Character and Conduct Part 44

"Not only the happiness but the efficiency of the pa.s.sive virtues, love as a power, as a practical success in the world, is coming to be recognised. The fact that Christ led no army, that He wrote no book, built no church, spent no money, but that He loved, and so conquered, this is beginning to strike men. And Paul's argument is gaining adherents, that when all prophecies are fulfilled, and all our knowledge is obsolete, and all tongues grow unintelligible, this thing, Love, will abide and see them all out one by one into the oblivious past. This is the hope for the world, that we shall learn to love, and in learning that, unlearn all anger and wrath and evil-speaking and malice and bitterness."

_The Ideal Life_, HENRY DRUMMOND.

Soldiers of the same Army

SEPTEMBER 28

"To him, as to so many, truth is so infinitely great that all we can do with our poor human utterances is to try and clothe it in such language as will make it clear to ourselves, and clear to those to whom G.o.d sends us with a message; but meanwhile above us and our thoughts--above our broken lights--G.o.d in His mercy, G.o.d in His love, G.o.d in His infinite nature is greater than all."

_Tennyson--a Memoir_, by his Son.

"Are not all true men that live, or that ever lived, soldiers of the same army, enlisted under heaven's captaincy, to do battle against the same enemy--the empire of darkness and wrong? Why should we mis-know one another, fight not against the enemy, but against ourselves, from mere difference of uniform?"

CARLYLE.

By their Works

SEPTEMBER 29

"Call him not heretic whose works attest His faith in goodness by no creed confessed.

Whatever in love's name is truly done To free the bound and lift the fallen one Is done to Christ. Whoso in deed and word Is not against Him labours for our Lord.

When He, who, sad and weary, longing sore For love's sweet service, sought the sisters' door, One saw the heavenly, one the human guest, But who shall say which loved the Master best?"

WHITTIER.

"Hast thou made much of words, and forms, and tests, And thought but little of the peace and love,-- His Gospel to the poor? Dost thou condemn Thy brother, looking down, in pride of heart, On each poor wanderer from the fold of Truth?...

Go thy way!-- Take Heaven's own armour for the heavenly strife, Welcome all helpers in thy war with sin ...

And learn through all the future of thy years To form thy life in likeness of thy Lord's!"

PLUMPTRE.

Faith

SEPTEMBER 30

"Faith is the communication of the Divine Spirit by which Christ as the revealed G.o.d dwells in our heart. It is the awakening of the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry, 'Abba Father.'"

T. H. GREEN.

"He thought with Arthur Hallam, that 'the essential feelings of religion subsist in the utmost diversity of forms,' that 'different language does not always imply different opinions, nor different opinions any difference in _real_ faith.' 'It is impossible,' he said, 'to imagine that the Almighty will ask you, when you come before Him in the next life, what your particular form of creed was; but the question will rather be, "Have you been true to yourself and given in My name a cup of cold water to one of these little ones?"'"

_Tennyson--a Memoir_, by his Son.

"Religion consists not in knowledge, but in a holy life."

Bishop TAYLOR.

A New Creed

October 1

"Imagine a body of Christians who should take their stand on the Sermon of Jesus, and conceive their creed on His lines. Imagine how it would read, 'I believe in the Fatherhood of G.o.d; I believe in the words of Jesus; I believe in the clean heart; I believe in the service of love; I believe in the unworldly life; I believe in the Beat.i.tudes; I promise to trust G.o.d and follow Christ, to forgive my enemies, and to seek after the righteousness of G.o.d.' Could any form of words be more elevated, more persuasive, more alluring? Do they not thrill the heart and strengthen the conscience? Liberty of thought is allowed; liberty of sinning is alone denied."

_The Mind of the Master_, Dr. JOHN WATSON.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

has been called

"The text-book of duty."

PHILLIPS BROOKS.

"The Magna Charta of the Kingdom of G.o.d."

NEANDER.

"Christ's manifesto, and the const.i.tution of Christianity."

Dr. JOHN WATSON.

"The great proclamation, which by one effort lifted mankind on to that new and higher ground on which it has been painfully struggling ever since, but on the whole with sure but slow success, to plant itself, and maintain sure foothold."

T. HUGHES.

The Programme of Christianity

OCTOBER 2

"There may be Wors.h.i.+p without Words."

LONGFELLOW.

"All the world is the temple of G.o.d. Its wors.h.i.+p is ministration. The commonest service is Divine service."

GEORGE MACDONALD.

THE PROGRAMME OF CHRISTIANITY.