The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-03-01


try, SO to be sure that they were wor-
thy 10 be in the social set of one who
was of the line Of David. All. no!
Christ took them, one and all, at their
face value-as men and sinners. He
saw in them only men waiting and
longing for the touch of loving
hand and the comfort of sure SAL
vation. He called them and they left
their work. their families and their
friends. and they followed where He
led. And. as they followed. He
taught them, and He showed thael
how, by the power that He alone
could give, they might work social
and spiritual miracles and transfor-
nations in their own lives and also
in the lives of other men and Of ma
tions. And, withal, He loved them
with that mighty. godly love where
with none other had ever loved them
before. Such was the love of Christ
10 His disciples. Such was the char
acter of the affection, in the broadest
Interpretation, that He lavished upon
them. Such was the love which, in
its fullest application, He wished
them 10 manifest TO all men. He had
loved them as sinners. They must
love other men in sin. He had dealt
kindly and patiently and with all
forebearance with them. They must
do the same with their fellows. To
be sure, they were TO strive for har-
mony among themselves at all times
| that they might be known and read
OF all men as His disciples. Only
thus could their teachings gain or
| retain a merited respect. But the
wider expression of the love of Christ
| that was spread abroad in their
| hearts demanded, as ii demands to-
| day, that they look upon all men in
| sin, as we'll as upon all Christians, as
| brothers and love them.
But, | hear some one ask, suppose
| Christian men to-day do love. spe-
| cifically and generically, as Christ
commanded that the disciples should
| love, what then?
That is just the point that I wish
| TO consider. This command OF
Christ, in it's application both to the
relation of the Christian TO the other
| faithful and TO the world Of men in
sin about him, is just as imperative
upon us as IL was upon any OF the
eleven. And the outworking of that
Christ principle in all the depart
ments of human activity will ensure
| the final solution of all difficulties
that now perplex and distress us and
| the consummation of the KingdomSof
our Lord. 1t is so perfectly easy and
| so very simple that the ease and SIM
| plicity of it all astonishes us. We
| have become so accustomed to think
| of our problems as exceptionally hard
| to solve. We seem to take much JOY
to assure ourselves Of the almost in
surmountable difficulty to set the
world right with the eternal plan OF
God. We would much rather, so 1t
would seem, that the whole matter
remain complex. We think, perhaps.
that God will be easy OIL us If we fail
in difficult task.
| Beloved, it is difficult, II is we'll
night. yea actually, insurmountable.
this sin in the world, when squared
| to the possibilities Of our own un-
aided powers. But did we open our
hearts wide toward Heaven once, and
let the power of the Spirit of the liv-
ing Father fill us to the full; did we
but empty out our Spirit-filled hearts
in love upon our fellow men; did we
but put into action once this simple
plan of God toward the rehabilitation
of the world. we would learn, and
that quickly, what are the possibilities
of the power that cometh from on
high. And the only way to rectify
the results of the spiritual, moral,
economic and political sins Of this
world. individual and social, is to
let the love of God fill you and
through you the world of men about
you. This done, the task is light, for
our basis of action is changed. We
no longer rely upon the wisdom OF
the PHILOSOPHERS of men and their
theories, but we clutch tightly to the
power arm of that Ruler of us all to
whom all things are possible-and
we seize the first thing first.
Now this command Of Christ TO
love one another even as He has loved
US, is imperative. 1t is mandatory
and not permissive. If we would be
good Christians of full and regular
standing in the household of faith
we must obey. 1t is not for us to
decide whether or no in our case the
law shall be valid. Christ commands,
and only by obedience to His demand
do we so live that all men shall
| know that We are His disci-
pies. The test of fidelity is in obedi-
ence. Lip testimony is judged by
| realty III service. SOHe one mas Sdlu
What you do speaks so loud that I
cannot hear what you say" 1t is this
central fact that Christ recognizes
when He commands a loving order
| ing of our outward life. We are
| Christians, but do We live the life OF
| love?
| These words of Christ should come
home TO each of us with more than
usual force at this season of the
year. Christmas is over; shortly we
shall be face TO face with those sad
der days which are so full of MEM
ories of Him who, for our sakes, suf-
fered even ignoblest death. 1t is
fitting that we should re-dedicate our
selves to the work that He so dearly
| loved. In His own good Providence
God has seen proper to make use of
us TO redeem the world. 1t remains
for US TO decide to cooperate with
Him and to do good work for the
kingdom. Shall we put our shoul-
/ - II a a