Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-01

eth his life shall lose it and he that
loseth his life for my sake shall find
it, has an application wider than that
usually given to it; it Is an epitome
of history. Those who live only for
themselves live little lives, but those
who give themselves for the advance
ment of things greater than themselves
find q larger life than the one surrsn-
dered. Wendell Phillips gave express
sion to the same idea when he said:
How prudently most men sink into
nameless graves, while now and then
few forget themselves into immor-
tality."
Instead of being an unnatural plan,
the plan Of salvation is in perfect har-
mony with human nature as we under
stand 1t. Sacrifice is the language of
love, and Christ, in suffering for the
world adopted the only means of
reaching the heart, ana this can be
demonstrated not only in theory, but
by experience for the story of his life,
his teachings, his sufferings and his
death has been translated into every
language and everywhere it has
touched the heart.
But if 1 were going to present an ar
gument in favor of the divinity of
Christ I would begin as Carnegie
Simpson begins in his book entitled
''The Fact of Christ" Commencing
with the fact that Christ lived, he
points out that one cannot contemplate
this undisputed fact without feeling
that in some way this fact is related
to those now living. He says that one
can read Of Alexander, or Caesar or
of Napoleon, and not feel that 1t is a
matter of personal concern; but that
when one reads that Christ lived and
how He died he feels that somehow
4I,o,. 4c. nd e,fr &1,ot
life to his. AS he stndies the character
of Christ he becomes conscious of GER
tain virtues which stand out in bold
relief-purity, humility, a forgiving
spirit and an unfathomable love. The
author is correct. Christ presents an
example of purity in thought and life,
and man conscious of his own imper-
fections and grieved over his short
comings, finds inspiration in one who
was tempted in all points like as we
are, and yet without sin. / am not
sure but that we can find just here
a way of determining whether one
possesses the true spirit of a Chris
tian. If he finds in the sinlessness of
Christ an inspiration and a stimulus
to greater effort and higher living, he
is indeed q follower; If, on the other
hand, he resents the reproof which the
purity of Christ offers, he is likely to
question the divinity of Christ in or
der to excuse himself for not being a
follower.
Humility is a rare virtue. If one
is rich he is apt to be proud of his
riches; if he has distinguished ances-
try, he is apt to be proud of his
lineage: If he is well educated, he is
apt to be proud of his learning. Some
one has suggested that If one becomes
humble he soon becomes proud of his
humility Christ, however, possessed
of all power. was the very personifica-
tion of humility.
The most difficult of all the virtues
to cultivate is the forgiving spirit. Re-
venge seems to be natural to the hui
man heart; to want to get even with
an enemy is a common sin. 1t has
even been popular to boast OF vindic-
tiveness; it was once inscribed on a
monument to a hero that he had re-
paid both friends and enemies more
than he had received. This was not the
spirit of Christ. He taught forgive
ness and in that Incompatible prayer
which he left as a model for our Pc
titions he made our willingness to for
give the measure by which we may
claim forgiveness. He not only taught
forgiveness, but he eXemplified his
teachings in his life. When those who
peresecuted him brought him to the
most disgraceful of all deaths, his spirit