provision and care for him. God's power and
the mystery that envelops Him will awaken a response of awe and wonder
in his soul, and absolute confidence that He can do anything. But this
same power and majesty, carelessly presented, may call out fear, not the
godly sort that is afraid of grieving Him by sin, but the physical fear
that casts out love. He does not have the sense of moral obligation to
God, for that again goes into the abstraction of thought. His religious
life begins in feeling, pure and simple, and his creed is in I John, "We
love Him because He first loved us."

Most interesting lines of discussion open out from the subject, but they
are not pertinent to the chosen theme of this book. The only legitimate
question is, "What is the work of nurture in connection with the
feelings?"

Before this can be answered, the purpose of the feelings in character
building must be clear. Then we shall know what nurture must do.

No feeling has a right to exist for itself. There is a task for it to
perform, namely, to lead the soul to action. If unhindered it will
always do this. The careful analysis of any action will reveal a motive
power in some feeling, ranging from the lowest desires for self
gratification to the sublime heights of love that denies self for the
Master's sake. Knowledge alone does not suffice for action. A man may be
familiar with the claims of Jesus and even acknowledge them, but until
he feels a great need of Him, he will not become a Christian. The
sermon may compel the admiration of the mind, but unless it move the
heart no man will practice it. Jesus summed up his commands in "Love,"
not "Know," for He knew that loving meant God-like living. It is
significant that the fruitage of the Spirit appears in the feelings of
"love, joy, peace," before it can be manifest in the acts of
"long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self
control."

This indissoluble relation between feeling and action gives deep meaning
to the words of Dr. W.H. Payne, "At least the half, and perhaps the
better half of education consists in the formation of right feelings."

The work of nurture in connection with the feelings is now apparent. It
must endeavor to develop right feelings in order to secure right actions
and consequent strong character. This development is secured through
repeatedly arousing the feelings, and giving them expression in action
until they are habitual.

1. How may the Feelin