HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div
“Let not then your good be evil spoken of.” Romans 14:16
Let me not spoil my Church by censoriousness. Who am I that I should constitute myself my brother’s judge? I have more than enough to scrutinize, more than enough to condemn, more than enough to correct — in my own thoughts and ways! There are weeds in my garden, which I ought to be uprooting and destroying. I must show no sympathy with the spirit of petty criticism. I must give an account of myself to God.
And let me not spoil my Church with selfishness. What may be harmless and good for me — may be dangerous and deadly to the soul of another. I ought to consider this. I ought to be careful to make no one stumble, to plunge no one into perplexity, to lead no one astray. I should not live the isolated and solitary life of a hermit; my brothers and sisters have a thousand claims upon me. For their sake, I should be prepared to surrender and crucify my own desires.
And let me not spoil my Church by coldness. With all my rectitude and wisdom, there may be a sad lack of warm and tender love. But “it is the heart and not the brain, that to the highest doth attain.” Let me follow after the things which make for peace. Let me be kindly affectioned. Let me burn, as they said of the saintly missionary, “with the intense flame.” Let me talk of Jesus — Jesus whose exceeding grace the strong floods could not quench.
So my good shall not be evil spoken of. What a thousand pities it will be if the holy vessels of the sanctuary would get rusted and unlovely in my hands! What a sadness and disgrace it will be if on my lips the new song should lose its melody!
