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H 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 IC it .. W\i nHHiSTIflK pEt^FECTIOH The Ordination Sermon at the Montreal Conference, Smith's Falls, J«< 2 ;nd, 9895, TILL we >ILL COMC IN THE UNITY OP THE FAITH, ANO OF THE KNOWLEDOm OF THE SON OF aOO, UNTO A FMRFECT MAN, UNTO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST. "-Ephes. iv., I3. Li BY THE REV. E. B. RYCKMAN, M.A., D.D. }^C\1 (Pul hcd by the Conference). 12 R mi This text, and the passage in which it occurs, speak of Christian growth, from its very beginning to its consummation — from the first least enlightenment of the Holy Spirit which results in conviction of sin, on through a genuine repent- ance wrought by the same Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, the renewal of the lieart by the transforming power of thti Holy Ghost, the sanctification of the nwiMvo w tko oaMno powror. preservntirin a.nrl enidance all along the pathway of life, a victorious death, and glorification in the preserr, of God. ft is my puipose to call your attention to two or three stages of th,/ growth. I desire to say a word on what we are accustomed to call " Entire Sanctification." The Montreal Conference, in some parts of it, has been, and is now, disturbed by certain irregular and undesirable movements. It has been affirmed that the ministers do not teach the right doctrine on the subject of Scriptural holiness, and that they persecute those who do. I speak in the name of God, and in the interest of truth and justice and honor. Surely we are not to be assailed and put to the worst on what, as Methodists^ we have been honored to regard, under God, as our special trust and mission, that is, •' to spread Scriptural holiness throughout the land." Surely, in calm deliberation one with another, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we shall be able to be of one mind on this question, and go forth, witii one clear and distinct voice to the magnifying of the grace of God and the discomfiture of gainsayers. And permit me most humbly to say that I regard this one mind and one voice as of the utmost importance. I may be the feeblest &nd most unworthy to lead in this deliberation, and it may be unfortunate that the circumstances make it necessary that the discussion this hour should be entirely in my hand, but let me have the sympathies and prayers of all the people, and more prayers than criticisms on the part of the preachers. Do not lie at the catch, brethren, and take me up for a word. I may not employ phrases in definition and description in precisely the same sense as you, but do not listen with a captious ear ; let us try to understand each other, and we shall find ourselves in delightful harmony, and God, even our own God shall abundantlj' bless us. St. Paul tells us in this passage that the whole system of Gospel agencies is for the perfecting of the saints, that is, t'le holy ones, for that is what the word " saints" means, and the phrase covers all possible degrees of holiness, from the least beginning of Christian life to the perfection of Heaven. He tells us that the perfecting process is not to stop this side of entire Christlikeness, for we ; re to grow until we become altogether like Him, our Head and Pattern. The per- fection of which this text speaks is not, therefore, realizable in this world. Our growth is a continuous process covering the whole of Christian life, a progressive work carried on steadily in the soul, from the time of our first turning to God ~B^< 1\ A tumt ' 'ii^'*^^ until we pass up to Rlory, and not till then is it completed, for St. John savs Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yot appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear wo shall be like Him for we shall see ?T^T^^^^ }^-" ^^^ ""^'^ ^® ^'^""^ ^" ^'o'^ before God and our own eves behold the glorious vision shall we reach the stature of perfect men in the sense of this rext. 1* ..-^^^istian growth on the Divine plan is a perpetual putting away of the old self-life, and putting on, more and more of the new life in Christ. Before men are qonyerted they are selfish-self-centred. Everything revolves around that little point of self. The human race is a million-fold reflection of self. Human tendencies and inclinations are toward self-assertion and self-gratification Iheseleadtoan attitude of rehellion against God and to many acts of direct disobedience, but for that the unrenewed heart feels no concern. But when the time comes when a man wakes up to the wickedness, meanness and danger of ^u mu°"^^®' '^^^^ ^'^ ^^^^ ^° ^°^ "^ surrender to Thee ; henceforth I will obey Thee, ' God accepts the