Standards of Life and Service

ctrine

hey may adorn the doctrine of God our

of a Full Salvation may be extended. I think I have found a good plan for helping the Kingdom forward, and I see it

ng which commends an apple-tree so much as the sight of the ripened fruit hanging from t

dornment we usually mean something more than necessary dress. The word in our minds usuall

s: 'To "adorn" is to set off to advantage, to add to the attractiveness, to beautify, to decorate as with ornaments'. Now that is exactly what the

works'-and be so influenced that they shall 'glorify your Father which is in Heaven'. That also was the

implying some system of theology, some stated creed, some definition of religious belief. But whilst

old. They had never heard about formulated creeds or theologies, but they did understand the duty of living up to their profession. They knew the importa

th of God, and live up to it. Tens of thousands have crossed the River who could never give you a definition of any d

er-'adorn' and 'doctrine'-and

od's government, and bring in the truth about His good guiding providence. We profess to believe in that. But the question is, Doe

. But can you say that your life of faith and victory is such that all who know you believe it, because they see you living a life

f Holiness. We hear about that; sing about that; most of you believe in it, and some of you proclaim it; but do you know what is really wanted? It is that you shall so manifest the spirit of

esus Christ. We not only point out how the rebel can be transformed into a child, but we show how a man's heart can be made pure, and his nature renewed by the indwelling Spirit. Delivered

by the Holy Ghost-that is the experience which we call

u all adorned the truth, and showed in your daily lives the power

t. Some of you could probably define the blessing as well as I can; but your duty is not simply to define or defend or explain Holiness, b

testimony. Personal testimony, coming from the heart, is always good and helpful; that is, to be able to say about any definite exp

perience of the people who were debating and contending and losing their tempers over the doctrine, and so it made no impression on me. Years after, my own heart was awakened, and desires arose in my soul. I be

ometimes the wording may be a little upside down, or some qualifying term be left out, or some exagg

and become like a faded flower or a moth-eaten garment, and then when you would fain speak you find the assurance about the blessing has waned. My word, therefore, to you is

tand the weather. It is too much like the painted sparrows sold as canaries-the paint comes off and the real nature of the bird is revealed. For instance, how can you ornament the truth if, after testifying here, you go out to gossip a

f on Sunday, and yet he was pretty keen during the other six days trying, i

t be the beauties of a happy, consistent char

ndorsement of the lip by the life is only equalled by the discount to the teaching caused by some inconsistent action or unfaithfulness in the teacher or professor. An angry word, even a flash of the eye, has been known to take the point

dinary life, in your loving consideration for other people, or in your patient endurance of inj

. Holiness means the possession of the Christ-spirit, the passion

tter qualified as a minister of blessing and Salvation to the poor dark souls around you. The love of souls is an essential feature of i

distressed because I see so many things about me that disfigure and discredit the doctrine'. You feel that you need a power which can give deliverance from the worldly spirit, the light and frivolous disposition, bad tempers, resent