The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-06

whole conception
seems to be out of harmony with the
gospel of salvation by grace. yet our
text appears to favor it.
1t will clear up matters considerably
to note the change of translation in
the Revised Version which instead of
saying, add to your faith" reads, "in
your faith supply virtue" etc. In 9TH
er words, faith is the root from which
all these graces blossom forth. They
are not entities to be added but flow
ers which will bloom If we care for the
root of faith. We shall notice these
graces in order.
First comes virtue" The root idea
of this word in both Greek and Eng
lish is manliness, vigor firmness,
strength of will. The thought is en-
bodied in hymn Mr. Sankey used to
sing with great effect.
Dare to be Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have purpose true
Dare to make 1t knownl
Such firmness is the fruit of faith
Men who have tried other cures for
enslaving habits, but in vain, have
found help here.
After virtue comes knowledge"
How appropriate that this should fol-
low virtue, for no man is more dan
gerous than he who has a strong will
but is not instructed in the use of it.
He is related to the mule rather than
to the ideal man. But the new spirit
which comes through faith in Christ
brings light as to our duties and the
word of God is found lamp to our
feet. (The knowledge referred to here
is practical rather than speculative;
we may not be told the dimensions of
heaven, but the way to get there is
made plain)
Temperance" or self-control, comes
next. What commentary on our ma
tional sin that the word suggests alb
stinence from drink! But it's meaning
is much broader, for our judgments,
our tastes, our speech must be con-
trolled,
Patience" may be defined as cheer
full or hopeful endurance. 1t Is far re-
moved from the stoical idea; it is not
the patience of the Indian at the stake,
but of the Christian who sings as he
suffers.
The next grace is goodness" the
fundamental idea of the word being
reverence toward God There Is q no
table lack of this virtue today. Would
that we could keep ever before us such
a revelation of God as is found In
Isaiah 40, where we see him holding
the oceans in the hollow of his hand,
weighing the mountains in scales, call
ing the stars by name, and accounting
the nations as the small. invisible dust
of the balance!
Following godliness is "brotherly-
kindness" or as the Revised Version
reads, "love Of the brethren" This Is
distinctively Christian, for those who
are near to Christ will love one an
other. Many young Christians have
been helped to assurance by the text
1--WE know we have passed from death
unto life because we love the brethren"
Finally, we have charity" or love
This is love to all men, in the most
general sense. Hence, Christians are
melted to do all that mere humanita.
rians will do, and morel
1t is to be noted In this cluster OF
graces, growing out of faith, that two
are active, virtue" and knowledge; =
two are passive, Temperance" and
"pahence;" one, goodness" has ref
erence to God; another, "brotherly love-
has reference to the church; the fast
"love," has reference to all mankind
How appropriate that they should be
just seven in number, for this is the
number of completeness
We cannot urge sufficiently that
these graces are not to be added. one
at time, but are to grow and develop
simultaneously, out of our faith Ia
Christ. Galatians 5:22 speaks not OF
the fruits of the Spirit, but of the
fruit" growing on the one cluster.