addresses-第16部分

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that　letter。　　Your　first　impulse　may　be　the　same；　your　judgement

may　be　unchanged；　but　if　you　try　it　the　ink　will　dry　on　your　pen；

and　you　will　rise　from　your　desk　an　unavenged；　but　greater　and　more

Christian　man。　　Throughout　the　whole　day　your　actions；　down　to　the

last　detail；　will　do　homage　to　that　early　vision。



Yesterday　you　thought　mostly　about　yourself。　　Today　the　poor　will

meet　you；　and　you　will　feed　them。　　The　helpless；　the　tempted；　the

sad；　will　throng　about　you；　and　each　you　will　befriend。　　Where　were

all　these　people　yesterday？　　Where　they　are　today；　but　you　did　not

see　them。　　It　is　in　reflected　light　that　the　poor　are　seen。　　But

your　soul　today　is



Not　at　the　ordinary　angle。



〃Things　which　are　not　seen〃　are　visible。　　For　a　few　short　hours

you　live　the　Eternal　Life。　　The　eternal　life；　the　life　of　faith；

is　simply　the　life　of　a　higher　vision。　　Faith　is　an　attitudea

mirror　set　at　the　right　angle。



When　tomorrow　is　over；　and　in　the　evening　you　review　it；　you　will

wonder　how　you　did　it。　　You　will　not　be　conscious　that　you　strove

for　anything；　or　imitated　anything；　or　crucified　anything。　　You

will　be　conscious　of　Christ；　that　He　was　with　you；　that　without

compulsion　you　were　yet　compelled；　that　without　force；　or　noise；

or　proclamation；　the　revolution　was　accomplished。　　You　do　not

congratulate　yourself　as　one　who　has　done　a　mighty　deed；　or　achieved

a　personal　success；　or　stored　up　a　fund　of　〃Christian　experience〃

to　ensure　the　same　result　again。　　What　you　are　conscious　of　is　〃the

glory　of　the　Lord。〃　　And　what　the　world　is　conscious　of；　if　the

result　be　a　true　one；　is　also　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord。〃　　In　looking

