ecting the affairs of life. You may have a
difficult matter to settle with your neighbor. Open your Bible and read:
"Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
Quite likely this will enable you to settle the matter in perfect
satisfaction to all. Some one may have done you much harm, now what must
you do? Open your book of guidance and read: "Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves ... vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." Thus,
much of life's duties and affairs can be determined and decided by the
Word of God.

The Spirit's Impressions.

The Holy Spirit is given us for a guide. With respect to our conduct and
our duty, we often feel the impressions of the Spirit. The Word of God
tells us to give of our goods as the Lord has prospered us, but the
Spirit may often impress us as to where to give.

We feel impressed by the Spirit to give, we feel impressed to go to a
certain place, we feel impressed to pray for such a one, we feel
impressed to fast and pray, etc. Many a precious soul that once was full
of joy and fatness is to-day in unrest and leanness because these
impressions have been resisted. But are there not impressions given by
an evil spirit? Most certainly, and these impressions have led many an
honest soul into the wildest of fanaticism. Thank God, by living very
humble, with all our motives very pure, and by acquaintance with the
Word of God, we may know the voice of the Spirit of God and that of the
evil spirit I have known people to receive and obey impressions to fast
and pray that were given by Satan. God's Word and God's Spirit favor
fasting and praying, but both are bounded by sound judgment; and in such
matters we should not follow a spirit beyond what common sense would
approve.

It is blessed and beautiful to be led by the Spirit of God. If its
impressions are not resisted, but encouraged by cheerful obedience, they
will lead us into a blessed felicity with God and a deep acquaintance
with him. An evil spirit's whisperings can be very easily detected by
one who has much communion with the Lord. Recently while standing on a
steamer's deck it was whispered to me that the steamer was an ill-fated
vessel, and that I never should see home again. At first I did not know
but that it was the voice of God, but soon I felt attempts being made to
cast over me a tormenting fear; this aroused my suspicion that it was
not God speaking, and to be convinced I allowed the