Spirit is to the virtuous and wicked1 alike — to teach the virtuous all truth and so lead them after Christ through worldly afflictions, through death, to the throne of the Father; to warn sinners that a like judgment awaits them as their prince, the devil, has already received; to convince them of Christ's righteousness, forasmuch as the life-long tendency and final destination of His followers, as of Himself, is to go to the Father; and to convict them of sin, because with all the evidences and effects of Christianity before them they still refuse to believe. For whatever of good is in the world is all the work of the Holy Ghost. Every saintly soul, every chaste nun, every devoted priest; every good thought conceived, word spoken, or act done; every affliction cheerfully borne, every suffering brother relieved; every hospital, asylum, and charitable institution in the land; every death-bed sanctified, every soul saved; the peace of individuals, families, and nations; in short, everything noble which the love of God or one's neighbor can evoke from the human heart — all are effects of Christianity, the fruits of the Holy Ghost. And if blessed are they who have not seen and have believed; if less blessed are they who, having seen, believed; surely, cursed are they who, though they have seen the marvellous works of Christ and the Holy Spirit, still refuse to believe.
Brethren, whether we will it or not, of each of us it is true that we go to Him that sent us, but too rarely alas! do we stop to consider and ask ourselves that all-important question: "Whither goest thou?"
