Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-02-08
The Growth OF the Spiritual Life.

The first access of faith comes when
we are willing to let God guide, and
the first glimpse of spiritual vision
when we see that Gods ways are the
best. 1t has been we'll said that In
most burdens there is a safeguard, in all
a duty, and in some the greatest hap
piness allotted to human existence.
This is a hard saying, and most of all
difficult to accept as applied to ones
self. 1t marks the royal road in which
Jesus himself walked, the way of hard
ship and of pain, for which the reason
is not made daily clear and the end is
distant and unseen. From the Lords
day to this it has often supplied the
first test, as it has always marked the
extreme attainment of the Christian
who has aspirations for divine com
partnership. The sources of spiritual
power are not in hiding the lovely
things of Jesus in the heart, as Mary
did, but in fellowship in his sufferings.
Inc second step Of attainment is to
cultivate serenity under discipline.
Many Christians bow in silence under
discipline which they feel they can
not escape. 1t is as the dull, patient
OK under the yoke. There is little in
it Of living faith. But when a Christ
ian has such confidence in the love of
God, such understanding of the way in
which God has helped him hitherto,
such restful faith in the promises, such
clarified vision of what is in store for
him in time to come that he accepts
in quietness and peace, even though it
be the sorrow that strikes to the heart,
or the disappointment, or the weary
toll, sometimes SO much harder to
bear than actual sorrow, then he may
know that he is surrendering himself
to the guidance of his Lord, and is
surely making progress in the way
which canont fail Of attaining a bless
ing. His path will be attended by no
ecstacy; he may have no leisure or
no heart for the joys of retreat:
his words of eXhortation to others may
be faint and stammering, and in the
day of the reaping of earthly harvests
he may have little to show; but for all
that he is in a sure path; he will be
all light to those who sit in darkness.
and a comfort and strength to many
who but for him would rebel against
God. In word the method of spirit
ual life is to be willing to be what we
are, and to do what lies before us.
because it is Gods appointments; and
in doing it faithfully and patiently we
are doing his will. There is no surer
promise than that to the man whom
the Lord when he comes shall find so
doing. The Saviors promise is to be
with us always; not that we shall al
ways be conscious that he is with us.
And the struggle after vivid conscious
ness of a divine presence may easily
become that unwholesome self-scrutiny
which dwells hard by hypocrisy, and is
the prolific mother of spiritual doubt.
God promises power, but a power that
is rather the privilege to be sons of
God than the mere force to do great
things. Our Lord said, Rejoice, not
that devils are subject unto you, but
ioIhCl lHdt yOuI HdIlGS are Wllll6u III
heaven. In the cry for a revival, are we
not in danger of forgetting this an
titheSis and of measuring our attain
ments by some visible result rather
than by the quiet assurance that comes
to the heart out of the heavenly in
heritance? AS preparation for unit
ed prayer and for earnest effort to
know what the will of God is with us,
that we may do it, it is well for
us to begin with asking, Am | not a
Christian? If that is doubtful let us
first of all make sure of it. 1t it is
not doubtful, and the voice in my heart
tells me that Christ is to me all in all,
then whatever | may desire out of the
fullness of his power of blessing | shall
begin by seeking to be established in
the serene faith that | am His and He
is mine. If, by his help, | can brace
up my will, binding it to the steadfast
SIX of patient, daily service and can
fix my desires on the quiet joys of the
spirit, rather than upon the passing
pleasures of the hour, know that my
prayer is already answered, and | am
attaining the growth my soul coyets.
Henry A. Stimson, D. d.