The Elements of Character | Page 7

or about temperance while intoxicated with
passion, or about abolitionism while we have no respect for the liberty
of those around us, and no comprehension of that liberty wherewith
Christ makes his children free; and all this because we are working
from the blind impulses of an unregenerate spirit. When the spirit
becomes regenerate,--taught of God,--it perceives the unity of virtue,

and can never again regard it as a dismembered fragment. Then it
knows, that to do wrong that good may come of it is striving to cast out
Satan by Beelzebub,--an effort that must surely fail. Then it feels that
evil is really overcome only by good. How different will be the
reformatory zeal of this state of the spirit from that which preceded it.
Formerly, no sooner was the subject of reform mentioned than the neck
stiffened and the head tossed itself backward with the excitement of
pride and combativeness, while the tongue poured forth whatever
phrases anger might suggest. Now, how different is the attitude and
expression, as with words of gentleness and love it strives to draw
others to perceive the beauty of purity and justice. Formerly, the whole
effort of the mind was to compel others to come into agreement with
itself; now, it strives to win them into harmony with God. Once, it
believed that indignation could be righteous; now, it knows that anger
and heavenly mindedness dwell far apart; and, if they approach each
other, one must perish.
If we would train character into genuine goodness, we should observe
whether evil in ourselves or others offends us because it is contrary to
our own ideas, or because it is opposed to the will of God. If the former
be the case, we shall find ourselves angry; if the latter, we shall be
sorrowful. No one can be angry from love to God. Anger is in its very
nature egotistic and selfish, and has in it nothing of holiness. Penitence
for sin is ever meek and humble, and so is regret for the sins of others.
The moment we find ourselves angry, either for our own sins or for the
sins of others, we may be sure there is something wrong in our state,
and we should stop at once to analyze our feelings, and find where the
trouble lies. If we do this conscienciously, we shall be sure to find
some selfish or worldly passion at the root of the matter. We shall find
that something else than love to God excited our indignation.
If we find ourselves indulging, habitually and with satisfaction in any
one sin, we may be sure that we have not true hatred for any sin; for sin
is hateful because it is contrary to the infinite wisdom and goodness of
God. If we abhor it for this reason, we shall abhor all sin; and if we find
ourselves hating some sins and loving others, we may be sure that we
hate those which are repugnant to our own tastes, and love those which
are in conformity with them. Thus our measure of sin is in ourselves,
and not in God; and we are putting ourselves in place of

God,--worshipping the idol self, instead of our Father in heaven.
The Lord was very explicit in his teachings regarding the necessity of
the denial of self; but this is the last thing in which we are willing to
obey him. We profess to be willing and eager to do a great deal of good;
but when conscience tells us that we must do the will of God every
moment of our lives, we turn away with a sorrowful countenance; for
there are many things in which we wish to follow our own wills
without stopping to consult the will of God, and we wish to believe that
we can do this and yet be quite virtuous enough to insure salvation.
While the natural man is strong within us, we are ever striving to serve
God and mammon; but when the spiritual man is born, we are willing
to give up all else and follow the Lord. Then, we feel that we cannot be
truly virtuous, because we are, in some points, very scrupulous, while
in others we are very indifferent; for we perceive that goodness is the
harmonious development of the whole Character into accordance with
the will of God.
So long as we labor for ourselves we shall be, at best, only special
reformers, and cultivators of special virtues; but when we are ready to
deny ourselves, and to do the will of God, all sin will become abhorrent
to us, and we shall grow in grace daily until we become perfected in
that symmetrical form of man, which is the image and likeness of God;
and every faculty of the