als. For
the diffusion of faith it is a man like Peter that is wanted, who
overleaps the obstacles which other men would stop to examine; a man
like Luther, erring perhaps in fine points of doctrine, but giving
impetus and force to the whole movement in Christ's kingdom, and
sweeping along with him a host of weaker and dependent spirits. If we
are not propagating faith in Christ, it is mainly because our our
faith is meagre and timorous. If we are not producing Christians it
is because we are not ourselves in the present experience of His
mighty power. And while this is so, our conduct betrays the weakness
of our faith, and we chill the kindling warmth in other souls instead
of fanning it into flame, and all that proceeds from us is as the
frosty wind of an untoward spring-time, that unseasonably marks every
springing thing with death.

Possessed of those qualities, any one may communicate that best of
all gifts, faith in Christ. The joy of Peter, in discovering that he
could impart health and brightness to those who were oppressed by
various human ills, is a joy which may be repeated, and was meant to
be repeated, in the experience of every Christian. We are not to look
hopelessly on the world at large or on our own friends.

We are not to think that the pleasure we have in being of substantial
service to a friend, we cannot have in the case of that which is most
substantial. We are to believe that Christ now has all power in
heaven and on earth, and that those who have experienced this power
are expected to be the channel of its communication to others. The
faith which strengthens and elevates our own spirit may be
communicated, upon our effort and prayer, to the heart of others.

End of Project Gutenberg's How to become like Christ, by Marcus Dods

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST ***

***** This file should be named 13460.txt or 13460.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.net/1/3/4/6/13460/

Produced by Jonathon Love

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of