196. Is the work and experience of holiness making progress in the church?
It is. One needs but an honest look, to be convinced of the interest and deepening conviction on this subject in the churches, both of this country and Protestant Europe. Coldness, formality, and spiritual death are seen to be inadequate to meet the encroachments of the world, and contend with the greed and fraud, intemperance, impurities, riots, sabbath desecration, and bold skepticism so fearfully prevalent. More attention is now given to the circulation of books and periodicals, devoted to its promotion, and the attention of the church is more generally directed to its claims and importance. The number of those in the ministry who enjoy it, and faithfully preach it, is increasing constantly, and the witnesses of perfect love in the membership are augmenting from year to year.
But it must be remembered there is much yet to be done, as vast multitudes of our people never read the excellent books and periodicals furnished by the church on this subject. Many of our preachers do not enjoy perfect love; some seldom preach it, and, painful as is the admission, some discard Mr. Wesley's views altogether. Many, very many, of our members are living without an experimental knowledge of its saving power and blessedness. Some, we fear, are content to remain so.
While, then, we rejoice, and give thanks to God for what has been, and for what is being done, we should be incited to pray and labor to secure a more extensive and general work of perfect love through our entire ministry and membership.
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