Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-05-01

"Exquisitely beautiful and TENDER"
- psalm of love- are among the say.
ings which have been applied to this
chapter.
The apostle is just now in the midst
Of discussion of spiritual gifts, which
he commends as useful and to be great.
ly desired. "Covet earnestly" he says,
"the best gifts" (l2 3D. But, having
reached this point, he makes digres-
sion. Before indicating what the best
may be, he turns aside TO show IAN EN-.
inently excellent way" tAlford) of pur.
suing these; how they are to be made
valuable and effective. There is one
thing of supreme importance, one which
must attend and pervade all; that is
lope-for so the word should be rendered.
To show how all.important this prin.
ciple is, he sets before us
/. It's essential .Oorh (l-3).-It is spok.
en- of as the one great and indispensa
bly thing that without which the most
excellent gifts and deeds are yalueless
The Apostle intends no disparagement
OF eloquence, or spiritual insight, or
wonder working faith, or bene6cence,
or selfsscrfice in what he says. Else
where we are taught that it is Chris
titn duty to make the most Of talents
and opportunities for service. What is
here said is that, in order to either use
fuIness or acceptance with God, love
must attend, control and inspire all.
Not only is "he who treads the brilliant
road Of the highest accomplishments.
a a man inferior to him who treads the
path of love- but in Gods sight he is
nothing
The value Of words and deeds depends
upon their motive, and the one motive
which gives moral excellence is love.
God j. love! He that loyeth is born of
cot is godlke. Whatever one may
lack. if he has trun love to God and
men, he has the essential thing. Men
of,cu think otherwise. They honor in
''c!,,c. and praise genius. The Lord re.
gard- the affections
> It's precious fruit a.. Prom its es.
santial worth, the Apostle passes to the
various outroincs Of love in human con.
duct and life. OF the things enumer.
ted, some are stated negatively, but all
have tn ir posi- i've side.
For one thing, noe that there is here
no mention at all of gifts. You may
have the essential thing and bc ever SO
destitute Of powers that shine. 1t is in
the reach Of all-the unlearned, tho
weak, the lowly, the child.
Then, note that a. al the good things
here named have their spring in love,
so all the opposite ones have their root
in selhihness. The great contention in
al our hearts Is between these two prin
ciples. Sooner or later the one will e1.
clude the other. The dark side of this
picture is all the time growing darker
IN every heart in which the bright side
Is not growing brighter.
Bl. the great thing to be here noticed
is that all the products Of love are most
precious.
From these cclcstial springs
Such streams Of pleasure flow,
As no increase oi riches brings,
Nor honors can bes.ow."
Then how beautiful and winning they
sre, and how helpiu, to Others, lie
Who reasonably has them, carries sun.
shine, and cheer, AID incitemcnt to
good, wherever he goes. That which
The Apostle here pictures would make
every heart light, every life true and
pure, every home hsppg, society harmo
NOUS, and this world heaven begun
And all this Is the fruit of that one
principle named love. And so much as
there Is of it in use, so much progress
have We made in the Christian life. d,
3. rs msndrg duration ls-l2).-The
general thought here js that all gifts, in
'her present form aud uses, will pass
away, but love abides "Propbccies' or
utterances Of Gods truth and will
"tongues' including languages and clio.
quence in speech, knowledge" Of truth
acquired or received by revelation-all
these, as now possessed, are limited and
partial at the best. 1--WE know in part.
and we prophesy inpart but when that
which Is perfect is come, then that
which is in part shall be done away.
Relatively, all our PRESENT sttainments
are those of children.
The word rendered "darkly," in the
twelfth verse, means Elm riddle" And
80, after all our attainments and best
understanding, the deeper oounsels of
God are full of enigmaa We Lno..