The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18
THE pRE.EM1NENcE OF cHAn11y.

Selected for The Times ispatch)
And above all things have fer.
vent charity among yourselves. for
charity shall cover the multitude of
sins.''-1 Peter ~. 8.
st. Peter, St. Paul and st. John each
cxalt charity as tho highest attain
ncnt OF the Christian life. These
three men differed very much, each
being a type OF distinct order Of
character, and it is strong proof
that the Gospel IS from God and that
the sacred writings are inspired from
a single divine source. for personal
Ipecultarities are not placed foremost
in them, but the first place is given
By each to a grace which certainly
was not the characteristic quality of
all three.
Many maintain that Christianity is
the product of human reason. but had
this been true we should have found
the great teachers OF Christianity
each exalting that particular quality
most to be remarked In his own tenn
truthfulness, the French brilliancy,
the Hindoos subtiety and the italians
finesse-and naturally because these
are predominant in themselves-we
should have found the apostles In
sisting on those graces which grew
most naturally IN the soil of their
own hearts. st. Johns character was
tender, emotional and contemplative.
st. Paul was man OF keen intellect
and Of soaring and aspiring thought
which would endure no shackles on
Its freedom, while ST. Peter was re-
mark able for personal courage, q
soldier by nature, frank, free. generous
and trascible. Now each Of these men,
SO differing personally, exalts love
above his own peculiar quality. 1t is
remarkable that not only does each
one call charity tho highest, but
names It In immediate connection
with his own characteristic virtue and
declares It to be more divine.
| st. John, OF course, calls love the
heavenliest, and this we expect from
| St Johns Characterization is love; he
! that dwelleth In love dwelleth In
| God" st, Paul expressly names 1t in
contrast to Intellectual gifts and lib
| erty, which were bot so dear to him.
and in contrasting prefers 1T before
I them, az when he said, Though 1
speak with the tongue of men and
! OF angels, and have not charity, 1t Is
1 nothing" Then we see st. Peter do
honor TO the same grace. Just be-
/ fore tho words Of our teYt we find
4 the command, "Be sober and watch
! unto prayer" This Ia a sentence out
! Of st. Peters very heart--''Be sober
ana watch"--the Language of the SOL
dier and the sentinel; words which
remind us of him who drew his sword
4 10 defend the Master, and who In
4 ppnitence remembered his own dis
astrous sleep when he was surprised
an sentry at his post. But imme-
! diateiy after this, "And above all
4 things, have fervent charity amongst
\ yoursclYes' sobriety. self-rule, man
/ hood. Courage, yes; but the real life
4 Of them all, says st, Peter the very
crown OF manhood. IS love. IN
We can be assured that this unan-
unity is d proof that the Gospel comes
from one Living Source, Otherwise,
how would ST. Peter and st, John. so
different from each other. and St.
Paul, who had almost no communion
with ethcr OF them, have agreed so
cnthusiaatlcally IN this doctrine--Love
}lB over all ana above all; above In
4 tcllcet frendoru, courage--unless
There lad streaned into tho heart