Here is a life which constituted a kind of living exegesis of that text, "speaking the truth in love." And, accustomed as we are, to measure power by outward demonstration, it furnishes a most instructive lesson for us. Two chemical elements which are very mild and innocuous in themselves, often have prodigious energy when combined. So it is of love and truth. Those who preach love alone are often the weakest and most ineffective witnesses for Christ. Those who preach the truth alone, not infrequently demonstrate the feebleness of a soulless orthodoxy. But the truth in love is vital, penetrating, and has the dynamic force which we seek. See how Paul, the apostle of truth, and John, the apostle of love, match and supplement each other on this point. Speaking the truth in love," writes the one. "Unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth," writes the other. Love furnishing the atmosphere of truth, the medium through which it shines, and by which it is transmitted; and truth lending its gravity and restraint to love, and so preventing it from flying off into a reckless and indiscriminate toleration :- this is the combination which gives true power.

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"Grace is poured into thy lips; there

fore God hath blessed thee forever." Grace that wings the gentle speech; grace that imparts the heavenly unction; grace that is invested with "the irresistible might of weakness," - this is the true secret of divine efficiency, and yet only half the secret. "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Oh for a conformity to Christ and a nonconformity to the world, that shall enable us to grasp both these gifts. Then the highway of power will be open before us, and we may realize the beautiful ideal of the faithful witness: “He had eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books was in his hand, the law of truth was written upon his lips, the world was behind his back. He stood as if he pleaded with men ; and a crown of glory did hang over his head.” *

Let it not be presumed, however, that the way of consecration is a way exempt from sacrifices and perils. One who moves in this direction is certain to encounter the adversary at every step. The moment the believer makes any determined advance toward holiness, that moment the evil one moves up his picket line for desperate resistance.

* Bunyan.

Pastor Blumhardt, — who in this generation has wrought such conquests in prayer and faith, — lays special emphasis on this point, telling us that "he who is ignorant of the wiles and artifices of the enemy, only beats the air, and the devil is not afraid of him." Let the reader study the life of this remarkable man, if he would learn what possibilities of spiritual power are still open to us. Amid the freezing rationalism of Tübingen University, here was one young heart which kept itself kindled with the fire of Pentecost, and by surrendering itself up in daily consecration, was preparing to give the world a living demonstration of the things which the learned men of that university had set themselves to deny. We see him raising the sick by his prayers, casting out devils, and bringing whole communities to the foot of the cross in penitence. But Satan was always at his right hand to resist him. "In interesting myself in behalf of one possessed," he writes, "I became involved in such a fearful conflict with the powers of darkness, as is not possible for me to describe.' Underscore this passage, oh reader. It has a broad significance. When something extraordinary is to be done for Christ, hell from beneath will be moved

to resist it. The marks of Martin Luther's ink. stand on Wartburg castle are not the traces of a pitiable superstition. Here is a man who is to shake all Europe with a new revival, and where on earth or under the earth is Satan so likely to mass his forces as in this monk's cell. Brother Martin is not throwing his ink-horn at a phantom. when he hurls it at the devil. It is very necessary to touch on this point, because every aspirant after holiness is certain to be assailed with peculiar conflicts and temptations; and it is natural to regard these as indications that dangerous ground has been entered upon, when they are often only evidences that we are entering upon higher ground.

That gifted woman in whom inspiration and aspiration were so beautifully blended, Frances Ridley Havergal, makes a cheering comment on a familiar text of Scripture" Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpent and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." "Why this is grand," she writes, "power over all the power of the enemy. Just where he is strongest, there they shall prevail. Not over his weak points and places, but over the very centre of his power; not over his power here and there, or now and then, but

over all his power.

And Jesus said it. Isn't it

enough to go into battle with?" *

She was encouraging her own heart when she wrote these words. What a lofty path of spiritu ality she traversed! Has the reader of her biog. raphy marked the open secret of her consecrated career? It is found in the same experience, of which we have spoken elsewhere, of definite, whole souled devotement to God. This is the record of it, which she has left behind:

one

"It was on Advent Sunday, December, 1873, that I first saw clearly the blessedness of true consecration. I saw it as a flash of electric light; and what you see, you can never unsee. There must be full surrender before there can be full blessedness. God admits you by the one into the other. He Himself showed me this most clearly. You know how singularly I have been withheld from attending conventions and conferences; man's teaching has consequently but little to do with it. First I was shown that the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth from all sin; and then it was made plain to me that He who had thus cleansed me, had power to keep me clean; so I utterly yielded myself to Him and utterly trusted Him to keep me."

• Memorials of Frances R Havergal, p 10.