Books by Samuel Logan Brengle
Samuel Brengle has written several books. One of the best known is "Helps to Holiness". This book is now very important for the teaching of The Salvation Army.
Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle
"Helps to Holiness"
One of Brengle's most famous books is "Helps to Holiness ". Since it was first published in February 1896, the book has been translated into various languages and reprinted several times.
Brengle describes holiness as the state in which the heart, totally emptied of malice and hatred, is filled with pure love by the Holy Spirit. The maximum of what we humans can achieve here on earth, that from now on we “always are exactly that and do what God wants us to be and do.”
Holiness is the “second work of grace”. In a first work of grace, God forgives a person who is converted for his sins. But his heart is still filled with all sorts of worldly weaknesses. That is why the converted person sets out on the path of holiness, on which he or she tries to empty his or her heart of all that is unworthy, so that the Holy Spirit can enter, as it happened to the disciples on Pentecost, who were also back then have long been attached to Jesus but not yet “holy”.
Brengle sees the greatest obstacles on the way to holiness, first of all, in the imperfect devotion: although many have wanted to give up the wrong habits they have grown fond of! And secondly, in imperfect faith: Man very quickly becomes impatient and has doubts if holiness or the answer to prayer does not occur immediately.
When a person has been sanctified, he is full of love, so there is no danger of anger or envy etc. seizing him. But there is a much greater danger: Satan likes to sow doubt! Those who are seized by these begin to ponder that they have not done enough, become frustrated by the lack of success and depressed because the beautiful feeling of holiness cannot be felt anew every day. One threatens to fall back into the old waters and lose one's holiness.
Brengle describes these remarks in the first four chapters of his book. In a further 24 chapters he vividly illuminates various aspects and dangers on the path to holiness and afterwards. Above all, he wants to encourage people to believe in holiness and not to doubt, and to hold on to what has been achieved. He says: "... if you can only understand it, you will realize that God's honor and your highest best always go hand in hand."