MANIFESTATIONS OF CHRISTLIKENESS

"Be such a man, live such a life, that if all lives were like yours, earth would be a paradise."

"No service for God is of any value which is contradicted by the life at home. If our Christianity is not equal to the task of the commonplace routine of life, it is not Christianity at all. Our best loved ones are entitled to the best of ourselves that we, in the power of Christ, can give them."

"If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His."

It is our design in this chapter to show by the simplest, easily comprehended illustrations, the Spirit of Christ in action. Someone has said, "It is our instinctive words and actions (on the impulse of the moment) which reveal the true state of our hearts." We are not judged to be religious by the fluency of our prayers and testimonies, but by the Spirit of Christ in us, enabling us to show the spirit of Christ through us, in daily life. If it is true the manifestation of Christ-like tempers and dispositions in His followers have influenced thousands to accept Him, it is also true the inconsistent spirit shown by countless thousands in His visible church has driven multitudes from Him.

Professors of holiness need to reflect. They claim to have caught the very mind of Christ and to love Him and all mankind with Perfect Love. From them, especially, un-Christlike manifestations of temper will work untold damage. The world and church justly expect from professors of so much, that Christ-like tempers shall appear.

If we are testy and heated in argument, and, as the world says, "get hot in the collar," so do they; only more consistently; without claiming the high state of grace we do. We may say it is our positive and nervous way of speaking, and that we are of a peculiar temperament, but "what we are speaks so loud they cannot hear what we say." "A pure heart has a hard time showing itself off through a harsh voice!" Neither does a harsh, stern, set face look much like perfect love. It is sometimes said, "I would like to have it so it will show in my face;" then, brother, sister, get it in your heart. One encouragement for sharp natures there is in grace as well as music, such a thing as transposition from sharps to flats. Those keyed up to high "G" may have the harsh notes eliminated. High keyed natures will never in a million years impress beholders with the sweetness of Perfect Love.

Wrote a subscriber to the editor of a religious weekly (shame to say it, he claimed holiness), "I know I have been converted and sanctified, but what is that in me, when I chastise my children, makes me feel like I could half kill them?" Maybe he thought it was righteous indignation; or his positive temperament, or his peculiar makeup, or a mistake in judgment, of the head, and not of the heart. But, in plain English, we know exactly what ailed him and all his kind -- The Devil in him! Let a man, if he will, in a fit of uncontrollable anger, knock the children down, abuse his stock, kick the cat and dog about, and slam the door as though it were shot from a powerful cannon, but, in God's name, let him not profess holiness while acting thus, or any degree of grace!

Don and Dan

Years ago in Virginia the writer's youngest brother, then a boy of near ten, was feeding two large Newfoundland dogs, Don and Dan by name. He held the food in his hand and called them one at a time by name. Dan came first. He was an animal you felt instinctively you could not trust. His visage wore a cruel, fierce look just the kind of a dog to snap you without notice. He came with a cruel, fierce, cur-like snarl, and snapped and snarled and growled and grabbed the food in a most unlovely manner. The little fellow saw how despicable was his mood, and with an expression of profound disgust and contempt, turned from Dan and called Don, who had been standing nearby watching the proceedings and patiently waiting his turn. He immediately came, with, it seemed to the writer, a halo of gentleness crowning his every movement and expression -- (we were about to say he came as gentle as a woman, but, alas! observation prevents us from conscientiously making this comparison; as gentle as she ought to be, being of the gentler sex). Carefully and cautiously Don approached the little fellow's hand and as gently as possible took the food; it seemed to us, all the while smiling with gratitude. The boy's face beamed with admiration and approval, and quickly comprehending the difference between the spirits of the two animals, patting Don on the head, he said: "That's right, Don, old boy, you are a Christian!"

Dear reader, if such a beautiful spirit of gentleness is admirable and noticeable in an animal by a mere boy, would it not be in you, who profess to belong fully to Him? The manifestation of Christlike tempers amid those about us with explosive elements giving frequent vent is an unanswerable argument of the power of God's grace to sanctify. They look for this. Believe none genuine that does not have this stamp. "We were gentle among you," wrote Paul, "even as a nurse cherisheth her children." O, for this Christlike gentleness permeating heart and life of all His followers!

