We  are  such  travellers,  and  for  us  the  water
which  Christ  gives  is  better  than  that  fabled
fountain,  for  he  who  carries  the  precious  water
may  drop  it  in  places  where  no  spiritual  water
is,  and  so  bring  life  and  blessing  to  the  multi-
tudes of  needy  souls.  Oh,  note  the  words,
'  The  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him
a  well  of  water  springing  up  ',  and  '  out  of
him  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water'.  This
He  spake  of  the  Spirit  which  they  that  believe
on  Him  should  afterwards  receive.
That  is  a  very  blessed  promise,  *  Ye  shall
receive  power  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come
upon  you  ' ;  and  yet,  so  far  as  we  understand
the  prevailing  experience  of  Christian  people,
the  promises  of  power  are  very  feebly  realized,
and  very  slowly  acted  upon.  When  we  see
the  manifest  lack  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the
experience,  and  ask,  *  Why  is  this?'  wre  know
that  the  cause  may  lie  in  certain  easily  defined
facts.
One  reason  may  be  the  actual  existence  of
sin  in  the  heart — some  hidden  or  secret  wrong.
There  are  numbers  in  whose  hearts  there  is
something  wrong.  Is  it  so  with  you  ?  Is
there  some  inward  love  of  or  desire  for  evil  ?


no         STANDARDS   OF  LIFE  AND  SERVICE

Or  the  world  spirit — is  that  there?  Or  any-
thing of  a  similar  character?  Now,  before  the
Holy  Ghost  can  flow  into  you,  to  say  nothing  of
Him  flowing  through  and  out  of  you,  these
wrong  things  must  be  purged  awray  by  the
cleansing  stream;  or,  to  change  the  figure,  the
purifying  flame  must

Burn  up  the  dross  of  base  desire,
And  make  the  mountains  flow.
