Article August 28, 1915 Issue

"A new commandment"

WILLARD S. MATTOX

Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." These words epitomize Jesus' life-mission, they are a summing up of his boundless love for mankind. When Jesus' "new commandment" is understood in its consummate beauty, it will be practised generally by those who know its value. It will ultimately dominate the thoughts, motives, speech, and action of mankind, to the complete exclusion of every intent and purpose that today means criticism or condemnation. Its benign mission is to heal every propensity to speak ill of our neighbor.

Analyze that commandment and you will find that Jesus gives us a standard which shall mold our new born incentive to "love one another." We must love our neighbor, Jesus said, "as I have loved you." That is to say, his love was the perfect type or model which must order the nature and character of our love if we would fulfil his commandment. It follows that our thought must comprehend the majesty and the supremacy of that unselfed love which enabled Jesus to say from the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Many of the tragedies of mortal existence have been brought about by harsh rebuke and cruel censure. Divine Love, which has been appropriately defined as "infinite consideration," heals both the oppressed and the oppressor. Weary of the struggle against calumny and accusation, many mortals are praying today as David prayed, "Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed." One clear thinker has summed up in a single sentence the experiences of those who have been reproached unjustly: "The problem of the centuries has been, how to get on with one another;—and there is not a saint among us."

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The "new name"
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