Liz

Some years ago we were conducting a meeting in one of our western states. A sister, who had been a scold in a regular Xanthippe, [Xanthippe -- Fifth century B.C. Greek woman. The wife of Socrates, she is traditionally described as shrewish and scolding. American Heritage Dictionary] was led into the experience of the sanctified life. She went home with face beaming and heart full of her new found joy. Her husband could hardly believe but there was some mistake. It could not be possible, Liz, as he called her, had been sweetened up. He thought he would test the genuineness of her experience at the first opportunity. So when she asked him to black her shoes he saw the desired opportunity had come, and proceeded to do as requested, only, for good measure, he blackened the bottom of her white skirt. If Liz were not as she claimed, he soliloquized, now was his time to hear from her. But, instead of chasing him with the rolling pin or broom handle, or severely lashing him with her tongue in old-time Xanthippe fashion, Liz simply folded her arms and looked at him, he said, most like an angel. "I declare, Liz," was his amazed response, "I did not think holiness would do as much for anyone as it has done for you. There must be something in it after all!" Exactly what the worm thinks when it sees real samples of Holy Living!

I Wish Pop Would Act Like That Around Home

Dr. Randall, of the Epworth League, tells the story of a minister who was reputed for his kindness (to others). If he saw you on the street he was just so affable, congenial, and friendly. You would receive the most cordial of greetings. He was so pleased to see you, hoped you were well, also your wife, family, and near relatives. He also trusted all your business interests were prospering. His little boy overheard someone boasting of his father's kindness and gush, and it puzzled him; he had not seen it. In his perplexity he hung his head and grunted, "Umph! I wish pop would act like that around home!"

Amen, home is an excellent place to act like that and reveal the spirit of Christ. The Psalmist said, 'I will walk before God in mine own house with a perfect heart." A good place to begin. Here restraint is off and our true selves shine forth. Dr. S. A Keene's daughter, observing her father's Christlike home life, said, "My father is the most Christlike man I ever saw." Reader, could your loved ones so say of your life? They know where you live, and if they cannot and do not give a similar witness to your life, is it not because to do so would compromise their sense of truth? Do you know it is literally true: "Such as I have, give I unto thee?" That is, you are giving out to the loved ones in the home, friends, and neighbors, just exactly such as you have. What if they now possessed as much Christliness as you have? If they were as sweet as you are? If they now enjoyed as much of the Divine favor as you enjoy? Honest, would you like them to have such as you have? Would they be any better off if they only had what you have? Do you believe in and enjoy your type enough to want others to have it?

Some time since we saw a drummer's suit case with the following inscription: "We believe in the house we represent and the goods we handle." Instantly an Amen leaped from our heart and we said, "Yes, so do we, with all our heart, and we want all the world and the church to have 'such as we have.' "

Would it embarrass you if your daughters did as Dr. Keene's did -- bore testimony to your home dispositions as they really are? We fear this course would bring many flushes of shame. A lady who had been baptized by immersion said before us and her husband, "I have all you preach." Instantly her husband blurted out, "No, she hasn't, she gets angry." Suppose when you were testifying, some near loved one would chime in and tell what they knew of your tempers when you were not in camp meeting, swung along by swing singing and the enthusiasm of the occasion? I say, suppose so? Would you not be embarrassed?

It Did Not Take, Did It?

Dr. Keene tells of a sister standing up on the test, "How many have been baptized by immersion?" Presently she felt a little hand tugging away at her dress sleeve and saw an eager little face peering into hers and heard the little voice ask the eager question, "Ma, you wasn't baptized, was you?... Hush! Of course, I've been baptized." "But," persisted the little questioner, "But it didn't take, did it, ma?" She remembered vividly just shortly before being vaccinated, and how it had taken -- the swollen, feverish arm, and the pain, and the restless nights; and she innocently thought if her "ma" had really been baptized it ought to have taken and be shown by some visible change in her life. Exactly; the little girls and boys know if our profession has done us any good or not, they know if we have the Spirit of Christ, without which we are none of His!

We remember when quite young, observing a young lady closely, who had joined the church, to see if there was "anything in it." She was the same old girl after as before, and the impression was powerful on our young life. Our prejudice was confirmed, joining church and profession did not make Christians, but HAVING THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. The world justly says, "I'll watch him and see," and it is honest enough to respect those who live the Christ-spirited life.