February 8

Salvation and joy

“Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased” (Psa. 4:7).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Gal. 5:22).

Happiness is to be a feature of religion to the last. That odious caricature of Christianity which offers to the view of the world a man with all the doctrines of the Gospel on his lips, but gloom on his brow, disquiet in his eye, and sourness in his bearing, has done infinite injustice to our benign religion, and infinite harm to those who never knew its worth. Now, as in the days of Solomon, “her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” Now, as in the days of David, she “put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” Now, as in the days of Paul, she gives “joy and peace in believing.”


Happiness is not a separable appendage of true piety: it is part of it, and an essential part: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Some would regard happiness as if it were to religion what a fine complexion is to a human countenance—a great addition to its beauties, if present, but if not, no feature is wanting. In the sacred writings, from first to last, it is regarded as a feature which we cannot remove without both wounding and defacing. The kingdom of God is not only “righteousness,” but “righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
—William Arthur.

In the sunshine of His presence
I cannot silent keep;
Let those who are in darkness
Sit down to sigh and weep.

He has promised to be with me,
So surely I must sing;
Let those be dumb and cheerless,
Who cannot praises bring.

“In Christ,” this is my watchword,
Wellspring of joy and peace;
For as I travel homeward,
My praises still increase.
—E. S. M.

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