offering and gives, as we say, a new heart, that is, a new love comes m ; a love for Jesus and righteousness takes the place more or less completely of the old love of self and sin. This love becomes to a greater or less degree dominant in the soul, holding in subjection the self-love with its tendencies to self-gratification. The trend of life is changed. It is switched on to another track and put on the up-grade instead of the down-grade. Heavenly influences, instead of earthly, now control the soul and the life. Just here comes in the natural query why the work thus done in the soul of the penitent sinner is not absolutely complete, why all of self is not at once driven out, and the perfect image of Christ formed within. The answer is easy. and full of instruction, God's way of salvation for men, inasmuch as they are free agents and responsible, requires in all its parts the co-operation of two factors— the divine and the human. In order that therpi hn a pwiaat. worU it in rinf. Rnonali <-Vi«.t. fclu divine factor be perfect. God is limited and restricted in the work He would do for men by the imperfection of their capacities and powers. We need not shrink from this assertion for when our Lord was on earth He could not do certain mighty works for certain people because of their unbelief. God is not ablo to do for man what He would like to do because of man's weakness and disability. This disability varies greatly in different individuals, and from this fact arises the great variety of results obtained in conversion. Some are greatly more changed than others, not because they have a more powerful Saviour, but because they are more responsive to the Saviour's power, and more successful in adjusting themselves to the conditions of His grace, Some far more clearly and fully than others apprehend the love of God in Christ, and the effect produced by the revela- tion of God's Son in them is just in proportion to the clearness and fulness with which they apprehend that revelation, or take in and lay hold of that wonderful, wonderful love. If the sinner could perfectly apprehend Christ at once, he would become at once perfectly like Christ. But no sinner can do this, there'" j God has to content himself with bestowing simply what the sinner is able to idceivo. It may be little, it may be much, in no case is it all. The penitent believer means well, does well ; does as well as he can, as well as he kno^.s how ; otherwise he would not be accepted. But because of his necessarily imperfect enlightenment and empowerment, his consecration and faith are necessarily imperfect and partial, and what God does for him at that time is also partial. The fact is, such is our nature that God is obliged to proceed with us in this gradual way, leading us along step by step as we aro able to go, and to give intelligeYit co-operatton with the work of Divine grace. When a person has been fitted by great foregoing advantages of one kind or another, to receive a large degree of spiritual enlightenment, and that enlightennient is followed by a correspondingly , thorough consecration and faith, he will experience a greater work than he would if such conditions did not exist. This is precisely the reason why, in some eases, the work of conversion is so much more satis- factoiy than it is in others, why so much greater change is accomplished, so much less of self lingers after it, and so much more of Christ is put on . But in no case is an absolutely complete work done, because in no case is it nop :m< th.".t tliftre .°.hould be absolutely complete enlightenment tog^tber with | x. It. John says, ivhat we shall r we shall see )ur own eyes n in the sense ^ay of the old Before men around that elf. Human gratification, acts of direct But when the nd danger of leforth I will art, that is, a )lace more or » a greater or love with its I switched on Heavenly ne in the soul s not at once 3wer is easy, e agents and s — the divine inerVi t.Vi».t. fcbc He would do ed not shrink ot do certain ot ablo to do ad disability, lis fact arises greatly more , but because I in adjusting ad fully than )y the revela- [ fulness with at wonderful, ice, he would jhere'' j God lie to receive, eliever means otherwise he nlightenment uperfect and d with us in o go, and to hen a person er, to receive t is followed experience a is is precisely h more satis- implished, so put on . But 10 case is it togptber with an absolutely complete apprehension of the divine love. The new life, therefore, is a mixed experience, an inward war betwee* the new principle of love just planted in tne heart and still surviving evil ; and that this is so, is abundantly artested by the universal consciousness of young