rk so much of modern religion. What a
freshening up there would come into all Christian communities if every
man lived by his own perception of truth and duty! If a musician in an
orchestra is listening to his neighbour's note and time, he will lose
many an indication from the conductor that would have kept him far more
right, if he had attended to it. And if, instead of taking our beliefs
and our conduct from one another, or from the average of Christian men
round us, we went straight to Jesus Christ and said to Him, 'What
wouldst _Thou_ have _me_ to do?' there would be a different aspect over
Christendom from what there is to-day. The fact of individual
responsibility, according to the measure of our individual light, and
faithful following of that, wheresoever it may lead us, are the grand
and stirring principles that come from these words. 'Whereunto we have
already attained,' by that--and by no other man's attainment or
rule--let us walk.

But do not let us forget that that same faithful independence and
independent faithfulness because Christ speaks to us, and we will not
let any other voice blend with His, are quite consistent with, and,
indeed, demand, the frank recognition of our brother's equal right. If
we more often thought of all the great body of Christian people as an
army, united in its diversity, its line of march stretching for leagues,
and some in the van, and some in the main body, and some in the rear,
but all one, we should be more tolerant of divergences, more charitable
in our judgment of the laggards, more patient in waiting for them to
come up with us, and more wise and considerate in moderating our pace
sometimes to meet theirs. All who love Jesus Christ are on the same road
and bound for the same home. Let us be contented that they shall be at
different stages on the path, seeing that we know that they will all
reach the Temple above.

IV. Lastly, cherish the consciousness of imperfection and the confidence
of success.

'Whereunto we have attained' implies that that is only a partial
possession of a far greater whole. The road is not finished at the stage
where we stand. And, on the other hand, 'by the same let us walk,'
implies that beyond the present point the road runs on equally patent
and pervious to our feet. These two convictions, of my own imperfection
and of the certainty of my reaching the great perfectness beyond, are
indispensable to all Christian progress. As soon as a man beg