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is that of all unseen things the most radiant； the most beautiful；
the most Divine； and that is CHARACTER。 On earth； in Heaven；
there is nothing so great； so glorious as this。 The word has many
meanings； in ethics it can have but one。 Glory is character； and
nothing less； and it can be nothing more。 The earth is 〃full of
the glory of the Lord；〃 because it is full of His character。 The
〃Beauty of the Lord〃 is character。 〃The Glory of the Only
Begotten〃 is character； the character which is 〃fullness of grace
and truth。〃 And when God told His people HIS NAME； He simply gave
them His character； His character which was Himself： 〃And the Lord
proclaimed the name for the Lord。。。the Lord； the Lord God； merciful
and gracious； long…suffering and abundant in goodness and truth。〃
Glory then is not something intangible； or ghostly； or transcendental。
If it were this； how could Paul ask men to reflect it？ Stripped
of its physical enswathement it is Beauty； moral and spiritual
Beauty； Beauty infinitely real； infinitely exalted； yet infinitely
near and infinitely communicable。
With this explanation read over the sentence once more in
paraphrase： We all reflecting as a mirror the character of Christ
are transformed into the same Image from character to characterfrom
a poor character to a better one； from a better one to a little
better still； from that to one still more complete； until by slow
degrees the Perfect Image is attained。 Here
The solution of the problem of sanctification
is compressed into a sentence： Reflect the character of Christ。
You will be changed； in spite of yourself and unknown to yourself；
into the same image from character to character。
（I。） All men are reflectorsthat is
The first law
on which this formula is based。 One of the aptest descriptions of
a human being is that he is a mirror。 As we sat at table to…night
the world in which each of us lived and moved through this day was
focused in the room。 What we saw when we looked at one another was
not one another； but one another's world。 We were an arrangement
of mirrors。 The scenes we saw were all reproduced； the people we
met walked to and fro； they spoke； they bowed； they passed us by；
did everything over again as if it had been real。 When we talked；
we were but looking at our own mirror and describing what flitted
across it； our listening was not hearing； but seeingwe but looked
on our neighbor's mirror。
All human intercourse is a seeing of reflections。 I meet a stranger
in a railway carriage。 The cadence of his first words tell me he
is English and comes from Yorkshire。 Without knowing it he has
reflected his birthplace； his parents； and the long history of their
race。 Even physiologically he is a mirror。 His second sentence
records that he is a politician； and a faint reflection in the way
he pronounces THE TIMES reveals his party。 In his next remarks I
see reflected a whole world of experiences。 The books he has read；
the people he has met； the companions he keeps； the influences
that have played upon him and made him the man he isthese are
all registered there by a pen which lets nothing pass； and whose
writing can
Never be blotted out。
What I am reading in him meantime he is also reading in me； and
before the journey is over we could half write each other's lives。
Whether we like it or not； we live in glass houses。 The mind； the
memory； the soul； is simply a vast chamber paneled with looking…glass。
And upon this miraculous arrangement and endowment depends the
capacity of mortal souls to 〃reflect the character of the Lord。〃
（2）。 But this is not all。 If all these varied reflections
from our so…called secret life are patent to the world； how close
the writing； complete the record within the soul itself！ For the
influences we meet are not simply held for a moment on the polished
surface and thrown off again into space。 Each is retained where
first it fell； and stored up in the soul forever。
This law of assimilation
is the second； and by far the most impressive truth which underlies
the formula of sanctificationthe truth that men are not only
mirrors； but that these mirrors； so far from being mere reflectors
of the fleeting things they see； transfer into their own inmost
substance； and hold in permanent preservation the things that they
reflect。
No one knows how the soul can hold these things。 No one knows
how the miracle is done。 No phenomenon in nature； no process in
chemistry； no chapter in necromancy can ever help us to begin to
understand this amazing operation。 For； think of it； the past is
not only FOCUSED there； in a man's soul； it IS there。 How could
it be reflected from there if it were not there？ All things that
he has ever seen； known； felt； believed of the surrounding world
are now within him； have become part of him； in part are himhe
has been changed into their image。 He may deny it； he may resent
it； but they are there。 They do not adhere to him； they are
transfused through him。 He cannot alter or rub them out。 They
are not in his memory； they are in HIM。 His soul is as they have
filled it； made it； left it。 These things； these books； these
events； these influences are his makers。 In their hands are life
and death； beauty and deformity。 When once the image or likeness
of any of these is fairy presented to the soul； no power on earth
can hinder two things happeningit must be absorbed into the soul
and forever reflected back again from character。
Upon these astounding yet perfectly obvious psychological facts；
Paul bases his doctrine of sanctification。 He sees that character
is a thing built up by slow degrees； that it is hourly changing
for better or for worse according to the images which flit across
it。 One step further and the whole length and breadth of the
application of these ideas to the central problem of religion will
stand before us。
II。 The alchemy of influence。
If events change men； much more persons。 No man can meet another on
the street without making some mark upon him。 We say we exchange
words when we meet； what we exchange is souls。 And when intercourse
is very close and very frequent； so complete is this exchange that
recognizable bits of the one soul begin to show in the other's
nature； and the second is conscious of a similar and growing debt
to the first。
Now； we become like those whom we habitually reflect。 I could
prove from science that applies even to the physical framework of
animalsthat they are influenced and organically changed by the
environment in which they life。
This mysterious approximating of two souls； who has not witnessed？
Who has not watched some old couple come down life's pilgrimage
hand in hand； with such gentle trust and joy in one another that
their very faces wore the self…same look？ These were not two
souls； it was a composite soul。 It did not matter to w