The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-12-22
The Great Law Of Love

And the leaves Of the tree were for the
healing of the ADMINISTRATION, N:2:
The vision of the prophets, while
often pessimistic of present condi,
lions, has always, eliminated in the
hope of a final realization of the best.
Men in every age have looked forward
through dificdlty and Encouragement
to the time when the jealousies, the
rivalries, the Dselfshness of individ-
uals and nations should pass away
and mankind should live in one com.
mon bond Of brotherhood and peace
together.
St. John, IN the record Of the be-
attic vision given him, :foreshadows
the reign of a final peace on earth and
an eternal conscious communion with
God in the life beyond. The fruit Of
the tree of. life is to be won through
labor and service. Mans effort for
self-development Is to result in his
finding of the larger life. In his
finding Of thezlarger life for himself
he is to bring 1t to the whole family
of mankind. TherleaYes Of the tree"
are for the healing of the nations, for
the bringing Of them together
through the removal Of their sin and
| selishness. ;,
Christianity as a religious force
has given the principles Of reaching
outward and of seeking contact with
other men. It has inspired the courJ
age for discovery and exploration and,
the impetus to treatfor a mutual un-
| derstanding., None but the nations
protesting Christianity, who have
been the pioneers in discovery, have
had an appreciable share in bringing
the ends of the earth together or in
creating what is known as the fam
lily Of nations, :" where an information
al law instead Of brute force has
found field for operation.
We are celebrating now the ami
yersary Of two great discoveries. On
our shores are gathered representa-
tives of every cline to do honor to
Hudson and Fulton and to cement the
| friendships of an international peace.
In this we ARE acknowledging that
there is a common bond between US
all our meeting together now Is a
fact that goes to make that bond
stronger. Discovery has located the
far lands, invention has brought them
closer together in time and distance;
travel and INSTRUMENTATION have
made possible a mutual acquaintance
ship, and the spirit of Christianity,
|, which has created the conditions or
life favorable for these achievements.
If we are willing to live it, will carry
us further-to the realization OF that
peaceful understanding to which all
-.- T1oIr ,rskHf 10 ra,. = Inn nfyo q ~ ..#.f.B
Cooperation is the outcome OF the
great law of love which Christ died
to vindicate-the cooperation which
means a consideration for the true
welfare Of one another. Your life
and my life banded together in this
spirit means an uplift for the lives Of
all other men. Let US foster this
spirit, under the inspiration of Jesus,
in all our personal relationships, sub
shutting kindness for strife, help
fitness for ruthless struggle, service
for selfshness. The victory, OF
achievement at the expense OF our
fellow men means but a repetition Of
the old and oft repeated ruin of CIV
ilization, through misery and sin. We
rise to a height only to be cast down.
But progress through the refusal to
benefit at the expense OF one another
means an achievement that holds for
the generations to come. Mankind
working as q united whole, unthreat-
ened by personal d%issensions, giving
itself instead Of combatively trying
to save itself, must achieve victories
to stagger the imagination. To such
striving the tree of life shall yield her
leaves for the healing Of the nations
and bring the balm Of a peace, the
foretaste of the peace Of the life eter-
nal.-Andrew F. Underhill, Church
Of the Ascension, New York, in Sun
day Herald. -