converts, as well as oy that of " old babes in Christ " who have remained in spiritual infancy. Tie question now arises " How long is this war to go on, how long is this mixed experience to continue?" Some say "till death." These maintain that there can be no such thing as perfection in this life, that the best Christian exper- ience is described more or less accurately in the 7th chapter of Romans, where it is said "when I would do good evil is present with me," "the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not that I do-" Many Protestants, therefore, hav« taught a death-sanctillcation though sorely pressed to find, in all the Scriptures, a single proof text to support their theory, while the Roman Catholics, with the help of Plato, have invented a poit moHem purification for curable souls in the fires of purgatory. And that was the state of Christian thought on this subject when John Wesley began his ministry. The providential promoter of that great revival of spiritual and experimental religion, which gave an upward impulse to universal Christianity, applied himself to inquire earnestly into the extent of gospel salvation possii)le in this life. While pondering tliis problem God came to his help by raising up hundreds of unimpeachable witnesses, whose saintly lives, consistent in divine holiness to the end, confirmed their unanimous testimony to a complete and instantaneous deliverance from indwelling sin. After a p tient and thorough questioning of these witnesses, and study of the Holy Scriptures, and after a personal experience, as consistency and truth on the part of Wesley require us to believe, he began earnestly to preach and to defend against all opposers, the doctrine of Christian perfection attainable in this life by faith in Christ Jesus ; *udhe came to regard this doctrine, exhurrod from the rubbish of ages, as " the great depositum committed by God to the people called Methodists." Now, what precisely — precisely as we can state it — is the doctrine of Christian Perfection ? I have referred to the Perfection in the text as Perfection in glory. St. Paul speaks of the same thing in another epistle. In Phil, iii, 8-14, he pours out his ])assionate desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and that he might attain i;uto the resurrection of the dead. He says, " Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am a])prehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the ])rize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And what was this prize? Perfect manhood; entire Christlikeness ; which cannot be reached this side the resurrection. But, surely, there is another kind of Perfection recognized in the Bible, for in the very next sentence to the one I liave ju,st (juoted the Apostle says, "Let us tliorefore, as many as be perfect, be thus mivuled." He has just said that he was not yet made perfect. Now he claims that he is perfect. Could anj'thing make it plainer that there are two senses, a higher and a lower, Iz which the word is vised ? There is a Perfection which is reached by growth ; there is another Perfection which is reached by grasp— the grasp of faith — this is Christian Perfection — the privilege of tlie Christian in this life. Now, how shall we best describe this state of grace ? Not by single words, not bj phrases, but by exhibiting its constituent elements. I vvould not call it the " second blessing," though my brotlier uses that term. I will not contend with him over a phrase. I know what he means. My desire is to get at the thing, whatever it may be called. But how easy it is to cavil at the phrase " second blessing! " How many say " I believe not only in the second blessing, but in the twentieth, and the hundredth." After all, there may be something very special in the second, or the twentieth as the case may be. I take it that our Christian progress is both continuous and spasmodic, like that of the vessel in that canal. It sails along smoothly until it runs into a lock. There it is shut in. Tumultuous waters are let in beneath it, and it rises. It is banged fend scraped against the sohd masonry but it rises. At length it is lifte,! to a higher level the gates open before it, and on it sails again in a pnrei ■ ir am^ bumped and bruised against the sides of the lock, turbulent waters lift t a 1 wl. n Its course ,8 again opened before it. it finds itself on a still hi^l n- eve vS still more glorious prospect. So are Cinistians voyaf^in' to tl,! better land. After a reason of delightful crogross they are shut up in tl.e . Imni er of sickness or in some other lock of troubles, but: God's'waters are , e , ■, , buoying them up, and although their oxperieiu-es are rough and paii fu , , - are being lifted by the raging i^oods and tliereafter sail forward o^l a gh " level n a purer atmosphere and with a more glorious outlook upon the future Whe i lnY«TT.