arly dew it goeth away.'

If we would stand firm, we must see to it that our religion goes deep
enough. I myself must be made new if I am to grow in grace; my heart
must be Christ's if I am to stand firm in the faith.

'As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.
Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith.'

CHAPTER XIV.

Strong Measures.

What an objection some people have to strong measures! They see around
them, amongst those under their influence, a great deal going on which
is downright evil. You call upon them to put a stop to it, and to do all
in their power to prevent it.

But what do they say? They tell you they will go gently and quietly to
work; but they do not like to hurt other people's feelings, or to tread
upon their prejudices. They have no objection to try gradually, quietly,
and gently, to turn the tide of evil into a good and holy channel, but
they hate and abominate anything in the shape of strong measures.

And yet there are cases where nothing short of strong measures will be
of any avail. Here is a man who has a diseased hand. For some time the
doctor has been trying gentle remedies: the poultice, the plaster, the
fomentation, have all been tried. But now the doctor sees a change in
the appearance of the hand. He sees very clearly that mortification is
setting in. No poultice, no plaster, no fomentation will be of any avail
now, nothing but the knife, nothing but cutting off the limb will save
the man's life. What a foolish doctor he would be, who should refuse in
such a case to take strong measures!

The great reformer, Martin Luther, looked around him, and what did he
see? The whole civilized world a slave at the feet of one man, the Pope
of Rome, obeying that man as if he were God; believing every word that
came from his mouth, following carefully in his footsteps as he led them
astray.

Luther feels nothing will do but strong measures. He will not go gently
and quietly to work in his reform, for he feels that would be of no use;
the case is so serious that nothing but a strong and decided step will
answer the purpose. His strong step consisted in the making of a
bonfire. On December 10, 1520, as the students of the great University
at Wittenburg came to the college, they found fastened to the walls a
notice inviting them and the professors, and all who liked to come, to
meet Martin Luther at the east gate of the college at nine o'cloc