nd his mission is
one of blessing and encouragement.

HEAVENLY VISITANTS.

We can well afford to suffer in the darkness, alone and uncomforted, if
angels will but visit us. John Bunyan can well be content in Bedford
gaol, if God but puts a dream in his head and heart that will last in
the memories and characters of men, when the sun is a burned-out cinder
and the stars are dying ash heaps. We can well be satisfied to have
sorrows unutterable and griefs inexpressible, if heavenly visitants
will but come to us.

CHAPTER XII.

GROWTH IN CHRISTLINESS OF LIFE.

MAKING A BOTCH.

One may have a clean, pure heart and yet be far from possessing a
matured Christian character. A man may love God with all his heart, and
yet not be wise in his selection of the things that will always please
God. Frequently the preacher may come down from the pulpit having made
a horrible botch of his attempt to serve God in the ministry. He may
feel the fact keenly, and be even more conscious of it than any of his
hearers. And yet that preacher may have a heart as white as Gabriel's
wing and a soul full of love to God and man. But as time goes on, and
he lingers repeatedly at the feet of Christ in prayer, God will show
him how he can serve Him more effectively and without the objectionable
features.

UNJUST CRITICISM.

The fact that purity is not maturity has given rise to misapprehension
on the part of many people. Indeed, many of God's dear children have
been misjudged and condemned because they did not have in addition to
pure hearts sound and solid judgment. As soon as a man professes the
blessing of perfect love, the sharp-eyed critics of the neighborhood
look out for "perfect sense," and "perfect manners," and "perfect
life," and when the subject of observation fails to meet the
expectation of the aforesaid critics, there is a great hue and cry that
"Sister A. or Brother B. has not got what is professed," when God knows
they HAVE got JUST what they profess--namely, perfect love, full
salvation. The Lord has never guaranteed a perfect head to any man that
breathes. We will make mistakes as long as we hang around this old
world, and it is injustice to exalted spirits who have this precious
grace, and an insult to the God who gave the grace, to condemn
sanctification because those who profess it are not angels, but simply
men and women cleansed and filled with the Spirit.

REPEATING MISTAKES.

But while God makes allowance