A Quenchless Fire

“*A God that hath indignation every day.’’ — PSsa.M vii. 11.

. Our sacred fire does not burn every day.

It burns only intermittently. It has occasional flares, when it leaps up with fierce intensity, but it soon dies down, and smoulders, or goes quite out. It is like a bonfire of tarred wood; it has a spasm of fervency, but no steady and continual glow. When the revelation of some moral outrage first appears we burn with hot antagonism. But if the outrage continues, and we become accustomed to its presence, our healthy indignation begins to subside. Our very familiarity with an evil is apt to damp our fires. The very evil which kindles our anger smothers it by its continuance.

All of which means that there comes a stage where our holiness ceases to be shocked at the presence of the unholy. Our holiness is not healthy enough, and therefore not sensitive enough, to retain its power of repulsion. It does not possess a glorious sense of offence. It is not strong enough to maintain its distance. What it first loathed it now tolerates, and it is almost inevitable that when we tolerate a wrong we begin to fraternise with it. In this realm the absence of antagonism means the birth of fellowship. Friendly messages pass between the trenches and we begin to cherish what we were intended to destroy. Our very presence, which should have consumed the evil, quickens it, just as a congenial climate fosters some deadly plague.

.» Now God’s holiness is altogether different. His indignation never burns low in the presence of wrong. When iniquity raises its head His light is always lightning. ‘* Out of the throne proceeded lightnings!’’ God’s holiness never tolerates sin. His holiness never becomes so lukewarm as to be amiable to seemingly small revolts. ‘* Whosoever shall break one of the least of these commandments!” It is jealous for fidelity in small affairs. It is angry with the infidelity that shows its face in the apparent trifle. And why? Because the spirit of outrageous sin can enter the sacred circle through a neglected scruple. The burglar can get into the house through a little unfastened window in the scullery. Smallpox may be spread by a penny as well as by a pound note. And it is little use working up indignation against mighty epidemics if we are coldly negligent about the single germs. But this also is one of our dangers. Our fires blaze in crises, but they do not burn against the smaller things which make them. Our indignation does not burn every day oe REE SS Se a a LISS A Quenchless Fire 23

either against great wrongs which have become familiar, or against the lesser wrongs which are the breeding beds of more sensational sins. ‘“‘ God hath indignation every day!’ In the presence of wrong God is always aflame. ‘‘ Our God is a consuming

fire.” He will not parley with sin, but He will burn it in unquenchable fire.

If we would share His holy fire, we must share His holiness. If we would share His holiness, we must be partakers of His love and grace. To be greatly angry we must have the power to greatly love. ‘‘ He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” 4