Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-12-06
Extracts from Bcccher's Life Of Christ.
"THE BEATITUDEs."

The Bcatitudes, then, we're not new prin.
ciplcs; the truth in them had been recognized
before. They were truths hidden in the very
nature Of the soul, and, in the best sense,
natural. But formerly they lay scattered as
peails not detached from the parent shell, or
as rough diamonds unground. Here they first
appear in brilliant setting. They are no lon.
ger happy sayings, but sovereign principles
They always spoke with nstructiyeness, but
now with authority, as if they were crowns
upon their heads.
There was a noble strangeness in them. The
whole world was acting in spirit contrary
to them They condcted with every senti.
ment aud maxim Of common life. On lone
y hilltop sat one known to have been reared
as mechanic, pronouncng to a group of
peasants, fishermen, mechanics and foreigners
the sublime truths Of the higher aud interior
life Of the soul, which have since by unyer-
sal consent been deemed the nobest utter.
ances Of earth. The traveller may to-day
stand in Antwerp near the old cathedral
hearing all the clatter Of business, thousand
ieet tramplng close up to the walls and but
tresses against which lean the booths thous-
and tongues rattling the language Of traffic
when, as the hour strikes from above, a show.
er Of notes seems to descend from the spre,-
bell notes, fine, sweet small as a birds warbe
the whole air full Of crisp tinklngs, underlaid
by the deeper and sonorous tones Of large
bells, but all Of them in fit sequences pouring
forth melody that seems uncarthly, aud the
more because in such contrast with the scenes
Of vulgar life beneath In some such way
must these words have fallen upon the multi.
tude
"nLEssED ARE THE r)JE Is SPIRIT
Not poverty Of thought, nor Of courage.
nor Of emotion,-not empty-mindcdness, nor
any idea implying real lack Of strength
variety, aud richness Of nature - was here
intended. 1t was TO be consciousness Of
moral incompletucss. As the sense Of power.
ty in this worlds goods inspires men to enter.
prise, SO the consciousness Of a poverty Of
manliness might be expected to lead to earn.
est endeayor for moral growth. This first
sentence was aimed full at that supreme self.
complacency which so generally resulted from
the school Of the Pharisee Paul's interpre-
tatiou of his own experience illustrates the
predominant spirit. He once had no higher
idea Of character than that inculc2.ed in the
Law Of Moses, and he wrote of his attain
ments Touching the righteousness which is
in the law, blameless." Phil. ill., g. He
was perfect man
The land was full Of perfect men" Groups
Of them were to be found in every synagogue.
To be sure they we're worldly, selfish, ambi.
tious, vindctive, but without the conscious
ness Of being the worse for all that. Rigo-
rous exactitude in a visible routine gave them
the right to thank God that they were not as
other men were For such men, in such
moods, there could be no spiritual kingdom
They could never sympathize with that new
life which was coming upon the world 10
which the treasures were " love, joy peace,
loug-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekuess, temperance" Gal. v. %, 23) But
those who painfully felt the poverty Of their
inward nature in all these excellences might
rise to the blessedness of the new kingdom,
"in which dgeleth Righteousness.
In world so full of trouble thousand
modes of consolation have been sought, n
thousand ways of joy. But Jesus, still look
ing upon the invisible manhood, next points
out the Divine road to happiness,
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN"
For perfect beings sorrow is not needed
but to creatures like men, seeking to escape
the thrall and burden of animal life, sorrow
is helpful. As frosts unlock the hard shells OF
seeds and help the germ to get free, so trouble
develops in men the germs of force, patience
and ingenuity, and in noble natures work
the peaceable fruits Of righteousness" A
gentle schoolmaster it is to those who are "cx
ercised thereby" Tears, like randrops
have a thousand times fallen to the GROUND
and come up in flowers All the good in thii
world which has risen above the line of ma
terial comfort has been born from some onei
sorrow. Veal march under Captain "whC
was made perfect through sufferings" anc
we are to fnd peace only as we learn Of hin
in the school of patience.