which have been enjoined upon me. The lowly friend of the Lord will
most surely be both just and merciful. He cannot help it. The fragrance
will cling to him as the fragrance of the orange clings to him who labours
in the fruitful groves of Spain.

AUGUST The Tenth

_GOOD FRUIT_

LUKE vi. 43-49.

My Lord seeks "good fruit." It must be sound. No disease must lurk within
it. My virtues are so often touched with defilement. There is a little
untruth even in my truth. There is a little jealousy even in my praise.
There is a little superciliousness even in my forbearance. There is a
little pride even in my piety. It is not "whole," not holy. God demands
sound fruit.

And "good fruit" demands "a good tree." We must not look for truth from an
untrue soul. If the bullet-mould is deformed, all the bullets will share
its deformity. First get the mould right, and every bullet will share its
rectitude. When the soul is "true," all our words, and deeds, and gestures
will be "of the truth," and will be true indeed. "Make the tree good."

And that is just what our Lord proclaims His willingness to do. He does
not begin with effects, but with causes; not with fruit, but with trees.
He does not begin with our speech, but with the speaker; not with conduct,
but with character. And, blessed be His name, He can transform "corrupt
trees" into "good trees," until it shall be said: "He that hath turned the
world upside down has come hither also."

AUGUST The Eleventh

_THE CONSECRATION OF THE WILL_

JOHN v. 1-18.

My Lord demands my will in the ministry of healing. "_Art thou willing_ to
be made whole?" He will not carry me as a log. When my schoolmaster put a
belt around me, and held me over the water with a rope, and taught me to
swim, I had to use my arms. The condition of help was endeavour. And so in
my salvation. I have always will-power sufficient to pray and to try. In
the effort of faith I open the door to the energies of God. Grace flows in
the channels of the determined will. "O, God, my heart is set!"

And my Lord demands my will in the living of the consecrated life. "Sin no
more!" I must "will" to be whole, and I must will to remain holy. And here
is the gracious law of the kingdom, that every time I exercise my will I
add to its power. Every difficulty overcome adds its strength to my
resources. Every enemy conquered marches henceforth in my own ranks. I go
"from strength to strength."

"God worke