THE TEACHER'S PIETY, THE TEACHER'S POWER.
By Goodell
IT is an important thing to know about God in the works of nature, and in providence, and to hear his footfalls in history. A great astronomer has said, in tracing God's handiwork in the universe, "O Lord, I think thy thoughts after thee." But it is a far greater thing to know God himself. To be ignorant of him in his inward revelations of the soul is infinitely worse than to be ignorant of him in his works. The new birth is the discovery of God. The new life begins when God begins to come back to his place in the heart, and hold communion there. It is a great thing to be visited by angels; it is more to be visited by God, recognizing him within by a sweet and gracious experience, the soul being insphered in God, and filled with him, as the sky is irradiated by the day, as a crystal is kindled with the light, as friend holds fellowship with friend. This inward sense of God revealed to us, knowing us, known of us, walking with us, imparting peace, joy, light, wisdom, guidance, inspiration, is a wonderful power. We are like those we know and live with. We are as strong, so to speak, as those we commune with and take our thought and being from. A teacher comes before his class. As he takes them into his sympathy they seem to say to him, "Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God." He appears as one who has come down from the mount of God. His heart is thrilled and melted by a sense of God's presence and aid. "Thy love fills all my soul" to-day, and as he speaks of Him whose "garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia out of the ivory palaces," he finds the arrows are sharp in the hearts of the King's enemies, and where are massed the ranks of Satan to scoff, lie the slain of the Lord to praise. The teacher's piety, therefore, is the teacher's power. He must live in communion with God. Trees most in the sun bear the sweetest fruit. The heart that abides in Christ has Christ abiding in him. When the teacher says, "I long to see God; I desire to meet this wonderful Being and know him; my heart breaketh for the longing I have to be with him," then men on every hand will long to see him also, and to follow him and commune with him. The teacher who is really acquainted with God cannot go to Heaven alone, any more than Saturn can go without its moons. What the teacher needs above all things is this garment of salvation by the Spirit. All other qualifications sink before this.—Goodell.