We now come to the fruit of the Spirit called “gentleness,” as recorded in the fifth chapter of Galatians. This, like the other fruits of the Spirit, should be thought of as an evidence of salvation—a result of regeneration. Yet it is something that is more clearly manifested and developed in the lives of some of God’s people than in others. It is one of the beautiful garments of salvation.
Christ possessed the spirit of gentleness and manifested it in all of His life’s journey here among men. Some of the greatest men that ever lived upon the earth were gentle, humble, and conservative. I once thought it was the wise and most intelligent ones that caused trouble and divisions among the Lord’s people, but, in my humble judgment, much of the distress and sorrow, so far as the dear Old Baptists are concerned, is attributed to a lack of wisdom and understanding. Men of wisdom and judgment are, as a rule, gentle, forbearing and conservative and do not jump up, with excitement, to declare non-fellowship for every little thing that comes up. It is the rash opposition from us poor little fellows who have failed to inform ourselves as we should that has caused many to be alienated and deprived of each other’s association. One thing sure, the spirit of gentleness has never caused any strife and confusion. It is this great spirit of gentleness in the lives of our leaders that is a great factor in holding wrong things in check in the dear old church. (Pages 228, 227, originally printed by Webb in 1941).