^ •^"other lock they go through the same experience again, d'so Go Ps locks bt them from level to level. Now, this may happen a liun.l I'ed thul 1 a all these experiences are quite consistent with this otlun- experience, nan^'e that at some one of these cm«.s, the blood of Chnst, through t,ith theVei , ' ^ cleanse the trusting soul from all unrighteousness. And tL is what is '.J- the second blessing. Brethren, let us not cunteiul about words. ' Nor would I describe Christian P.rf.vtiun by saying that it is loving f!.,d w.th all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and ou. neighbor a ou ^Iv That defin.tion ,s scriptural and true, and may be very usef.Tl if righth" appre- hended but I know scarcely another passage so familiar that is so frenueily niisundei;.stood and misemployed. When a person is under the ii.fluence of some overflowing joy he may think that he loves God with all his heart ; InU when Is emohons subside, he may find that the old love of self is not all destroyed, and s neighbors, who heard h,s professions when lie was very happy, wish that he would act with more of Christian consistency when not so happv. "This is the love of NmisiftoTov^^Tn^ >/'"'n'?r'")™""'''';,"^^' ""'-''^y ^'"'''^ ^'^^-^ with emotion. Noi IS It to love God w.th all he heart, that we be conscious of loving Him more than anything else. Every Clu-i«tia,i .loc-«, tl,.,t, but .-,umetlnieM U- ;„ tl., ,.„ ...e,.,( of his life that something secures a little share of his affectinii which should be excluded. As Charles Wesley expressed it. " 'Tin ivov.ic thrin denth my God to love A nd not 1111/ (Joil alone.' To love God with all the heart is to love God and uotliing else, leavin- no comer of the heart to be occuiiied by any love that is merely earthly. This is^m.t savin-'- that we are not to love our friends, hiLsbaiid. wife, parent, c'hihl ; lor we are conr- manded to love our neighbor— every one who stands beside us in the pallnvavs id life -and to do so is to love God. Nor would I call this grace '-holiness," for that term is too bioad and indefinite, nor "entire sanctitication " for that phrase means, at least, two distinct things, nor yet " entire coiis(>ciiition " because that means too little. Kome call it the "higher life," some " full assurance," while my own preference is for " purity of heart." But none of these terms serve any good ]uirpose except inerelv to in- dicate the subject we are discussing ; they all fall far short as detinitions. \Ve say therefore that this state of heart is to be known by its constituent elements. _ Now, what are the clear marks by which Chiistian Perfection is !*ent to a friend a casket whicli he himself cannot Ojien, containing something valuable, but what, and Aow valuable he is (piite unaware. \\ hen the cfuitents, precious beyond .ill anticipation, are disclosed to him, the iiuestiun may well occur ,'^< sA'Vfad^tLtf oi J t is lifttMl to a purer air and iiul wliile it is ft it, and wlicn V level with a :'"K to the 11 tlic cliaiiibci- dcni.'iilh tliem nful, yet they !i hi^licr level*, iiture, VVlieii , and so God's red times, l)iit nee, iiinnt'ly : thei'ein, iiiiiy lilt is vuintt \iy is loving f!()d ' as oui'sclvc s. riyjlitly apjire- so frequently uenee of some hut when liis •oyed. and his Hiat he would s tlie love of vith emotion . iig Him more icii should he 111^ no ('01 ner is ucii siixiu).;- V We ai'e cdui- I > pathways nf \ 0(i hroad and , two distinct | Some s not cost us our peace hecause it is not positive rebellion. It is not refu.sal to acceiit (jod's way, hut reluctance. This discord is brought to the consciousness of every young convert iiefore he h;is taken many steps in his new life by (|Ucstions tluit confront liim. Will that young man consent to ju'each the gospel? Will that young woman subordinate her interests and ambitions in society to the claims of the Lord Jesus upon her? Will that business man de-,ote a jn'oper ]iioportion of what the Lord may give him to the cause of religion and charity? The .stuil struggles to get its own concurrence in terms which God |)ro- poses. That struggle proves two things that it is a renewed heart in whicli the struggle takes plac(>, else there would be no stnh struggle, and that the renewed will is not ahVays at one with the Divine will. In the case of the perfect Ghristianthe struggle ceases. In all circumstances, of whatever character, the Divine will, in whatever forms, is known only to be instantly and cheerfully acci'pted and obeyed. Another chief characteristic is {lurity in th(> realm of the passions. The pas,-,Ionshave l)een so dejiraved that we are apt to think them essentially evil. But tlicy are an important ana valuaDle palt or our constitution. They are to be regulated and controlled, but not destroyed. Our Saviour had them -the same [lassions that we have, They may be puiji^ied ; and pui'ity iu the realm of tlie jiassions is. so far forth, entire sanctiticarion. As an illustrative sp(!cimen take auger, one of the most familiar. A man may have a liery temper that goes off like gunjiowder, so that often tliere is no time for thought or effoi't to control it. Its posses.sor has been accustoine regarded as unchristian ; but his head throl)B, his face reddens, and his franu' trenibles from head to foot with controlled, suppressed anger, He " doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin liecause he is born of God," and the next time he goes for cominnnion with (iod, with all his heart he praises God for the grace wliieh enabled him to contiol unruly passion and act the Christian part ; but at the same time he confesses with sluune and tears that angry feePng which arose iu his heart, whiidi he knew to be wrong, and wliich he i)assionately prays may be taken iiway. And it may be taken away -entirely ' removed, .so that he shall be able" to stand amidst the severest laovocations as Christ .stood amidst his per.secutors, with nothing ])ut the kindest words on his tongue, and nothing but the sweetest feelings in his hi'art. So may all the passions ln' pniilied and used only as God intended in His si'r\ice. Another mark of the pure lieart is the crueitixion and death of self. Oftentimes the regeiieratiMnan rccogui/es the are so many things that he must have, and it .so hard to make ends meet at the end of the year and keep out of debt, tliat it becomes ditHeult to give what seems to be his proportion. But when entirely sanctified ho gives liis tenth without an effort. It costs no more of calenlation than is necessary merely to sum up the amount. Aye, -he gladly gives more than a tenth rather than see the cau.se of God languishing and bleeding for lack of that whi(di he (;an supply. Self is crucilied and in no wav or degree con- flicts witli perfect love. Now, these three which T have thus unfolded— loyalty to God, purity in the passional nature, and the death of self— a«B only specimens of the clmractevistie elements of Cliriatian Perfection. Tlune are many otliers on which I have no timc^ to dwell : such as uninterrupted joy, unwavering faith, jjerfect jH'aee, and ail thei fruit of the spirit in unalloyed purity. We are to grow constantly towards theH(>l attainments, hut wo are to realize them hy a union of tiie faitli and of thel knowledge of tlie son of God. This is the doctrine of the Methodist church and, as we all hcdievo, it is ■■ in entire accord with Holy Scripture and with human exixnience. , Let us now follow up thie discussion of doctrine, by some statements of facts i and duties . I 1. There has never been any attempted, formal departure from, or repudiation of, tliis doctrine, hy any of the many Ijranches of Methodism that ever existed. Twenty-hve or more of these bodies were rejjresented in tlie two Ecumenical Conferences wliich luive been held, one in London, and one in Washington, at both of wliich the doctrine was as clearly reviewed and iisf strongly stated as by Wesley himself, and h(>artily endorsed l')y all the delegates. 1 And I affirm in the presence of all tiicse ministers and Cliristian j)eo|)le, and in the | presence of God also, that the Metliodi.st cluirch here in Canada, and the Montreal Conference in particular, do hold and teach this doctrine as it has been committed to us. i 2. So far as I know, all the numerous branches of Methodism make belief in \ this tenet and an avowed desire for its personal realization, a requisite for entrance 3 into the ministry. The (piestions that are asked are such as -these: " Are you ^ going on to perfection ? Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life V j Are you earnestly striving after it? John Wesley still stands at the door of ,J every Methodist Conference under the sliining sun of Heaven and asks these 1 questions of all who knock for admittance. i 3. This doctrine we must faithfully preach. Although it has jiassed | througli periods of neglect from .tlma to i-.ima, ^ulian «»-'B<«oncepti(ins, misuud'T- ^ standings and errors liave arisen, it has never lacked able advocates in oiirfe pulpits, and in our periodicals. Our zeal must not flag at a time like thel present. If we do not preach entSe sanctification certain things will assuredly j happen: ^ (a) EiTors will spring up. Any truth that is not preuclied