Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1904-05-07
THE GENTLE LOVE OF CnRlsT'

"The love OF Christ constraineth u.s."
. Cor, v, IA.
There is nothing so strong as gentle
ness and nothing so gentle and loving
as real strength. How true are these
words in the incarnate life OF our
Lord Jesus Christ! lie was n perfect
union OF gentleness and strength. But
what is gentleness? 1t Is quite differ
ent from meekness. Weakness is called
forth by proyocation, insult. Gentle
ness is not that Still less Is 1t kind
ness. Many man and woman Is over
| flowing with kindness. liberal in aims
! giving, constant In acts of charity, yet
they are not gentle. True gentencsI
is that habit of life which is the out
come Of prayer, OF communion with
God. and a careful study of our Lords
/ human character; it is not gained by
! copying another; we cannot make our
| selves gentle. we cannot be gentle In
manner or speech apart from the grace
| OF God; we must mediate on the life
OF Christ and on that attribute espc-
cially, for It is not merely gentlencsS
that is desirable, but the gentle
ness of Christ" Consider Il few eases
OF special gentleness in our Lords
dealings with men when he was on
earth
Take the case OF Nlcodemus Christ
Gid not say 70 h,m, Coward, afraid to
confess me before men" No; he ac-
/ cepted that earnest desire of his to
have a deeper knowledge and before
| Nicodamus was aware our Lord was
teaching him the wonderful doctrine Of
! regeneration Gentle Teacher
/ Think of Chr.sts way Of dealing
with the young man who came run
ming to him and said: Good Master,
what shall do to inherit @ ernal lfe?"
How wise and gentle was Jesus with
him! He knew the oyermastering
temptation in the young mans way,
the corrupting love Of riches such a
snare to the soul. How he longel to
snatch this brand out Of the fire that
he should set his affection on some
thing higher! We read: "And Jesus,
beholding him loved him. and gave him
the best of advice; but the young man
loved himself better than God, turned
his back on unequaIed tenderness, and
went away again into the world"
Think Of the Savior's dealings with
Peter. When Jesus walked upon The
flowing waves of Galilee he said,
Come" In answer to the impu'eiye
apostles request; and as Peter walked
upon the waters right up to Christ,
when the boisterous waves arose, lie
lost faith; so Jesus put forth his hand
and caught him. What gentlencss
again! But that voice still says,
Come" that heart, which knows our
weakness, our readiness to fall, still
beats with human sympathy; that
hand, strong to control the waves, is
still stretched forth with that touch
so perfect In strength, SO winning in
gentleness. Peter felt It, and knew
he was safe.
Let us also think how Christ dealt
with the Magdalcne-that pattern for
penitent souls. She knelt at the feet
Of the Savior and heard his tones Of
gentleness-those tones still so gentle,
so wise, waiting for penitent souls as
they come to his feet, saying to them
az he said to her, eco In peace" Why
do I speak so much Of gentleness? Be
cause | wish, from the depth OF my
heart, TO draw you still nearer to the
heart Of Jesus.
In coming to mediate on the love
of Christ we cannot but feel our help
! lessness in undertaking such a task.
We are reminded OF what Augustine
said Of the child attempting to empty
the sea into the hole 1t had dug In the
sand The best way to realize In any
measure the love OF Gcd is by trying
to fathom the depth OF our sin and the
fOrgiving love required to wipe 1t all
out. II we place ourselves in the
presence of God and look back upon
the years gone by and try to recall the
proofs Of Gods patient forbearance
with us, In spite Of our rebellion, in
gratitude, and forgetfulness Of him, we
shall be much helped to realize the
love Of God for us. We can also see
In mans dealings with his fellow crea-
lures something Of the love of God.
If fellow man goes on putting up
with us in our ingratitude, our love OF
our OWE way, our unwilllngness to
learn or make any response to his
goodness-if that man Is still tender,
patient, and forbearing, we cannot
fail to believe in the love OF such a
man. What, then, must be the love
of God to each one OF usl 1t will do
US good to mediate upon some OF the