Selections from Letters

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Dealing With the Erring.

For want of patience, kindness, forbearance, unselfishness, and love,-the revealings of their opposite trait-flash forth involuntarily, when off guard, and unchristian words and unchristian exhibitions of character burst forth, sometimes to the ruin of a soul. «Rejoiceth not in iniquity;-mark it, the apostle meant that where there is a cultivation of genuine love for precious souls it will be exhibited for those most in need of that patience which «suffereth long and is kind,» and which will not be ready to magnify a small indiscretion or direct wrong into large, unpardonable offenses — will not make capital out of born, strikes deeper than the surface, «Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.» Fortified with the grace of Christ, love «doth not behave itself unseemly.»

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He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God. God is love. It is better not to live than to exist day by day devoid of that love which Christ has revealed in His character and has enjoined upon his children, «Love one another as I have loved you.»

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We have need of the rich grace of God every hour-then we will have a rich, practical experience, for «God is love.» «He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God.» Give love to them that need it most-the most unfortunate. Those who have the most disagreeable temperament, those who try our patience most, need our love, our tenderness, our compassion.

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«Enmity.»

It is God alone that can continually put enmity between the seed of the woman and the serpent’s seed. After the transgression of man his nature became evil. Then was peace between Satan and fallen man. Had there been no interference on the part of God, men would have formed an alliance against heaven, and, in the place of warfare among themselves, carried on nothing but warfare against God. There is no native enmity between fallen angels and fallen men. Both are evil, and that through apostasy, and evil, wherever it exists, will always league against good. Fallen angels and fallen men join in companionship.

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The wise generalship of Satan calculated that, if he could induce men as he had angels to join in rebellion, they would stand as his agents of communication with their fellow men to league in rebellion against heaven. Just as soon as one separates from God he has no power of enmity against Satan.

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The enmity on earth between man and Satan is supernaturally put there. Unless the converting power of God is brought daily to bear upon the human heart there will be no inclination to be religiously inclined, but men will choose to be the captives of Satan rather than to be free men in Jesus Christ. I say God will put enmity. Man cannot put it. When the will is brought into subjection to the will of God, it must be through man’s inclining his heart and will to be on the Lord’s side. —