The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-11


1t seems impossible to descril
love itself; the best We can do is
describe its conduct. Those wi
possess a love with such characte
istics are able TO appreciate ii, bl
not able otherwise to explain il
1t is of God, Godlikeness in heart, !
the tongue, in the hands, in tn
thoughts supervising all the huma
attributes and seeking fully to con
troll them.
AS disciples or pupils of Christ
ard the great lesson which he j
teaching US day by day, and the les
son which We must learn thorough,
II We would attain the mark OF tn
prize OF our high calling in all it
various features and ramiticatiOns
is the lesson OF love. II takes hole
uron and relates TO all the words
and thoughts and doing OF our daily
lives. As the poet has said, AZ
every lovely hue is lisht,-so ever!
grace love. Cor. IL: 5; Prov. %: {
But say unto you which hear
Love your enemies, do good TO them
which hate YOU, Bless them that
curse you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you. Here is a way
to examine the real disposition OF
your own heart toward such. Would
you cheerfully do them kindness and
help them to the extent OF your abil-
ity TO see the error Of their way and
overcome it? Can you tenderly pray
for them and patiently bear with
their weakness, their ignorance end
lack of Development, and try by a
noble example to show them more
excellent way? If such be the case
then it is the sin that you despise,
and not the sinner The sin you
should hate. but the sinner, never
Not until Gods unerring judgement
declares that the sin and the sinner
are inseparable linked together may
love let go its hold upon a brother
man. 1t was while we were enemies,
aliens, strangers from God through
wicked works, that God SO loved the
world; it was while We were yet
sinners that lie gave His Only Begot-
ten Son on our behalf. That is the
standard Of perfect love.
Not that he is to love his enemies
as he loves the brethren, for this is
not the pattern set us-GOd does not
love His enemies as lie loves His sons,
His friends; and Jesus did not love
His enemies as He loved His disciples.
But God loved His enemies so as to
be ready and willing to do for them
whatever could be justly done; and
Jesus loved Ills enemies so that lie
was heartily willing to do good to
them-He bears no enmity or grudgc
toward them in return for their ha-
tired, but is ready to pour out upon
them in due time His Alillennial
blessing, that they may all come to
the knowledge of the truth. and that
even those who pierced Him may look
upon Him and weep when God shall
pour upon the the spirit of praye:
ana supplication. in due time. Tech.
II: l0.| We must have the love for
enemies which our Lord Describes.
saying. Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you. and pray for them
which dcspitcfully use YOU and per
secute you" tMatt. >: Az We
must let no bitterness, animosity or
rancor of any kind dwell in our
hearts. They must be so full of Love
that not even an enemy could stir up
IN our hearts an evil or malicious
sentiment.
"A law of liberty the Apostle
calls il tJas |: a5: hut God makes
this law of liberty applicable only to
the New Creation. bcgotten of His
Spirit. 1t could be applicable to no
others. Others are still unde~
either the Mosaic Law. as servants
not mt for "the liberty wherewith
Christ makes free" the sons. or else
they are under the condemnation of
the original law-the condemnation
OF death. and as condemned sinners.
still treated ms strangers. aliens and
foreigners. who are without God and
VINO have no hope in the world
they do not even know of the grace
OF God which bringeth salvation
eventually TO the world in general
but which at present has been mani.
rested only TO comparative few. Tho
great mass being hindered by the ad
Versary from hearing the message.
o: divine love and redemption. II,
blinds the minds and stops the ear.
Of the majority of mankind with doc
trines of devils. etc.-t2 Cor 4. q