at　a　mirror　one　does　not　see　the　mirror；　or　think　of　it；　but　only

of　what　it　reflects。　　For　a　mirror　never　calls　the　attention　to

itselfexcept　when　there　are　flaws　in　it。



Let　me　say　a　word　or　two　more　about　the　effects　which　necessarily

must　follow　from　this　contact；　or　fellowship；　with　Christ。　　I

need　not　quote　the　texts　upon　the　subjectthe　texts　about　abiding

in　Christ。　　〃He　that　abideth　in　Him　sinneth　not。〃　　You　cannot　sin

when　you　are　standing　in　front　of　Christ。　　You　simply　cannot　do　it。

Again：　　〃If　ye　abide　in　Me；　and　My　words　abide　in　you；　ye　shall

ask　what　ye　will；　and　it　shall　be　done　unto　you。〃　　Think　of　that！

That　is　another　inevitable　consequence。　　And　there　is　yet　another：

〃He　that　abideth　in　Me；　the　same　bringeth　forth　much　fruit。〃

Sinlessnessanswered　prayermuch　fruit。



But　in　addition　to　these　things；　see　how　many　of　the　highest　Christian

virtues　and　experiences　necessarily　flow　from　the　assumption　of

that　attitude　towards　Christ。　　For　instance；　the　moment　you　assume

that　relation　to　Christ　you　begin　to　know　what　the　CHILD…SPIRIT

is。　　You　stand　before　Christ；　and　He　becomes　your　Teacher；　and

you　instinctively　become　docile。　　Then　you　learn　also　to　become

CHARITABLE　and　TOLERANT；　because　you　are　learning　of　Him；　and　He　is

〃meek　and　lowly　in　heart；〃　and　you　catch　that　spirit。　　That　is　a

bit　of　His　character　being　reflected　into　yours。　　Instead　of　being

critical　and　self…asserting；　you　become　humble　and　have　the　mind

of　a　little　child。



I　think；　further；　the　only　way　of　learning　what　FAITH　is　is　to

know　Christ　and　be　in　His　company。　　You　hear　sermons　about　the　nine

different　kinds　of　faithdistinctions　drawn　between　the　right

kind　of　faith　and　the　wrongand　sermons　telling　you　how　to　get

faith。　　So　far　as　I　can　see；　there　is



Only　one　way



in　which　faith　is　got；　and　it　is　the　same　in　the　religious　world

as　it　is　in　the　world　of　men　and　women。　　I　learn　to　trust　you；　my

brother；　just　as　I　get　to　trust　me　just　as　you　get　to　know　me。　　I

do　not　trust　you　as　a　stranger；　but　as　I　come　into　contact　with

you；　and　watch　you；　and　live　with　you；　I　find　out　that　you　are

trustworthy；　and　I　come　to　trust　myself　to　you；　and　to　lean　upon

you。　　But　I　do　not　do　that　to　a　stranger。



The　way　to　trust　Christ　is　to　know　Christ。　　You　cannot　help　trusting

Him　them。　　You　are　changed。　　By　knowing　Him　faith　is　begotten　in　you；

as　cause　and　effect。　　To　trust　Him　without　knowing　Him　as　thousands

do；　is　not　faith；　but　credulity。　　I　believe　a　great　deal　of　prayer

for　faith　is　thrown　away。　　What　we　should　pray　for　is　that　we　may

be　able　to　fulfill　the　condition；　and　when　we　have　fulfilled　the

condition；　the　faith　necessarily　follows。　　The　way；　therefore；　to

increase　our　faith　is　to　increase　our　intimacy　with　Christ。　　We

trust　Him　more　and　more　the　better　we　know　Him。



And　then　another　immediate　effect　of　this　way　of　sanctifying　the

character　is　the　tranquility　that　it　brings　over　the　Christian

life。　　How　disturbed　and　distressed　and　anxious　Christian　people

are　about　their　growth　in　grace！　　Now；　the　moment　you　give　that

over　into　Christ's　carethe　moment　you　see　that　you　are　BEING

changedthat　anxiety　passes　away。　　You　see　that　it　must　follow

by　an　inevitable　process　and　by　a　natural　law　if　you　fulfill　the

simple　condition；　so　that　peace　is　the　reward　of　that　life　and

fellowship　with　Christ。



Many　other　things　follow。　　A　man's　usefulness　depends　to　a　large

extent　upon　his　fellowship　with　Christ。　　That　is　obvious。　　Only　Christ

can　influence　the　world；　but　all　that　the　world　sees　of　Christ　is

what　it　sees　of　you　and　me。　　Christ　said：　　〃The　world　seeth　Me　no

more；　but　ye　see　Me。〃　　You　see　Him；　and　standing　in　front　of　Him

reflect　Him；　and　the　world　sees　the　reflection。　　It　cannot　see　Him。

So　that　a　Christian's　usefulness　depends　solely　upon　that　relationship。



Now；　I　have　only　pointed　out　a　few　of　the　things　that　follow　from

the　standing　before　Christfrom　the　abiding　in　Christ。　　You　will

find；　if　you　run　over　the　texts　about　abiding　in　Christ；　many

other　things　will　suggest　themselves　in　the　same　relations。　　Almost

