St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-04
THE FULFILLMENT OF Law.
Love Is the Beginning and the End
of Human Duty.

Love Is the Beginning and the End
of Human Duty.
Rev. Marion D. Shutter spoke at the
Church of the Redeemer yesterday
morning from Romans xiii, 10. He said:
The sum of human duty Is cOntained
in the single term, Lowell A man may
be in doubt as to the form of his duty,
but never as to its spirit He may be in
doubt about his outward action towards
his neighbOr, but he can never be in
doubt about the attitude of his heart
towards that neighbOr. Whatever may
be right or wrong, whatever may be
wise or unwise.it will always be right to
love ones neighbor as ones self; to do
as he would be done by. When he first
has the right spirit the specific obi
CATION will become more clear.
The right heart makes the right head,
and the right deedl Love is the
condition of obedience. Without a
charitable spirit it is impossible even to
think Alright of others, to say nothing of
acting Alright towards others. 1t is only
love that "thinketh no evil" There is
spirit suspicious and critical, that sees
evil where there is none: that throws a
cloud on the purest motives. 1t re-
jOices more over all discovered fault
than over ninety and nine I'M
are!" is its constant argume nt. You
know what men are? Not if you only
know the evil! There was one who
once walked the earth of whom it was
written, HE knew what was in mann
He knew the sin, the weakness; but
He knew something more. some
thing better than that. Whoever
loved and treated men as He
did? 1t is not because we under
stand people SO well, but because we
understand them so little that we are
uncharitable! I have thought some
times that if we could look into the
darkest and most sinful life there would
be more to melt our hearts than harden
them. How came that wreck and ruin?
Who can tell To God alone be the
judgment, to us be the charityl Love
is the most powerful Of all motives. 1t
rocks the cradle of the helpless babe;
it fights the battles of nation; it dies
for others when it can no longer live
for theml Love is the only element of
worth counting in all our endeavors to
| fulfill the law. 1t is the center, and
there is no circumference. Motives,
not outward conformity, constitute the
standard on which our deeds de-
pend. One may do the right thing
as far as the mere form is concerned.
But what If he do it from selfishness
That makes the deed. We value that
which is done, even if it be mistaken
and blunderlng, for the sake of the
spirit behind it. Love is in itself the
very essence of all obedience. 1t is the
beginning and the end of human duty.
Love is the essence of all morality, of
all righteousness, of all religion. Love
fulfils the law. and more, Love bear
eth all things"-more than the law
would lay on human shoulders. 1t tran
sends the law. Nov abideth faith,
hope, charity-lOve-these three; but
the greatest OF these is love. Faith car
| ries a sword and shield, Hope rests
upon an anchor, but Love goes with
bare hands to touch and minister to
human needs. Love is the loliest, and
therefore the highest. Love is the
humblest, and therefore the greatest
| Love comes nearest to the heart of man
and therefore it is dearest to the heart
| of God.