|The fruit of the Spirit is all goodness| (Gal. v.22).

Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. Goodness is just |Godness.| It is to be like God. And God-like goodness has special reference to the active benevolence of God. The apostle gives us the difference between goodness and righteousness in this passage in Romans, |Scarcely for a righteous man would one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.| The righteous man is the man of stiff, inflexible uprightness; but he may be as hard as a granite mountain side. The good man is that mountain side all covered with velvet moss and flowers, and flowing with cascades and springs. Goodness respects |whatsoever things are lovely.| It is kindness, affectionateness, benevolence, sympathy, rejoicing with them that do rejoice, and weeping with them that weep. Lord, fill us with Thyself, and let us be God-men and good men, and so represent Thy goodness.

There are lonely hearts to cherish,
While the days are going by;
There are weary souls who perish,
While the days are going by.