will soon be controverted. Heresies will spring uji like weeds on ground that is not cultivated. If Methodist preachers cease to press upon the attention of their congregations what the Bil)le teaches in regard to tlie attainahility of a [aire heart, unscrijitural notions will lie sure to arise on tliat ground conipelliug tli(>ni to the task of clearing away the weeds in order to save the truth ilsclf from being lost sight of altogetlier. ' ■ (b) If we do not jireach this truth another thing will haiipen. It is said that history repeats itself. That is true, as the annals of the world declare. But if tlic Methodist pulpit becomes silent on this subject, if ministers and members no longer " press on unto perfection," Methodism must lose much of its old-time power, and '7.< J;^ history will certainly vnt rejieat itself. Let tlie in-eacliing of Entire Sanctitication jniss g into neglect, and IMethodi.sm will never sec anotjier Jolm Fletcher, or Mary Fletcher, | or Bramwell, or Stoner, or Carvosso, or Hester Ann Hogcrs, or Cookmnn of | Inskip. A great host of !»lethodist worthies would never have been heard of but :^ for the actualization of this doctrine. It is for you, my young brethren, to see te | it that Methodism does not deteriorate in your hands. | (c) If we do not proclaim this truth still another thing will hapjien. | Others will take up the theme. Other churches will stand forth as witnesses of ■ this great salvation. They are .doing so. I gwatly rejoice in tlio \videiun>i, disposition to recognize Christian Perfection under different names and forms qf expression. Methodists have found tliat their gri^at dqio^itum is not a iiatent right, that Christians who are afraid of our terminology may enjoy our salvatioi without jironouncing our .shibboleth, as Fletcher says, " like peojile eating hoii(|.\ in the dark," knowing its sweetness but not its name. But not all are afruii of our scriptural terms. Is it not of this very grace that Miss Havergal sings ? i 4. thousands proverb hf in some of teaching \ (a) pi'ofession ignorant, experience work of gi sanctiticat themselve of the wo experienc( unquestio Providenc to exercis( to ascerta and secuh all manne im])ossibl( foolish tl ministers baptism o (c) never sin. have not " Perfect, yet itftoweth Fniler evcrj/ day Perfect yet it qrnweth Dei-pPT all the v'ay," msm^- { i 10 dmractovistic I have no t,im<^| mcp, and all the j ■ towards tlu'H(>j iitli and of tlic all bollevo, it is temoiits of facts turo from, or Vlcthodisni that itod in the two n, and oni^ in viewed and as 11 the delegates, ople, and in the id the Montreal been committed » make belief in ite for entrance ese : " Are you ve in this life V at the door of and asks these it has ])assed | I: V time like the:S will assuredly j *' ^d will soon be il that is not, icntion of their lility of a i)ure onipellins tluMii uth ilsclf from It is said that are. But if tlie inbers no longer le power, and U.^ fl nctitication jniss g • Mary Fletcher. % or Cookninn of | en lieard of but ;^ 2thren, to see te y X will hapjion. | as witnesses of ' 11 tbo wideniufi cs and forms qf : is not a ])atent \v our salvation le eatiuf; honey' )t all are afraii Havergal sings ? 1 4. But there arfi dangors of which wo must bowaro. It is a proverb thousands of years old that " the corruption of the best becomes the worst," The proverb has hero one of its most deplorable illustrations. Fanaticism shows itself in some of its worst forms in connection with this subject, and wise and scriptural teachinp; will not always prevent the evil. (a) One of these exhibitions is found in inconsiderate and extravagant professions, some of them too shockinR to repeat. There are persons everywhere, ignorant, conceited, unbalanced, who will not allow anybody to relate an experience more remarkable than theirs. Their experience must- be not only a work of grace, but a vowlffid work of grace. If anybody tells a striking story of sanctitication, they will straightway tell one if possible more striking. They think themselves discredited if others can speak of higher attainments than they. One of the worst fanaticisms that beslime this subject is this vanity of extraordinary- experiences. (b) Another danger is fanatical notions of Divine Guidance. It is unquestionably the privilege of the Christian to be guided by the Spirit and Providence of God, but there are persons who cashier their common-sense, refuse to exercise any judgment of their own, refuse even to stiuly the Scriptures in order to ascertain the Divine will, but claim that they are directed in all things sacred and secular by the voice of God in their hearts ; and hence become the victims of all manner of fancies and hallucinations. In their most unreasonable conduct it is imi)ossible to reason with them. They follow their impressions and do the most foolish things; and their only answer to the expostulations and counsels of ministers and Christian friends is "God told me so." Whati they need is a baptism of common sense. (c) Another streak of fanaticism appears in the claim of some that they never sin. A favorite expression is " I am clean inside and outside." One says " I have not sinned for two years." Another will say " for five years," and one »«ri»ji ij!».