tions. We shall surely find it easy to obtain an
answer to the inquiry in both its forms.

"_Easy!_" Yes; for the heights designed for us to reach are so clearly
mapped out in the teaching, and especially in the life of Him whose
word the preacher comes forward to declare, and whose example it is his
glorious employment to put before the world. "The prize of the mark of
our high calling" is the utter conquest of sin in the heart, its
eradication not only in branch but in very root. Our goal is the
utterly blameless life. It is more glorious, even, than this. It is
the realisation in their perfection, not of negative virtues alone, but
of virtues positive, active, aggressive. It is in brief the "perfect
man in Christ Jesus."

And of what use is any lower understanding or interpretation of the
purpose of Christ? Indeed, is any lower interpretation possible on the
face of things? We cannot bring ourselves to believe that He would of
set purpose come to secure a _partial_ triumph in the subjects of His
grace. We speak of the difficulties of this our doctrine, but, after
all, greater difficulties would have to be overcome in consenting to
any lower conception of the divine intent. Try to imagine the Master
effecting the saving of a soul with the design that it shall still hold
to some remains of former vices, to some of its old lusts, of its
ancient enmities. Imagine Him, again, agreeing that a man shall
continue to be the prey of evil tempers, of covetousness, of jealousy,
of pride and falseness. Imagine Him entering into a tacit compromise
with the forces of evil, that He will take _so much_ and expect no more
in the worship and ownership and conquest of those for whom He died.
The idea is unthinkable! Jesus Christ came, suffered, bled, died, rose
again, and ascended up on high that once more the eyes of God might
look upon _a perfect man_.

Now, all this sounds very old-fashioned and very much like the teaching
that we have heard, and perhaps in varying degrees disparaged, from the
lips of those whom we call, sometimes with a slight, but none the less
real, touch of sarcasm, "holiness men." How afraid we are that any one
should ask us to be too good! But the teaching of Scriptural holiness
was once one of the glories of Methodism and clear in the forefront of
her preaching. To-day, perhaps, we hear less concerning that gospel
than once we did. Is it absolutely certain that this fact always works
out t