"
We must not forget that--
1. We are ourselves simple Christians, individual souls
struggling for eternal life and liberty, and we must by all means
save ourselves. To this end we must be holy, else we shall at
last experience the awful woe of those who, having preached to
others, are yet themselves castaways.
2. We are leaders upon whom multitudes depend. It is a joy and an
honour to be a leader, but it is also a grave responsibility.
James says: "We shall receive the heavier judgment" (James iii.
i, R.V.). How unspeakable shall be our blessedness, and how vast
our reward, if, wise in the doctrine, and rich and strong and
clean in the experience of holiness, we lead our people into
their full heritage in Jesus! But how terrible shall be our
condemnation, and how great our loss, if, in spiritual slothfulness
and unbelief, we stop short of the experience ourselves and leave
them to perish for want of the gushing waters and heavenly food
and Divine direction we should have brought them! We need the
experience for ourselves, and we need it for our work and for our
people.
What the roof is to a house, that the doctrine is to our system
of truth. It completes it. What sound and robust health is to our
bodies, that the experience is to our souls. It makes us every
whit whole, and fits us for all duty. Sweep away the doctrine,
and the experience will soon be lost.
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