Standards of Life and Service

by Thomas Henry Howard

Then I might also speak to you about the doctrine of prayer and its result. Surely you believe that God 'hears and answers prayer'. But can you say that your life of faith and victory is such that all who know you believe it, because they see you living a life of faith and victory such as can only come to the men and women whose prayers God does answer? That is, do you adorn the doctrine?

For the present purpose, however, I want to apply the principle to the doctrine of Holiness. The great object of these Addresses is to help men and women into the enjoyment of the blessing of Holiness. We hear about that; sing about that; most of you believe in it, and some of you proclaim it; but do you know what is really wanted? It is that you shall so manifest the spirit of Holiness, give such illustrations of it as to adorn the truth, and make people around you say, 'We are bound to believe the doctrine when we look at these people, for they live the blessing'.

You cannot but know what we teach as the doctrine of Holiness. Our trumpet has no uncertain sound. We not only talk about the pardoning mercy of God, but about the all-cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ. We not only point out how the rebel can be transformed into a child, but we show how a man's heart can be made pure, and his nature renewed by the indwelling Spirit. Delivered from the love of sin and from its pollution in his heart, he can be kept from sin and sinning, and be enabled to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks.

A clean heart, filled with love, possessed and directed by the Holy Ghost—that is the experience which we call Holiness, and the truth which we are exhorted to adorn.

Only think what a recommendation of the doctrine it would be if you all adorned the truth, and showed in your daily lives the power to live in that Holiness and righteousness of which I am speaking.

I am not now asking whether you have an intelligent comprehension of the doctrine, or that you should say what is possible, and what is not. Some of you could probably define the blessing as well as I can; but your duty is not simply to define or defend or explain Holiness, but to adorn the teaching, give exhibitions of it, make everybody see what it means in living flesh and blood amidst the hurly-burly of life.

1. And now, what are the means by which you and I can fulfil this exhortation of Paul? First, you can adorn the doctrine by personal testimony. Personal testimony, coming from the heart, is always good and helpful; that is, to be able to say about any definite experience, 'Oh, glory! He has done it for me!' But this is especially valuable about a clean heart, and in relation to a Full Salvation.

When I was a boy I sometimes heard the doctrine of Entire Sanctification discussed over pipes and ale; but those discussions, which were merely theological disputes, had little or no relation to the personal experience of the people who were debating and contending and losing their tempers over the doctrine, and so it made no impression on me. Years after, my own heart was awakened, and desires arose in my soul. I began to search for the truth about it, and to listen for references to it, and most of all to rejoice if I could find or hear a clear testimony about it, for then I saw the possibility of the blessing for myself.

I frequently throw my Meetings open for testimony, because I know the helpful power of such words. Sometimes the wording may be a little upside down, or some qualifying term be left out, or some exaggerating word put in; but in spite of all, great is the power of testimony to encourage other hearts.

I fear, however, that many people are silent who ought to speak, and I touch some very closely when I say that owing to this silence the power of your experience has declined and become like a faded flower or a moth-eaten garment, and then when you would fain speak you find the assurance about the blessing has waned. My word, therefore, to you is, first of all get the blessing, then at every suitable opportunity, profess it openly and boldly for God, and by your happy testimony you will adorn the doctrine of Holiness.