Notes by the Way: Section IV
iaying unto t.ie, who are these which are arrayed in white robes’? and whence came they 1 And I said unto him, thou knowest. And he said unto me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” — St. John.
From this time she became assured, that no less devotion of spirit is required to carry the follower of Jesus unpolluted through this present evil world, than that which bore the martyrs through the flames. And she wondered not that it should be said in reply to the inquiries relative to the blood-washed company before the throne, “These are they which came out of great tribulation.”
She then thought of the observation of the
Wiseman, “The diligent hand maketh rich.”
Also of the student that trims the midnight
90 “THE WAV OP HOLINESS.”
lamp, in order to be skilled in mere earthly science; and resolved that every consideration should be subservient to this one prominent motive of ambition, viz: to be well skilled in the science of holy living: judging that if the child of mortality -would thus rise early and sit up late, and eat the bread of carefulness, as is not unfrequenily the case, in order to accumulate earthly knowledge, and often with no higher aim than earthly distinction, how much more should the child of immortality, who has commenced an ever-enduring existence, by careful diligence, and patient, prayerful investigation, study to show himself approved in the sight of God and man, by having the deathless spirit well skilled in the science of immortality. From that time the intimations of the spirit encouragingly assured her that this spiritual culture would not only tell on the pages of time, but would also speak on the records of eternity. And the infinite propriety of preparing the soul for an entrance into the abode of immortality became most apparent. And the literature of the Bible she believed to be the literature of heaven.
It was with the importance of these sentiments deeply written upon her heart, that she began to imitate the example of the Saviour, and rise while the world around her were yet slumbering, in order to commune with God,” search the Scriptures,^^ and to present afresh, through the atoning Lamb, her body, soul and spirit, with all her redeemed powers, to God; in order that her whole existence, by being thus renewedly laid upon the altar, might be ready for the Master’s use in any department of labor to which he might appoint, whether with her family or the world around her.
And here it might be well to state that in reference to the members of her household, she proved that it was not an unmeaning service, to follow in the footsteps of God’s ancient servant Job, who arose early and presented the individual members of his family before the mercy seat, by presenting the offerings, ordained by God, in their behalf, in order, through this medium, to crave the acceptance of their persons. Even thus she found it to be a very satisfactory exercise, to present through the merits of the sin-atoning sacrifice, not only her own soul, but also the case of each individual member, imploring for them individually that they might be permitted, through the merits of Christ, to abide as in the presence of God, under the direct rays of the sun of righteousness, during the day.
And often had she reason to observe throughout the day that not only the members of her household, but also her house, which had also been specially consecrated to God, were hejd under a divine influence, and the spirit,
“Which, as a peaceful dove,
Flies the abode of noise and strife,”
Was felt to be brooding over that household, in answer to the suppHcations of the early hour. Thus prepared to spend the day in the peaceful presence of God, they loved, when assembled around the family altar, to sing,
“How happy, gracious Lord, are we,
Divinely drawn to follow thee;
Whose hours divided are;
Betwixt the mount and multitude,
Our days are spent in doing good,
Our nights in praise and prayer.
With us no melancholy void,
IVo moments linger unemployed,
Or unimproved below;
Our weariness of life is gone,
Who live to serve our God alone,
And only thee to know.
The winter’s night and summer’s day,
Glide imperceptibly away,
Too short to sing thy praise; Too few we find the happy hours. And haste to join the heavenly powers,
In everlasting lays.
With all who chant thy name on high,
And holy, holy, holy, cry,
A bright harmonious throng.
We long thy praises to repeat,
And ceaseless sing around thy seat
The new etereal song.”
It was a prayer frequently presented, that the Spirit might so urge her onward, that she might not be permitted to rest short of any state of grace made possible by the death, and the present intercession of the Saviour.
She believed it to be a duty imposed by the highest obligation of love, on every professed follower of the Lord Jesus, to endeavor by all possible means, to give a faithful representation in llieir individual experience of the power of grace to transform to the uttermost.
The weight of responsibihty resting upon those that lower the standard, by an unfaithful representation, either by?- the living epistle of an unholy life, verbal, or in written communications, she saw to be in consequences so tremendous, that she was assured that eternity alone could determine its fearful magnitude.
