Now, if in the incipient life which Jesus brings, there are
manifestations of the same, does it not hold true that in the life more
abundant there should be expected greater manifestations of that life?
We read that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, etc. This
obtains in the justified relation, when the power of an endless life
begins to work in the heart and life of an individual. Then when that
life becomes more abundant in the sanctified experience, the love, joy,
peace, and all the rest are more abundant. In pardon we have love; in
purity, perfect love. In pardon we have joy; in purity, fulness of joy.
In pardon we have peace; in purity perfect peace. In pardon we have
salvation; in purity, full salvation. In pardon we have life; in purity
life more abundant. Surely, the sanctified soul ought to manifest more
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, and the rest of the imparted graces
than those who do not enjoy sanctification. Alas, too many who profess
this "second blessing, properly so-called," do not manifest it in their
lives. The palm tree abundance seems to be wanting. When our dear mother
was very old, and did not always get her letters properly connected in
her letter writing, one time she wrote us a letter in which she spoke of
the blessing of sanctification. She got all the letters in, but placed
the "c" before the "a" and made it spell "scantified." We thought that
was true of far too many; their sanctification is scantification; alas,
far too scant.
We had this life more abundant wonderfully illustrated on a certain
occasion while holding a meeting in the city of Indianapolis. We stepped
into a doctor's office and observed a platform about four feet square.
This platform was perfectly insulated by having glass feet beneath. The
object of the platform was to form a place for an individual to sit and
then fill him full of electricity. A chair was placed on this platform,
and we were asked to take a seat on it. At first we were somewhat
dubious. We had read of the electrocuting chair, and did not know to
just what extent the lightning might be turned on. After a little
persuasion, and looking at the matter rather philosophically, thinking
that others had been there without being killed, we ventured to take a
seat. At once the power was turned on and in a moment every hair on our
head was standing straight up, we observed in the mirror. The power went
through and through our body from head to foot. It felt glorious, and no
one needed to tell us that something was going on inside. The doctor
placed his hand near our body, and a sharp crack was heard, a spark of
lightning flew out to meet him. Every time the hand approached any part
of us, the report was heard and lightning would flash. Our friend was
sitting near and he was asked to shake hands with us, whereby he
responded, "No, you don't." He felt there was too much going on for him
to trifle with lightning that way. Now, we would not want to convey the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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