or them that love Him.

It might be supposed that only persons filled with public charities
and social improvements, ardent and painstaking church workers,
might most surely and easily learn to be messengers. But all these
persons pursue and follow their own line of thought, the promptings
of their own minds and hearts. They are admirable workers, but not
messengers. For the hound of God must have in his heart no plan of
his own. It is hard for the heart to say, "I have no wishes of my own;
I have no interests, no plans, no ambitions, no schemes, no desires,
no loves, no will. Thy will is my will. Thy desire is my desire. Thy
love is my all. I am empty of all things, that I may be a channel for
the stream of Thy will."

With what patience, what tenderness, what inexpressible
endearments He helps the soul, training her by love!--which is not to
say that she is trained without much suffering of the creature. So we
are trained by two opposite ways--by suffering and by joys; and the
whole under an attitude of passionate and devoted attention on our
part. The sufferings of the soul baffle all description with their
strange intensities.

Our encouragements are great and extraordinary sweetnesses,
urgings, and joyful uplifting of the spirit. So that when we would
stop, we are pressed forward; when we are exhausted, we are filled
with the wine of sweetness; when we are in tears, we are embraced
into the Holy Spirit.

* * *

Sin and ill are the false notes struck by man across the harmony of
God's will, and to strike upon or even remember such notes is instant
banishment from the music of His presence. Where all is joy, there
joy is all_;_ and he who has not reached this joy does not know
God--he is still a follower, and not a possessor, and he should refuse
in his heart to remain satisfied with his condition, but climb on. Why
stay behind? Climb on, climb on!

How often I have been mystified and disturbed by the attitude of
many religious and pious people, that to follow Christ is a way of
gloom, of sadness, of heaviness! How often have I gathered from
sermons that we are to give up all bright and enticing things if we
would follow Him, and the preacher _goes no further!_ Has the
Lord, then, no enticements, no sweetnesses, no brightness to offer us,
that we should be asked to forsake all pleasantnesses, all brightness,
all attractions if we follow Him? This to me always seemed terrible,
and my heart would sink. Indeed,