The Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character

In October 1813, Rev. Gardiner Spring (1785-1873) published his first book, Essays on the Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character. At twenty-eight years old he was four years into his long 63-year pastorate at the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Throughout his ministry, Spring enjoyed periods of revival blessing as he devoted himself to the preaching of the Word. He was a prolific writer, and among his most notable books that have been republished include The Attraction of the Cross (1846), The Mission of Sorrow (1845) and The Power of the Pulpit (1848).

Distinguishing Traits was republished in 1999 by Presbyterian and Reformed, but it is now out of print, as is an 1979 edited version by Al Martin and Ernie Reisinger, which you can read online here. Other Spring publications have been reproduced on audio book here. We hope to produce a digital version of Distinguishing Traits, edited for the Krapf Project online library.

The purpose of Spring’s little book on Christian character (185 pages) was to establish the nature of true Christian faith and hope.

For some, he says in the Introduction, they hope they are friends of God, but their hope is a false security. He uses three images to describe it; it is as fragile as a spiders web, it is as insecure as building on sand, and it is a shadow without substance.

Spring develops this in the first few chapters, and provides five traits of character that reveal a hope without strength, security and substance.

1. Visible morality. There is, says Spring, “a wide distinction between moral virtue and Christian graces.
2. Religious form. Those who have the form of godliness, or the appearance of true religion, but this is no conclusive evidence of Christian character.
3. Speculative knowledge. It is not knowledge about God that makes a man or woman a Christian, but the knowledge of God-it is not head knowledge but heart knowledge.
4. Conviction of sin. Conviction of sin is no ground for hope since the simple conviction of sin is common to all men.
5. Confidence in good estate. By this Spring means that a person may be persuaded in himself and confident in himself of salvation. But assurance of salvation based on mere feelings or presumption is dangerous. Genuine Christian character is shown by sanctification. Self-examination and true spiritual evidence are essential.

In the remaining 10 chapters, Spring argues that the hope of a true believer is founded on solid evidence, and he expounds ten areas that show true Christian character.

1. Love to God.
2. Repentance.
3. Faith.
4. Humility.
5. Self-denial.
6. Spirit of Prayer.
7. Love to the Brethren.
8. Non-conformity to the World.
9. Growth in Grace.
10. Practical Obedience.