The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1913-11-28

of every tndividu-
al Christian believer in the present
time. God Is refining and purifying
every one of US who Is truly his
through faith in his dear son; and
the close of the old year and the open
ing Of a new one, is a good time to
consider some OF the ways in which
he does it.
l. He refines US by the example OF
that son. He sets him before US in
his word as one who was always we'll
pleasing in his sight. Obedient to his
earthly parents, faithful as a work
man at his bench, content In poverty
and obscurity, meek and lowly in
heart, kind and tender to his fellow
men, reviled, but reviling not again.
trustful, hopeful, loving, holy always
and without sin-as we gaze upon him
in his inspired portraiture in the gos-
pels, how we long to be like him, IL
we posses his spirit at all, what a
refining and purifying power there is
In the story Of his life!
2. He ref1nes us by his providences.
How wisely, how patiently, and how
lovingly God deals with us every one,
and how universally is 1t true as David
said, that his "gentleness" makes us
great e Samuel 22:36). Whom the
Lord loveth he chasteneth'' (Heb.
1850, but think what this Christening
has meant to all who have served him
Jacob, Moses, David, Daniel, Paul!
But these are joyous provi-
dences as well as grievous ones, and
they are refining and purifying too. It
was the great draught of fishes which
Peter did not expect, that caused him
to cry out: Depart from me, for am
a sinful man, Oh, Lord duke 5:8).
What do you know of this experience?
Can you look back over the past year,
and say the goodness of God leadeth
me to repentance? (Romans 2:4).
3. He refines US by his word. We
recall the testimony of the psalmist,
Thy word have hid in my heart,
that l might not sin against Thee
psalm 119:1D. The microscopy
prayer of Christ for his disciples,
"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy
word is truth" John 17:17. The
teaching of Paul to the Romans, where
he says (6:17. 49, God be thanked,
that We were the servants of sin, but
yet have obeyed from the heart that
form of doctrine which was delivered
you. Being then made free from sin,
We became the servants of righteous
ness" Where could we finu a clearer
statement of the refining power Of the
word of God? First, by nature, we
were servants of sin. Then, we heard
the word of God, "the form of Doctrine"
as Paul calls it, the message of the
gospel. This we obeyed, we believed
in him of whom it spake, and we be-
gan to inquire about his will and to
seek to do it. Immediately thereupon,
and in SO far, we became free from
sin. No longer did it continue to hold
the old power over US, but instead we
became servants of Righteousness"
Like our holy exemplar, we could say.
Il delight to do thy will. oh, God"
L.. He refnes US by his spirit. The
holy spirit is a divine person, the
same as the father and the son, and
he dwells within every true believer in
Jesus Christ. IF any man have not
the spirit of Christ, he is none of
his (Romans 8.9). His Office work in
the believer is to sanctify him, to
lead and guide him into all truth, and
to take the things of Christ and show
them unto him John 1913, 14). OF
course, this means that he uses the
Bible, the word of God, and hence the
necessity that in all our reading and
study of that word, we be continually
in prayer for the spirits aid. But,
oh, what wonders he works in such
a case! BE not deceived"; says
Paul to the Christians at Cornith,
neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers
of themselves with mankind, nor
thieves, nor coTetous, nor drunkards,
nor reyilers, nor extortioners, shall in
herit the kingdom of God And such
were some of you; but ye are washed.
but ye are sanctified, but We are justi-
fed in the name Of the Lord Jesus,
and by the spirit of our God" Il Cor.
6:9-11). What testimony, and yet
how often has it been repeated in the
history of the saints from that day
until this! Verify, God is a refner
and a purifier. Let us trust him. Let
us obey his word. Let us follow the
example Of Jesus Christ, and walk
even as he walked" Let US yield our
selves to his spirit, that he may be
glorified in us. Let the year that ia
just ahead of us, IL we live, and If the
Lord tarries, be one in which
"Our gold shall shine out with a richer
glow,
AS 1t mirrors a Form above,
Who bends Ger the fire, unseen by u.