Article March 7, 1903 Issue

Religious Items

with contributions from Brooke Herford, Russell L. Carpenter

C. H. Wetherbe says in The Consecrated Life: "Paul says, 'Love suffereth long, and is kind.' He who supposes that he possesses a large measure of pure love toward God should test himself by observing how he feels and acts toward those who plainly disagree with him. He feels and acts kindly toward the brother who agrees with him in respect to religious questions; but when the brother ceases to agree with him, and distinctly disagrees with him in reference to the same questions, does he continue to feel and act toward him just as kindly as he formerly did? Here is a practical test; do not seek to evade it. Do not say that the brother, by his now disagreeing with you, gives you just ground for not being as kind to him as you were before he changed his opinion. Love is kind, not because some one agrees with the lover, but because it is its nature, its character, its quality to be truly and invariably kind. Love is kind to the unkind. Can you bear this test? Love is kind, not because people are kind to the lover, but because they ought to be kindly treated, whether they be kind or unkind. True love is kind toward the unthankful. Does your love hold out patiently toward such ones?"

The simple Gospel which Jesus Christ went about trying to persuade men to receive, and which he sealed at last with his blood, was the Gospel of happy, trustful love toward God, and practical righteousness among men. Surely, the very heart of it all was his sense of the fatherly love of God, and of the blessedness of living in his love as his trustful and faithful children. "The kingdom of God,"—that was his watchword: It came to him from the great national hope of his people, who had been long looking for some great outward change of deliverance and glory. He showed them that the kingdom of God was at hand in their own hearts and lives, if they would only receive it: the world full of God,—God in the beauty of the lily and the care of the sparrow, in the good thoughts that come to the pure in heart, and the strength that upholds the weak and suffering. This present blessing, of life in the love of God,—this is the good tidings he goes about preaching; and by-and-by, when great multitudes come about him, he gives the first great proclamation of the new life in the Sermon on the Mount.

Rev. Brooke Herford.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

LITERATURE FOR DISTRIBUTION