<%«rii- »«i t.-ovitio* ^t tl»o %t. His example is one that whould he followed. But, on the contrary, the spirit of division is rife in some ((uarters, and the effort is Itein^ made, hy traducing our ministers, and members, and tlie whole church, to sow the stuids of dissension amc ■(? us. This work is not a now one. Ever since the day of Wesley, in Britain, in the United States and in Canada, the church, now and a^ain, has betui diBturbeil by extremists and " come-oulors " who have all been of this class of " holincHS people.' At the same time, we have reason for di'vout thauksp^ivinK that there are so m'any thousands of well-balanced men and women in the enjoyment and advocacy of evangelical perfection. 5, Finally, the reiiuisites for edifying preaching ou this theme demand our attention. They are, a thorough knowledge of Bible teaching, illustrated by persoiuil experience and the experiences of others; a knowledge of the history of the doctrine and of the errors which lie near to it ; an intellect acute enough to discriminate between a mere physical effect arul a spiritual maiufestation ; a spirit of great forbeat;ance and charity towards weak Christians and all those who do not see and think precisely as we do ; and, moreover, a view broad enough to see all the other essential doctrines of the gospel, and to give them their appropriate place and emphasis in the course of Christian instruction, instead of making a hobby of Cliristian perfection. To say, that an experience of this grace is absolutely essen- tial to its proper pi-esentation, would bo saying what John Wesley would rebuke, for his advice to his preachers was to preach it while they sought it, and to preach it until they obtained it. That great man would agree with me that a guide is better than a guide-board. Yet great, indeed, is the blessing, in a wilderness world like this, of an unerring finger-point toward the way that leads out into " the laud of corn, and winfl and oil.^! „ ., ,„, . • -,., ■ > ■:% There are crude and bungling advocates ol this grace who navm the (loo ■ trines they attempt to preach, who would drive believers to the fountain of cleansing instead of drawing them ; who would argue every believer, who does not here and now lay hold by faith on purity of heart, to the conclusion that his weak faith is a sin, and that he is not even a^-cepted of God ; who take Mt. Sinai for a pulpit and hurl thunders of the law against those whom God has not cursed. For there is not a th'-eatening in the whole word of God against an adopted son of God. Among the most foolish of foolish questions is " What would become of the happy, obedient child of God if he should happen to die bofore he was entirely sanctified i"' My brethren, and you, my young brethren, esijccially, who are this day or- dained to this ministry, we must be faithful to our trust. We must preach the fulness of Christian privilege and wo must not dispute. Our differences invariably arise on some ground of mystery — the nature of sin, the nature of depravity, tho degree to which entailed depravity can be removed in this life, etc., — and, certainly, it is profitless to contend about questions which none can answer. On all the important features of the subject we can bear a harmonious testimony, and that witness to the power of Christ to save to the uttermost will be followed by His' abundant blessing. ! ! 5,/ Rideau Record Press, Smith's Falls. ^SS^sj^f^KsJBRK't'^^i^BEK'*^ m^^^iw:^^^ « Ho was over of liolii.oaH." I. ch a love for )firi«iii(">. His tlu) Npirit of truducinK our ieiiHiouiimc 'a; Britain, in tlio (liBturlu'd hy of " lioliiicsH iuK tliut thcio njoyinisnt and \ lonio domand illuHtratcd by the liiHtoiy of te Dnoiigh to ition ; a Hpirit se wlko do not ,1^1' to H€'0 all iropiiatt^ place MR a hobby of lolutoly essen- vould rebuke, id to preach it guide ia better !S8 world like "the laud of ai'ra the a6o^ in of clean ainp; s not hero and reak faith is a • a pulpit and or there is not God. Amonj? )f the luippy, y sanctified i"' •e til is day ov- ist proiu'h the ces invariiiblj' lepravity, the md, certainly, ■. On ill! the lony, and that 1 lowed by His'