p. 158 | "WITH ALL LOWLINESS by A. L. Guilford

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 2, 1861

"WITH ALL LOWLINESS

By A. L. Guilford

AND meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." What a lesson this for poor weak mortals to learn. Forbearing one another. Not with some lowliness and meekness, with a mixture of pride and self-sufficiency, but with all lowliness and meekness. No room for pride or any other evil passion, but with long suffering and in love. Fallen man of himself is not sufficient for the undertaking. The natural mind or nature must be slain, and a new heart created in an individual ere he can obey this requirement. When once the affections are changed, and the individual can exclaim with the sweet psalmist of Israel, "O how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day!" then can he perform this requirement; for he will distrust his own ability, and will with child-like trust and confidence look to one who has all power for strength and wisdom to perform all his requirements, and God has promised—"The meek he will guide in judgment;" and again, "He that hath clean hands (clean from sin) shall grow stronger and stronger,"—stronger in the strength of God, stronger to perform all his requirements. This requirement then, difficult to perform as it might seem by one who did not expect help from God, is perfectly easy when the heart is just right before God. He has said, "My grace is sufficient for thee," and it is so. Alas! how prone we are to give way to impatience when those with whom we have to do, do not deal justly with us; or perhaps they have spoken evil of our name, representing us in a false light. O, if we would at such times struggle earnestly against any feeling of impatience or ill will toward the offender, and, imitating the example of our pattern, pray, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do," and with all lowliness and meekness bear with them, all would be well. May the Lord help us all so to do is my prayer.

A. L. GUILFORD.

Monroe, Wis.