platform, and Desk. Edited by Rev. F. WAGSTAFF. Third series, vol. iii., January to December, 1878. F. E. Longley, 39, Warwick Lane, E.C.

FEW individuals seem to be possessed of higher qualifications than is this Editor to obtain and combine materials for such a work as this, and a very important one it is. Those who possess themselves of this volume will be very reluctant to part with it.

MAY 1st. 187

FEAR.

"Perfect love casteth out fear." 1 JOHN IV. 18.

To personate a passion, fear is one of

the most troublesome and annoying devils known to Christians. He is almost omnipresent, and well-nigh omnipotent and invincible in his efforts to destroy the peace of believers.

He is first to assail, and last to ungrasp his hold. He is the bane of youth, and the spectre of age. He puts vinegar into the innocent sweetnesses of life, and plants thorns in the pillow of death. He converts plenty into a perpetual reminder of want and destitution by whispering" it will not always be so." He makes competence a grim precursor of poverty, and reverses in fortune a ghost of starvation. He stands at the gate of Gospel grace, and keeps the penitent at bay by flourishing the "black flag of no quarter." He intercepts the approach of the Christian to the fountain of cleansing, by the upheaval of mountainlike difficulties and impossibilities both in regard to the attainment and retention of holiness.

Thus the apparition of fear besets man from the cradle to the grave. What is to be done? Why, seek deliverance! When a man finds himself confronted by a foe, his first thought is, how shall I escape? If pent up and FORCED to face the dread alternative" destroy or be destroyed"his second thought is how shall I vanquish him?

So when a man finds himself afflicted with a painful disease, he spontaneously inquires, what will cure me? If he is dangerously poisoned, the question comes up instinctively, is there not an antidote ? No man thinks of submitting to the tortures and fatal consequences of bodily disorders until he is convinced there is no remedy.

Now, shall we not act with equal wisdom in regard to the distressing disease of fear? David took refuge in trust-saying "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." Ps. lvi. 3. His enemies were many, he says, who stood ready to" swallow

But I heard it said, is trust a fortress sufficiently strong to deliver me from fear? Yes, and I will tell you why. Trust interlocks with love, and perfect love casteth out fear. Trust and love, are allies, one of which will chase a thousand single handed, but the two united will put ten thousand to flight. Remember, it is the nature of perfect love to cast out fear. Love and fear are expulsive of each other. When perfect love comes in fear goes out. Love will not keep company with fear. It is above. Perfect love is health-fear is diseasethey cannot co-exist. Love is a thorough antidote to fear-an absolute neutralizer of its poison and pain.

It does not destroy the passion of fear, but takes away its power to torment. It converts an enemy into a friend and servant, changes the ghastly spectre of evil forebodings into an angel poised on the snow-white wings of exceeding great and precious promises.

Note, reader, the absence of fear is a test of perfect love. John says, "he that feareth is not made perfect in love." A pure heart is a fearless heart. "Charity hopeth all things." "Now our Lord Jesus. Christ Himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work" (Thess. ii. 16).

ASBURY LOWREY.

"THE COMING OF THE LORD."

THESE words are very frequently

uttered at the present time; uttered through the Press, from the Pulpit, in Christian Assemblies great and small, and in Ordinary Discourse. Whether the doctrine which these words are now very commonly employed to express is true or not, we do not, in this connection, venture an opinion. There are, on the other hand, three most distinctly revealed "comings of the Lord," one visible, and two invisible, comings about which all evangelical christians are agreed, and it is to these that we would now direct very special attention :