The future outlook., 1941-11-29


the church In Corinth Its beauty can,
not be analyzed amy more than one
can nnalyze the beauty OF n flower.
II is something 10 be cherished,
rnemorlzed. and repeated DER aud
over.
What prompted this unusual out.
burst In the course of the argument
OF his letter. Perhaps the answer
may be found in the happy relation
ship with Aqulla and Priscilla, with
whom he lived and worked IN fine
Christian fellowship. They remained
10 OF hle stanchest friends and help.
ers. They served him with rare
devotion which he reclprocatcd. "Sa.
lue Prisca and Aquila my fellow.
workers In Christ Jesus" he anys in
the letter TO the Romans (iG.3, -,
"who for my life laid down their own
necks" Or possibly II was the fac
tons In the church In CorInth which
he was trying TO heal. A spirit OF
partlsanshlp had divided the group
into warning camps. Reports OF quar-
rellng and pickering seemed to deny
the very existence OF Christian at.
titude OF love and mutual good will.
More likely still, II was the unbroth.
erly comparison of one with another
In the matter OF spiritual gifts and
graccs Some had gifts OF eloquencc
(tongucs) others, gifts OF prophecy
and knowledge; still others. gifts of
faith and bcnevoience. All this was
good but Il was also sources of
langer. II led TO pride and rivalry
and boasting. Loving, loyal service is
the real purpose OF all our talents.
There is gift, says Paul. without
which NIL the others are valueIcss and
cannot come to fruitage. This best
gift is Christian love.
There are three stanzas In this ex-
quislte prose pomc. The first explains
the worthlessncss of life without love
(verses 1.3). One has only TO examine
fame. wealth, knowledge, or achieve
ment OF any sort 10 discover how hol.
low and unsatisfactory II In except
when motlvated by love. The second
stanza unfoIds the nature OF Chris
tian love oversees 40. One should
read the great commentary on these
words written by Henry Drummond
| nhis '"I'he Greatest Thing In the
World" The third stnnza emphasizes
the enduring value OF this matchlcss
quality oversees s.t3). love never
faileth." Over against the shifting.
changing, transitory nature OF much
else love endnres Now abldcth faith,
hope, love. these three: and the
greatest OF these is love"
The new commandment OF untver-
sal love involved the cost OF mcrifi-
clal living. Is not this the only Ian
guage that love cnn either speak or
understand The validity OF our de-
cIarations OF lvoe to our nelghbors IN
measured, not by ardent words OF de-
votion. but by our willingness to for
20 personal comfort and security for
the sake OF their welfare and peace.
The extent OF our love for country or
cause is measured by the same test.
How cheerfully do we pay our public
obligations or respond 10 thankless
and unrcmunerative calls for servicei
How far are we willing to travel
along the rough rond OF self-denial.
which Jesus marked by his own sclf-
giving devotionf
"Love one another: even as have
loved you" sets standard no high
that few approach II. How. then, did
Jesus lover He loved with intellI-
gence and sympathy. lie understood
men and could therefore put Himself
In anothcr's place. This is n rare
gift II Is difficult for most OF us TO
get outside our own concerns and pre-
judices long enough TO appreciate the
sitnations and viewpoints Of other
people. II was because Jesus under
stood the woman of Sarnaria and
Peter and Machneus and the multi
tudes that he WIS able TO become
their Friend and Saviour. II In the
lack of II which causes most con
flicts OF interest.