The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-20

live II What Is the noblest object Of
desire. the supreme gift to covet ?
Without a moments hesitation Pauls
decision falls. The greatest OF these
Is love" Peter says. Above al! things
have fervent love among yourselves"
Above all things And John goes fur
Their. for he says that God is love-"
Love Is one of the attributes which
the scriptures reveal as inhering in
the character of God. BY his love In
general h meant his benevolent win
concerning man. He is mot. willing
that any should perish. but that all
might come to knowledge of the
truth" God does not love ALI men
with the love OF affection. He loved
his Son with the love of affection. and
ne loves his spiritual children with
that kind of love. He does not love
man with the love of complacency.
He loves his Son with the love OF com
placency, and said OF Him at his hap
tism, Thou art my beloved Son. in
thee I am we'll pleased" In 80 far as
Christian men live lives we'll pleasing
to God does he love them with. COM
placent love. In considering the theme
OF our lesson il is well to keep in mind
the nature OF Gods love toward man
in general, AS ii will have strong
bearing upon proper understanding
Of the love that We are expected to
have toward men of all nations.
/ Peter l. a. Seeing We have prif1ed
your souls in your obedience to the
truth unto unfeigned love OF the
brethren. love one another from the
heart fervently. The Greek word for
& So
the powers on the stretch. Christians
must love all men with the love OF be-
nevolence. hut they must love ono an
/ other with brotherly affection. Chris
.ian brotherhood flows from our new
birth OF an imperishable seed. the
abiding word OF God AS natural
relationship gives rise to natural az
! lection. so spiritual relationship gives
rise to spiritual, and thei efore abiding
love. even as the seed from which il
springs is abiding. not transitory.
1t was not hate that caused the
, United States to enter the world war
which Is now coming to its close but
love pure benevolence-a desire to see
justice done to the weaker nations Of
Europe. and to bring about peace and
concord among all the nations OF the
world. Our noble president said in one
of his speeches over there that kind
ness IL the only bond that can cement
the nations OF the world, and It Is that
kindness that caused our great leader
to undertake to bring about a peace
with Justice that should make It prac
ticaliy impossible to have another
great war. We are interested not only
in the welfare Of our own people and
! those OF our allies, but tho good OF
enemy countries az we'll for no endur-
ing peace can be had II hatred Is en-
gendered by the terms OF settlement.
Just as the men OF our nation desire
to see men of all nations enjoy life and
liberty and have been willing to give
their lives 10 bring that blessing to
men. so the Christian wants to see all
men saved in Jesus Christ. That which
we have received through the gospel
has come to US without money and
without price. and gratitude to God,
coupled with the spirit of love i'm
planted in our hearts by Gods Holy
Spirit, makes us desirious OF extending
those blessings to the men OF China.
Japan, Africa and other non Christian
countries. The glory OF the foreign
mission enterprise is that 1t Is not
for its motive the constraining love Of
Christ. Think Of the men and women
who have gone across the seas. among
strange people and amid strange sur
roundings. that they may preach and
teach the gospel Of Christ to them.
There could be no selfishness in such
work as they are doing. And on this
side there are very many who make
honest sacrifices In order that the mis-
sionaries may be supported. Hard
working women are every week put
ting their money into the treasury for
the maintenance OF those who have
gone to the front, some Of them giving
more to the cause than Is given by
men OF large means. all because Of love
TO Christ ana the world Tor which he
A3ed