She believed, in accordance with Scripture testimony, the sentiment comprehensively expressed by a recent writer,” Christ has taken glorified humanity to heaven, in order to represent us before the throne of mercy, and hath left his followers to be his representatives on earth; and she verily believed that much of the infidelity, depopulating God’s fair dominions, and so rapidly peopling the regions of despair, is owing to the untrue representation in life and sentiments given by a vast majority of unholy professors, That infidelity would be the consequence resulting from these failures, and the correctness of the allusion just given, she saw to be directly inferred from the words of the Saviour, (John 17: 21 — 23.’
It” was in view of these tremendous responsibilities that she so greatly desired to be urged onward by the persuasions of the Spirit, in order that she might apprehend that for which she had been apprehended by Christ,” and be able to give before the world a fair exhibition, in every department of life, of whatsoever things are honest, lovely, pure, and of good report. And in her domestic relations, as well as in those termed more spiritual duties, she often prayerfully presented the inquiry,
“But where can I resemble thee,
And in thy God-hke nature share 1
Thy humble follower let me be,
Thy blessed likeness let me bear.
Pure may I be, averse to sifi,
Just, holy, merciful and true,
And let thne image formed within,
Shine out in all I say or do.’’^
When she first made up her mind that every earthly consideration should be in the lowest degree subservient to the prominent object of attaining the witness of entire consecration, she had no other expectation than that of entering heart and soul into her earthly cares again, for the Lord had written this lesson upon her heart, ‘*He that careth not for his own household is worse than an infidel;” and she did not, at this interesting point of her experience, intend to neglect them, but only resolved that they should cease to be absorbing until this assurance was gained; and it was at this precise point in her pilgrimage, that Almighty grace gained a signal victory over a naturally over-anxious spirit.
She never afterward saw it necessary to enter heart and soul into the otherwise vexatious cares with which the mother of every family is surrounded, but found, after having chosen with her whole soul “the better part” that she could ever sing,
“Lo, I come with joy to do
My blessed Master’s will:
Him in outward works pursue,
And serve his pleasure still.
Faithful to my Lonl’s commands,
I still would choose the better part,
Serve with careful Martha’s hands
And loving Mary’s heart.
Careful without care I am,
Nor feel the happy toil;
Kept in peace by Jesus’ name,
Supported by his smile;
Joyful thus my faith to show,
I find his service ray reward,
Every work I do below,
I do it to the Lordy
And yet she never regarded a minute observance of the admonition,” Whatsoever tilings are true, honest, just, pwre, lovely and of good reportj’ as more sacredly and scrupulously binding, than from the period when the resolution vras made that they should cease to he absorbing.
From that time she felt that the honor of God was as much concerned in judicious, external and internal household arrangements, as in closet duties. By the effective, pure, and lovely order, and symmetry pervading all the works of God, she felt that man was being taught an ever-speaking and ever-enduring lesson.
But by a careful attention to the instructions of the blessed word, she found that much which had formerly augmented her cares was easily to be dispensed with, without any infringement either on the happiness of others or her own; and in many respects extremely contrary wise. Take, for instance, the admonition contained in the” prophetic sentiment,” In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord, and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar; yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judea shall be Holiness to the Lord
OF HOST.”
By this she observed that there was nothing with which she had a right to do that was either too high or too low as not to be inscribed with, “Holiness UNTO the Lord;” and she resolved not to give her approval or to permit her time to be absorbed with any pursuit that would not unequivocally bear this inscription.
And she gained, beyond all calculation, by ’ resolving not to venture on questionable ground in reference to these things.
‘*0! I wish I could always be as happy as you are,” said an aged professor to her one day. She felt deeply humbled by the observation, and hardly knew what to say in reply, thinking that to disclose the secret of her happiness would be reproving to the aged sister. But on looking to God, she felt that it was required that she should say, to the glory of grace, “that she did not dare to be otherwise than happy,” as she believed one con:imand to be equally binding as another. God had said, “be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgivings let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” “The Lord knew,” she continued to say, “that we should have cares, otherwise he would not have made provision for the disposal of them, as he has done, by inviting us to cast all our care upon him, with the assurance that he careth for us, thereby empowering us to comply with the requirement, rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks. ^”^ And she felt that these divine requisitions could not be complied with, without taking the most minute things, as well as those regarded as of the greatest magnitude to God. It was her habit to decide the matter thus: “Is this of as much consequence to me as a hair of my head? If so, I will make my request known unto him who hath said, * the very hairs of your head are numbered.’”