Part 68

Pastor Pastorum, HENRY LATHAM.

The Great Law of Love

SEPTEMBER 27

"Those who go to Christ and not to custom for their view of that which is essential in religion, know the infinitesimal value of profession and ceremonies, beside the great law of love to our neighbour."

F. W. FARRAR.

"Not only the happiness but the efficiency of the passive 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 And Paul's argument is gaining adherents, that when all prophecies are fulfilled, and all our knowledge is obsolete, and all tongues grow unintelligible, this thing, Love, will abide and see them all out one by one into the oblivious past.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 God sends us with a message; but meanwhile above us and our thoughts--above our broken lights--God in His mercy, God in His love, God 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 God 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