The wide distribution of "The Threefold Secret of the Spirit," "The Surrendered Life," and other papers of like character, endangering to many that are not established in the truth, demands an examination of its unscriptural teaching, and an exposure of the error which the enemy is spreading among us.

The author of the two booklets mentioned is evidently an earnest, fervent Christian, but he has failed to grasp the Spirit's ideal of the Christian life. Many of its fruits he sees, but his picture of "the abundant life" and "the fulness of the Spirit" is sadly deficient. He says:

"Some have His" (the Spirit's) "indwelling life only as the trickling stream, with scarce enough to keep and refresh them in times of test and stress, and never knowing what His fulness means. Others there are in whom the words of Jesus are joyously fulfilled:' I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly ' (more aboundingly)." See " Threefold Secret of the Holy Spirit," page 8.

Is this correct ? Is it true that the Spirit as the indwelling life is in some believers a mere scanty supply, inadequate to meet the thirst and longing of the soul, while others have received from the same source a greater supply of life and power ? Is the vast difference between those Christians in whom life's activities have such a feeble manifestation, and those in whom there is the display of great energy, dependent on the source that is given to be within; in the one case, an insufficient source, in the other, a source of supply abounding above and beyond the need? What does our Lord teach us about this? In John 4:14 He says, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." The source of life, then, given to every believer is a source of adequate supply. The "indwelling life" in itself is not "only as the trickling stream, with scarce enough to keep and refresh in times of test and stress."Our Lord clearly declares it to be a source of sufficient supply-" a well of water springing up into everlasting life."It is that in every one to whom it is given, 1:e. every believer.

But if the "fulness of the Spirit" is in the indwelling "spring" that by grace is given to all believers, why are there so many whose practical lives are on such a low level? Why so many who are like "dry pumps, needing to be aided by others through in poured droughts of exhortation and stimulation"? Why so little joy, so little power in service, so little growth in the knowledge of the word of God? The answer is not difficult. The explanation of all these, and many more defects in the practical lives of a large class of believers is not to be found in any inadequacy in the spring of life given to be within us, but in the drinking. The Lord Jesus said, "Whosoever drinketh "of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst."Now mark, He does not say, If he drinks I will give him the water. No, not that, but, if he drinks of the water I give him he shall not thirst. Here is the explanation. Notice again, He does not say, If he has drunk of the water he shall never thirst, but, If he drinks. It is the tense of present continuance. Alas, how few are regularly, constantly drinking of the water that has been given them! Though they have the water, though it is in them as a spring of sufficient supply, how little are they drawing on it! How much drinking there is at other fountains!-the fountain of pleasure, of riches, of place and honor among men; the fountain of worldly wisdom; the fountain of self-occupation, of self-complacency and satisfaction with one's own condition and attainments. How many are drinking, continuously drinking, at these and other wells instead of the spring Christ has put within them to be the source of their joy and satisfaction!

As we have seen, Mr. McConkey refers to John 10:10. But is the doctrine of our author found there? " I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The Lord here is insisting that the communication of life depends on His coming. Not that life was not given before He came, but that His coming is the basis and ground on which it is given. But this is not all. Those to whom it is given are, all alike, to have it, not as a "reservoir" that "is fed by a mountain stream of modest supply," but as a "fountain of unlimited abundance." It is life in the fulness of its liberties and activities. It is that for all to whom it is given. It is not an extraordinary privilege and blessing for a specially favored class of believers, but the assured portion of every member of the family of faith. There are no believers, then, but what have "life abundantly"-a life that is not dependent on "streams" which by "drought of summer" are "dwindled to a tiny thread." The spring of life within everyone who is in truth a believer, is not a "scant supply."It is a fountain of life with which the fulness of the energies of the Spirit is linked. It is life abundant.

Of course, it must be remembered that I am speaking now of the source itself-the spring that has been given to be within us. I am not denying the defects in our practical lives. I am not denying that the practical lives of masses of Christians are on a low plane; but the explanation of this, as we have already seen, is not in the supply that has been given to us to draw from, but in the drinking. There must be continuous drinking at our divinely I given fountain in, order to be continuously displaying I the energies of the life we have.

Just here I desire to refer to a very dangerous tendency in this system of teaching we are now occupied with. It tends to the making of very pretentious claims. There is much urging upon people to seek "a surrendered life," to get into a "perfect alignment with God's will," to strive to attain a life of the enjoyment of the " fulness of the Spirit," and much more of similar character. Now where the "conditions" which are urged as "the secret" of the enjoyment of this happy life are supposed to have been met, there will result the claim that the blessing is attained. Sometimes the claim is made with very extravagant pretensions. I have myself heard an adherent of this system of teaching make the claim that he "had been favored with experiences far beyond anything the apostle Paul ever thought of."I do not say Mr. McC. does this. I am not now charging him with making any pretentious claims to enjoying the fulness of the Spirit, but his teaching tends to the development of that spirit. This is all that I am referring to now the tendency of his doctrine. This tendency will not be found in Scripture. It is true Scripture speaks of men as being "filled with the Spirit," and exhorts us to "be filled with the Spirit;" but no-where does it speak of any who realized the fulness; of the Spirit. These are different things. The fulness of the Spirit may fill one who is yet not realizing fully the fulness with which he is filled. One's realization of the water of life-of Christ-of divine things, is limited by his understanding, by his knowledge. Is that the fulness of the Spirit? Surely not. The Spirit's understanding, knowledge and realization are absolutely perfect. It is full divine knowledge and enjoyment. The Spirit is able to enjoy " exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20). He can fill us, but we do not reach the measure of His fulness.

Now this, it seems to me, is entirely overlooked by Mr. McC. He speaks of "the true pathway to the fulness of life in Christ," as if there was a way to be traveled by which a condition would be attained in which we would realize' the fulness of life in Christ." He suggests that as the result of " earnest, searching, trustful study of the Word" there is now "emerging " what he calls " the truth which lets us into the secret of a full and triumphant life in Christ Jesus." What this secret is we will look at, God willing, later. It is plain his idea is that we are by it introduced into a condition in which we realize the fulness of the "triumphant life in Christ." This, however, none but the Spirit of God does. Our realization depends ' on the measure in which we drink of the water of the fountain that has been given to us. But however constantly we drink, our measure is surely much within the measure of the Spirit. He"exceedingly abundantly " exceeds us. I do not say Mr. McC. really makes the claim to the enjoyment of the fulness of the Spirit's measure, but his teaching tends to such a claim. The claim is false, and so is the teaching, and therefore dangerous. C. Crain.

(To be continued.)