ailed to receive all the
benefit which others receive. But as time goes on the suspicion
strengthens in some minds that faith is a delusion: prayer seems to be
unanswered; effort seems to be unacknowledged. The power of an almighty
spirit within the human spirit cannot be traced. Perhaps this
suspicion, more than all other causes put together, produces undecided,
heartless Christians.

What, then, is to be said in view of such doubts? Perhaps it may help us
past them if we consider that spiritual things are spiritually
discerned, and that the one proof of His ascension to God's right hand
which Christ Himself promised was the bestowal of His Spirit. If we find
that, however slowly, we are coming into a truer harmony with God; if we
find that we can more cordially approve the Spirit of Christ, and give
to that Spirit a more real place in our life; if we are finding that we
can be satisfied with very little in the way of selfish and worldly
advancement, and that it is a greater satisfaction to us to do good than
to get good; if we find ourselves in any degree more patient, more
temperate, more humble,--then Christ is manifesting in us His present
life in the only way in which He promised to do so. Even if we have more
knowledge, more perception of what moral greatness is, if we see through
the superficial formalisms which once passed for religion with us, this
is a step in the right direction, and if wisely used may be the
foundation of a superstructure of intelligent service and real
fellowship with God. Every discovery and abandonment of error, every
unmasking of delusion, every attainment of truth, is a step nearer to
permanent reality, and is a true spiritual gain; and if in times past we
have had little experience of spiritual joy and confidence, if our
thoughts have been sceptical and questioning and perplexed, all this may
be the needful preliminary to a more independent and assured and truer
faith, and may be the very best proof that Christ is guiding our mind
and attending to our prayers. It is for "the world" to refuse to
believe in the Spirit, because "it beholdeth Him not, neither knoweth
Him."

It may also be said that to think of Christ as a good man who has passed
away like other good men, leaving an influence and no more behind Him,
to think of Him as lying still in His tomb outside Jerusalem, is to
reverse not only the belief of those who knew Christ best, but the
belief of godly men in all ages. For in