Editorial September 27, 1924 Issue

"Love makes all burdens light"

Ella W. Hoag

When Paul writes to the Corinthians, "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity [love], it profiteth me nothing," he presents a view not yet universally accepted on the subject of human service. In considering sacrifice for others, or one's own allegiance to duty, comparatively few recognize that the motive of an act is its first and most important element.

Most men have imagined that when they have given what they have felt was a right proportion of themselves or of their means, however grudgingly, to any service, they have done all that was required of them in that particular direction; they may at times have even plumed themselves on their great generosity and self-renunciation in thus giving, and have expected a heavenly reward as a consequence. Their motive in what they have done has, however, often had very scant attention from them.

But not so says Paul! He makes it very plain that unless accompanied with unselfish love, no gift given or duty done can result in any benefit to the giver. From this standpoint one may gain light on the barren nature of the world at large to-day,—barren of that true love which is the oil of consecration to God, good, and which would lubricate all the human machinery necessary to the conduct of the world's affairs. How many, though calling themselves Christian, have attained the heights of unselfish purpose, that purpose which is actuated alone by divine, unselfed love in all that they think and do and say?

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