everything　in　Christian　experience　and　character　follows　and

follows　necessarily；　from　standing　before　Christ　and　reflecting

his　character。　　But　the　supreme　consummation　is　that　we　are　changed

into　THE　SAME　IMAGE；　〃even　as　by　the　Lord　the　Spirit。〃　　That　is　to

say　that　in　some　way；　unknown　to　us；　but　possibly　not　more　mysterious

than　the　doctrine　of　personal　influence；　we　are　changed　into　the

image　of　Christ。



This　method　cannot　fail。　　I　am　not　setting　before　you　an　opinion

or　a　theory；　but　this　is



A　certainly　successful　means



of　sanctification。　　〃We　all；　with　unveiled　face；　reflecting　in　a

mirror　the　glory　of　Christ　（the　character　of　Christ）　assuredlywithout

any　miscarriagewithout　any　possibility　of　miscarriageare　changed

into　the　same　image。〃　　It　is　an　immense　thing　to　be　anchored　in

some　great　principle　like　that。　　Emerson　says：　　〃The　hero　is　the

man　who　is　immovably　centered。〃　　Get　immovably　centered　in　that

doctrine　of　sanctification。　　Do　not　be　carried　away　by　the　hundred

and　one　theories　of　sanctification　that　are　floating　about　in

religious　literature　of　the　country　at　the　present　time；　but　go　to

the　bottom　of　the　thing　for　yourself；　and　see　the　RATIONALE　of　it

for　yourself；　and　you　will　come　to　see　that　it　is　a　matter　of　cause

and　effect；　and　that　if　you　will　fulfill　the　condition　laid　down

by　Christ；　the　effect　must　follow　by　a　natural　law。



What　a　prospect！　　To　be　changed　into　the　same　image。　　Think　of

that！　　That　is　what　we　are　here　for。　　That　is　what　we　are　elected

for。　　Not　to　be　saved；　in　the　common　acceptation；　but　〃whom　He　did

foreknow　He　also　did　predestinate　to　be　conformed　to　the　image　of

His　Son。〃　　Not　merely　to　be　saved；　but　TO　BE　CONFORMED　TO　THE　IMAGE

OF　HIS　SON。　　Conserve　that　principle。　　And　as　we　must　spend　time

in　cultivating　our　earthly　friendships　if　we　are　to　have　their

blessings；　so　we　must



Spend　time



in　cultivating　the　fellowship　and　companionship　of　Christ。　　And

there　is　nothing　so　much　worth　taking　into　our　lives　as　a　profounder

sense　of　what　is　to　be　had　by　living　in　communion　with　Christ；　and

by　getting　nearer　to　Him。　　It　will　matter　much　if　we　take　away　with

us　some　of　the　thoughts　about　theology；　and　some　of　the　new　light

that　has　been　shed　upon　the　text　of　Scripture；　it　will　matter

infinitely　more　if　our　fellowship　with　the　Lord　Jesus　become　a　little

closer；　and　our　theory　of　holy　living　a　little　more　rational。　　And

then　as　we　go　forth；　men　will　take　knowledge　of　us；　that　we　have

been　with　Jesus；　and　as　we　reflect　Him　upon　them；　they　will　begin

to　be　changed　into　the　same　image。



It　seems　to　me　the　preaching　is　of　infinitely　smaller　account　than

the　life　which　mirrors　Christ。　　That　is　bound　to　tell；　without

speech　or　languagelike　the　voices　of　the　stars。　　It　throws　out

its　impressions　on　every　side。　　The　one　simple　thing　we　have　to　do

is　to　be　therein　the　right　relation；　to　go　through　life　hand　in

hand　with　Him；　to　have　Him　in　the　room　with　us；　and　keeping　us　company

wherever　we　go；　to　depend　upon　Him　and　lean　upon　Him；　and　so　have

His　life　reflected　in　the　fullness　of　its　beauty　and　perfection

into　ours。



III。　　The　first　experiment。



Then　you　reduce　religion　to　a　common　Friendship？　　A　common

Friendshipwho　talks　of　a　COMMON　Friendship？　　There　is　no　such

thing　in　the　world。



On　earth　no　word　is　more　sublime。　　Friendship　is　the　nearest　thing

we　know　to　what　religion　is。　　God　is　love。　　And　to　make　religion

akin　to　Friendship　is　simply　to　give　it　the　highest　expression

conceivable　by　man。　　But　if　by　demurring　to　〃a　common　friendship〃　is

meant　a　protest　against　the　greatest　and　the　holiest　in　religion

being　spoken　of　in　intelligible　terms；　then　I　am　afraid　the

objection　is　all　to　real。　　Men　always　look　for　a　mystery　when　one

talks　of　sanctification；　some　mystery　apart　from　that　which　must　ever

be　mysterious　wherever　Spirit　works。　　It　is　thought　some　peculiar

secret　lies　behind　it；　some　occult　experience　which　only　the

initiated　know。　　Thousands　of　persons　go　to　church　every　Sunday

hoping　to　solve　this　mystery。　　At　meeting；　at　conferences；　many

a　time　they　have　reached