words heard more and more frequently upon
the lips of gospel Christians. We do not know when we are well off.

In order that I may be understood and not be misunderstood I would throw
into relief the practical implications of the teaching for which I have
been arguing, i.e., the sacramental quality of every day living. Over
against its positive meanings I should like to point out a few things it
does not mean.

It does not mean, for instance, that everything we do is of equal
importance with everything else we do or may do. One act of a good
man's life may differ widely from another in importance. Paul's sewing
of tents was not equal to his writing of an Epistle to the Romans, but
both were accepted of God and both were true acts of worship. Certainly
it is more important to lead a soul to Christ than to plant a garden,
but the planting of the garden _can_ be as holy an act as the winning of
a soul.

Again, it does not mean that every man is as useful as every other man.
Gifts differ in the body of Christ. A Billy Bray is not to be compared
with a Luther or a Wesley for sheer usefulness to the Church and to the
world; but the service of the less gifted brother is as pure as that of
the more gifted, and God accepts both with equal pleasure.

The "layman" need never think of his humbler task as being inferior to
that of his minister. Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is
called and his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry. It is
not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or
secular, it is _why_ he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man
sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common
act. All he does is good and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For
such a man, living itself will be sacramental and the whole world a
sanctuary. His entire life will be a priestly ministration. As he
performs his never so simple task he will hear the voice of the seraphim
saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is
full of his glory."

_Lord, I would trust Thee completely; I would be altogether Thine; I
would exalt Thee above all. I desire that I may feel no sense of
possessing anything outside of Thee. I want constantly to be aware of
Thy overshadowing Presence and to hear Thy speaking Voice. I long to
live in restful sincerity of heart. I want to live so fully in the
Spirit that all my thought may be as sweet incense ascending to Thee