Year: 1879

clustered about it, the group containing every en-
nobling excellence. In marked instances so many
qualities have met in the same person that they
remind one of the Bible figure which hkens
them TO a string Of jewels about the neck.
each challenging equal admiration making it dincult
to decide which sheds the greatest lustre. Such
character developed in the apostle Paul. and in
no instance it brilliantly set forth than in
the text and context few words suffice to rehearse
the story. which has enchained the learned and the
iiterae the sage and the child, the disciple and the
sceptic all have been and must be delighted
with this picture drawn by the hand of Luke, the
physician. in words of eloquent simplicity. pure
affection and sublime piety. The simple facts are
these Paul, the intrepid apostle. was put upon
trial for his life before Agrppa, the native King of
ing artless narrative of his life his conversion
his method OF preaching and his proofs from the
Jewish Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Festus
became excited under the power of his plea and in
terrupted the prisoner. crying Paul thou art mad;
much learning has turned thy BRAIN. With calm def
Agrippa concerning his faith in the authority Of the
Jewish prophets. Fairness on the part of the King
would have owned the verify of his tath in those
prophes but, forgetting the serenity and clemency
OF aprnce toward helpless prisoner, he began to de-
ride him with words OF irony and contempt, saying,
with little pains thou persuadest me to become
Christian not "almost thou persuadest NO." as if
he wavering and leaning toward Christianity.
but the reverse OF that Resenting panis appeal to
fect:-"What. wilt thou quickly persuade me to be
aChrstan and with little effort? Is this thy short
method to take with me? Thy means are con-
temptibly feeble for the conversion of Jewish
king" What was the effect which his jeering words
produced upon Paul? With holy love for the
who treated him so contemptuously, his soul is all
aglow in prayer for the King and he says II could
pray God that, with little or much effort


not only thou, but also all that hear me
this day, may become such as l am" Instead of
resenting this sarcasm in burst of honest indigna


moment the words of the text come in. and if by
flash of lightning, they open his breast to us and
reveal character OF the most gigantic stature. II
seems as if he raising his hands in gesture,
and for the first time his eye caught the chain his
arm. which linked him to his soldier guard. Its
canking sounded so harshly on his ear that he re-
called his prayer adding to it this modification that
they might be exactly such as he was, except these
bonds" He was willing to keep his bonds, but he
could not bear his enemies in fetters-rather
he thirsed that they might become the free men OF
Jesus Christ. therefore seize upon this half sem
tence from the apostolic lips, rs furnishing one of
the most remarkable examples OF Christian magma
nimity to be found in all history profane or sacred;
and such it affords us marvellous Illustration or
power in the Gospel to mould human character upon
the highest possible model.


NATURE OF CHRISTIAN MAGNANIMITY.


In order properly to appreciate and to point out
the path of its attainment, we must analyze the
source from which it sprang in the noble apostle:
BY magnanimity is meant the very opposite of all
that ean-spirited and dcraven-loftness of thought
and feeling. they are embodied in q truly great
mind 1t seems in it's very nature to call the ex
ercise Of distinct and active comprehensiveness Of
spirit especially in all that concerns right and
wrong. You see at the very mention of the word
that it is morally impossible for any man to be mag
unanimous in doing wrong in upholding wrong
True magnanimity must always side with the right
1t is quick to the right That perception
all that is generous in the soul. and then it
arms itself with lofty moral courage which dares
to defend it what may. Personal suffering and
self denial accounts as OF no moment. because 1t
is controlled by the operations OF a pure benevo
lence Now apply this elemental definition to the
soul of the great apostle, and it explains immed
atey his power to rise above all injuries. SO far
from being insensible to injury he was most sens
tive that point. But he could yield to no temp
tafif not lf-aa he
retaliation for wrongs inflicted himself. for the
spirit of forgiveness trumphed over all minor i'm
pulses so that he deprecated every injury to his
enemies and prayedfor all good, saying Lord make
them as l am, except these bonds"