The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-03-01

~ rbukut. ~ ruy
~ the least this
whole conception
seems to be out Of harmony with the
gospel Of salvation by grace. yet our
text appears to favor Il.
IL will clear up matters considerably
10 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 II 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. frmness,
strength Of will. The thought Is en-
bodied In a hymn Mr.. Sankey used to
sing with great effect.
Dare to be q Daniel
Dare to stand alonei
Dare to have . purpose true
Dare to make II known!
Such firmness IL 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 II.
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 a lamp to our
feet. (The knowledge referred to here
II practical rather than speculative
we may not be told the dimensions OF
heaven. but the way to get there ID
made plain.)
Temperance" or self-control, comes
next. What a commentary on our ma
tional sin that the word suggests alb
stinence from drink But its meaning
is much broader. for our judgments
our tastes. our speech must be con
trolled, (Here Is found one Of the Sc
crets Of greatness OF character; greai
men impress US by their reserve, while
little men put all their goods In thu
showcase.)
Patience" may be defined as cheer
full or hopeful endurance. 1t Is far re
moved from the stoical idea II Is no
the patience Of the Indian Mt the stake
but of the Christian who sings as b,
suffers. II grows out Of faith but Il
nourished by the hope Of Ctrist's Gp
pearing. for we read often Of "the pa
thence Of hope"
The next grace Is "godliness," tn
fundamental idea Of the word beinI
reverence toward God. There is nc
table lack of this virtue today. Woul'
that We could keep ever before US sucl
a revelation Of God as Ii found II
Isaiah 40, where We see him holdin
the oceans In the hollow Of his hand
weighing the mountains In scales, call
ing the stars by name. and accountin
the natioss as the small. invisible dus
of the balance!
Following godliness is "brotherly
kindness" or as the Revised Versio
reads, ''love of the brethren" This
distinctively Christian, for those VIII
are near to Christ will love one an
other. Many young Christians hav
been helped to assurance by the tex
1--WE know we have passed from deaf
unto life because we love the brethren.
Finally, we have charity" or low
This 10 love to all men, In the mos
general sense. Hence. Christians ar
melted to do all that mere humanits
rians will do. and morel
II is to be noted In this cluster q
graces, growing out Of faith, that tw
are active, virtue" and knowledge
two are passive. Temperance" an
'patiencs;" one. "godliness." has re
erence to God another. ''brotherly love
has reference to the church; the las
"love." has reference to all mankin,
How appropriate that they should }
Just seven In number. for this Is Il
number Of completeness
We cannot urge sufficiently thi
these graces are not to be added, on
at a time. but are to grow and develo
simultaneously, out Of our faith
Christ. Galatians 8 ~ speaks not /,
the fruits Of the Spirit. but Of Il
fruit" growing on the one cluster.
| Old Jeremy Taylor speaks Of tn
text as "a rosary Of Christian graces
Let US tell over Its beads freQusntl
with much prayer that these thin