saved.

Not only does the will act an important part in securing the salvation
of the soul through the offered mercies of God, but it is the purpose of
God that the will act an important part all along the Christian way.
After the Christian enters through the "strait gate" and steps out upon
the "narrow way" that leads to eternal golden glories, he is not carried
forward in a "chariot of fire" through the journey of life and crowned
at the end with eternal blessedness irrespective of his will. Often it
is true that the soul is carried blessedly onward in the way of life on
the wings of joy, without any apparent exercise of the will; but how
often Good seems to have deserted or forsaken us, Joy has hid her
smiling face, and Good Feelings have departed, and we are left to serve
God and attend to our Christian duties from choice of will. God wants
our life service to be a willing service. It is necessary, therefore,
that he apparently forsake us and permit dark powers to engage us. It is
that our wills may be exercised. The Psalmist says, "I _will_ go the way
of thy commandment; I _will_ keep thy testimonies," and let us all say
amen.

The blessings and joys the Lord bestows upon us are the rewards of
willing service, for which things you should be very thankful; but never
let them influence you in your conduct toward God. There have been
those, who, in the hour of seeming desertion, refusing to use their
will-power, have turned back to the world. This is faint-heartedness and
cowardice, ignobleness and unmanliness.

Every faculty of the body or soul that is unused or unexercised will
weaken and die. The muscles if unused will grow weak, the mind if unused
will weaken, and the will if unexercised will lose its power. Should God