nlightened my mind and
strengthened my will to embrace the life He designs for me."

In much the same way, a daily communicant may say: "It is of my own
accord and wish that I receive daily, but it is God's predilection
that has prompted me to this design, given me the opportunity and
strength of purpose to carry it out, and keeps me faithful to it, so
that it is by His grace and Providence that I am a daily communicant."
Countless others could adopt the same practice, were they not too
sluggish or indifferent to ask for or correspond with the grace of
doing so.

Most ordinary vocations have several stages of development. Very many
persons, with all the qualities required for the evangelical life, and
unimpeded by any obstacle, begin to consider, under the influence of
grace, the advisability of embracing that kind of life. This may be
called the remote stage of a vocation. One who finds himself in this
condition of mind, if he prays for light and guidance, is faithful to
duty and generous in the service of God, may be enabled by a further
enlightenment of grace to perceive that this life is best for him, and
consequently that it will be more pleasing to God for him to adopt it,
and finally he may decide to do so. Such a one has a proximate
vocation, the only further step required being to carry out his
purpose. This decision, be it observed, is the result of the action of
his free will, aided by efficacious grace, which is a mark of God's
special love.

A little illustration may assist us to get a clearer idea of the
matter. Suppose Christ were to walk into your class-room, how would He
act? Would He pick out four or five pupils and say, "I wish you to be
religious, the others I do not want, and I forbid them such
aspirations?" Do you think our loving, gentle Redeemer would speak in
this harsh way? And yet some good, but ill-informed Christians think
this a faithful representation of God's method of action in this
important matter.

How, then, would Christ really address the class? He would say, "My
dear children, I want as many of you as possible to follow closely in
My footsteps, to become perfect. I should be glad to have all of you,
who are not prevented by some insuperable obstacle, such as
ill-health, lack of talent, home difficulties, or extreme giddiness
of character. I hope to have a large number of volunteers." How many
children in that class-room, do you think, would joyfully hold up
their hands, and b