Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-03


little one to take notice it shows no sign
OF recognition. Anxiously they stand about
II, bowing and smiling and swapping trem-
ping fingers, cherishing every blink from
the little staring eyes, their hearts leaping
with joy over the first shadow of dim
ping, pickering smile. II the angels watch
the spiritual souls born into the kingdom
In ,1o this way how me- AIous hours must
itually blind, or. worse Sti1l, spiritual idiots,
for the blind do learn to recognize those
about them in cropping, uncertain way
sometimes; but still 1t grows keener with
the years until their new sense is almost
better than an ordinary persons sight
Therefore, perhaps this lack of recogni-
ton of the other Christians about us
ought to be termed by no better name
than spiritual fdiocy, for that is what Ii
amounts to- If we were not many of us
spiritual idiots how is it that we would
need this most earnest appeal from Paul:
Il beseech you that ye walk worthy of
the vocation wherewith ye are called
Why do we have to be besought to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace? Why do we not do it naturally?
Why do we not of our own sense under
stand that those other members OF Gods
household about us are to be loved and
recognized and forborne and long-suf-
fered as much as ourselves, else the
whole church. the body of Christ will be
in continual discomfort and pain?
Does the hand go about in continual
complaint against the foot, and refusing
to care for 1t and clothe it, because 1t is
not SO Shapeiy as itself, or because 1t
has walked in some unpleasant paths, or
because 1T has met with an accident? Nay,
1T cherisheS the foot, for Is not the foot
part of the whole body of which it too
is part? Can we never get 1t into our
hearts, not alone into our heads, that
every other Christian belongs to Christ's
body as we do ourselves and Is. there
fore, to be cherished, helped, protected
just exactly as much as we would do for
ourselves? Calvin says: IF this thought
were fixed in our minds, this law laid
upon US, that the sons of God may no
more quarrel than the kingdom of heaven
can be divided how much more careful
we should be in cultiyatfng brotherly
good will. What a dread we should have
of discussions If we considered as we
ought to do, that those who separate
themselves from their brethren exile them
selves from the kingdom of God
Every Christian who today studies this
topic in deed and in truth should consider
whetfe there is single member of Christ
household with whom he is not one. You
may not have openly quarreled, but there
may be some one or ones with Wnom you
are not on perfectly good terms in your own
heart. They have, you consider, done you
an injustice in some way or they may nave
seemed to snub you merely 1t matters not.
You have no love to Them no long-suherlns
nor meekness nor lowlinesS. You cannot
bear the sight of them. When they or any
member of their household happens to pass
the collection plate you wish almost you
could withhold your gift till some more
pleasant season, and if he chance to be the
elder who passes you the bread and WINE
your heart feels anything but in a right
mood for communing with God at having
to take it from his hand. You still keep
up outward appearances, however You DOW
stiff1y when you meet or you try TO make
il appear that you have not seen them II
possible, but your heart has a qualm of
ugly feeling every time you meet and every
thing that they suggest and favor you an
tagonize, just because they favor 1t. Now,
honestly, have you any right to do that?
What have they done 10 you? Been conde-
scending? Yes. Are go usure? Sure. Well,
allowing that, what else. Condescension Is
not pleasant, but have you no little snobber-
les about your life? And with less reason,
perhaps They spoke slightingly of some
one whom you loved? They are hard and
cold and think much of themselves be-
cause they have little money, and they
dress stylishly, and they are hateful in
many ways, not only to you but to others.
Yes. that all may be. and yet have you
no faults to put over against them and
know that you must be long suffering with
theirs, and bear them with love as you
would have your Father in Heaven bear
with you?
Findlay says: "a high Christian ideal and
a strict self-judgment will render more
sensitive to wrongdoing in the world around
us. Unless tempered with abundant charity
they may lead to harsh and one-sided CEN
sure. Gentle natures, reluctant to con-
denim, are sometimes slow and difficult in
forgiveness. Humbleness and meekness are
choice graces of the spirit. But they are
self-regarding virtues at the best, and may
be found in a cold nature that has little
of the patience which bears with mems in
firmities, Of the sympathetic insight that
discovers the good often lying close to their
faults Above all things'-above kindness,
meekness, long-suffering. forgiveness-'put
on love, which is the bond of perfectness:
Yet just negative complacence with
t. oil
consider them and help them. That takes
more love yet. And you have no right
whatever to stay away from assembling
yourselves together just because you don't
like the minister or Mrs. Brown has not
called, or you don't feel at home sitting in
front of Mrs. Green. 1t is even laid upon
you to help Mrs Brown and Mrs. Green IN
some way; How? That's your problem,
given you by God to solve. You are part
of the body of Christ with her, and you
and she were put together to help one an
other for the sake of the kingdom. "And
so much the more as we see the day APP
rToaching."
Applied Truth.
DR. Louis Albert Banks tells the story of
two little boys who were seen getting on
street car together. One was a cripple and
with much solicitude the other boy helped
him on the car to his seat, and then jumped
off, The lame boy braced himself up in his
window, and the passengers observed that
al intervals the little fellow would wave
his hand and smile. Following the drec-
ton of his glances the passengers saw the
other boy running along the sidewalk.
straining every muscle to keep up with the
car. They watched this pantomime in
silence for a few blocks, and then gentle
man asked the lame boy who the other boy
was. My brother" was the prompt reply.
why does he not ride with you in the
carr" was the next question Because he
hasn't any money" answered the lame boy,
sLrrowfuly. But the little understanding
that his crippled brother might ride-had a
face in which sorrow had no part, only the
gladness of a self-denying soul.
How many are willing to run that the
crippled lives may ride?
How to Help the Leader.
Quote from Chrysostom. Bind thyself
to thy brother. Those who are bound to-
gether in love bear all burdens lightly.
Bind myself to him and him to thee Both
are in thy power; for whomsoever 1 will,
I may easily make my friend.
Parallel passages-Romans, Il; Z, 10, 13,
81. IOhn 9.1S. g 90.