CHRISTIAN LOVE. "I love thee, oh my God, but not Nor yet because who love thee not Not with the hope of earning aught, Nor seeking a reward; Hast loved me, O Lord." must T the outset of this chapter, we distinguish sharply between love as exhibited in the Bible, and all other forms. of its manifestation. Commencing at the bottom of the scale, the lowest form of love is simply animal passion, commonly called sensuality. Closely akin to this in nature, is the love of food, and drink, and dress. One step higher, comes the love of that which contributes to mental pleasure and profit, such as love of books, scenery, intellectual association, etc. Still higher comes the love of parents for children, the love of home and family, and natural brotherly love. Still higher yet, because purer and less selfish, is the love of country, or patriotism. And highest of all, is the love of God, or Christian love. All the lower forms of love mentioned are merely transient passions or feelings, now strong, then ab sent altogether. The next grade is very largely the result of mental habits and acquisitions; something that can and ought to be cultivated by all. The next higher, parental love, is an unselfish instinct, not the result of cultivation wholly, but partly native, and common to animals as well as human beings. Pure patriotism, or love of liberty, and law, and right, as such, not simply for self, but for all, high and low, rich and poor, is probably the highest and purest natural affection of which fallen human nature is capable; because it is farthest removed from mere animal desire, and takes hold of the deepest and noblest qualities of the soul. ITS ORIGIN. But Christian love is supernatural in its origin. It is begotten in the soul by the Holy Spirit, and is one of his fruits. No man can know or feel Christian love unless his soul is open to receive heavenly communications, unless he is in immediate contact of spirit with God. For John says specifically and pointedly, "Love is of God, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." It follows, therefore, that if Christian love comes from God, it must be godlike in character and characteristics. There will always be certain marks by which it can be known. What are some of these? First, Christian love, like God, will be no respecter of persons, as such; will not be affected by any earthly and factitious distinctions, such as eminence of birth, the possession of wealth, power, beauty, fame, etc.; but on the contrary, will regard highly those excellencies of character which are of great value in themselves and in the sight of God, such as faith, humility, benevolence, Christian zeal—in a word, spirituality. Love of persons, as such, is simply a natural love, and not at all Christian or divine in its nature. Love of persons may be proper and may be sinful-that depends entirely upon circumstances; but this and Christian love are never to be confounded, for they are just as distinct and separate in character as is the natural man and the spiritual man. One is earthly, the other heavenly. One takes note of the outside and external, the other of the internal and spiritual. This natural love and a spiritual love, however, may coalesce, may exist together in the same mind. and heart, and at the same time and place, but still their existing together does not make them one and the same. It is common for all to love persons, as such; to love them for what they can do for us, or for what they have done for us; love them for their beauty and excellence, for their natural traits of character or disposition. There may be and often is a sort of flavor or relish about a person's conduct, and appearance, and words, that suits our taste exactly, and we love such persons in spite of ourselves. And on the other hand, there are those whose presence is distasteful and repugnant to our feelings. But there is nothing Christian about all this, unless deeper than form, or feature, or words, or looks, we discern the lineaments of a soul for which Christ died, and which is to live forever in happiness or misery. True Christian love exists in its purest form, perhaps, when in exercise toward those who may be per sonally repulsive to us. Just as Christ when on earth mingled more freely with the despised outcasts, than with the chief priests and scribes, and walked and talked more with those whose characters stood at the farthest remove from his own, than with the outwardly high and moral, just so Christian love seeks especially to do good to those who are personally degraded, or unlovely and uncongenial. True Christian love will be just as strongly moved to labor with those whose personal presence is anything but pleasant or agreeable, as with the cultured and favored ones. It will visit homes where to remain over night would be the greatest cross imaginable. It will not shun hovel or mansion, palace or cottage. In short, it will lead one to do just as Christ the Master did; not to be affected or governed by person or position, but always having high regard for character, moral worth, and earnest need and want. Its objective point will always be the soul's spiritual condition rather than the bodily advantage, or earthly, physical life of humanity. This personal element in Christian love has been the cause of very much mischief, both in Christian life and church life. The church is viewed by a large portion of its supporters as simply a social institution; a place where one can go on the Sabbath and have their religious sensibilities moved upon a trifle, where they can nod and bow to those whom they wish to recognize, and pass the rest by, and where they can form themselves into little clans or cliques for mutual admiration and attention. The idea of working for the good of souls as Christ worked, hardly enters their thoughts; and if it does it comes as an un welcome guest, and is not entertained. It may, or may not do harm for Christians to love each other as persons, provided this personal affection or dislike does not break up the exercise of the divine, spiritual love which lies underneath. But when personal considerations alone govern Christian or church life, the results are disastrous and lamentable in the extreme. One reason why many churches are not more homogeneous and united as solid, compact, working bodies, is because there is so little Christian love in them, and so much strong personal regard and dislike. As spirituality declines, so Christian love declines, for no one can dwell in love without first dwelling in God, and God in him; hence the way to regain a love for souls, as such, without regard to person, is first to love Christ and his cause and truth more deeply and warmly, and this union with Christ will inevitably bring about a union with one another. LIKE A MOTHER'S LOVE. Again, Christian love is pure, or in other words, first pure, then peaceable, and full of all good fruits. It is pure as opposed to selfish. It has often been asserted that Christian or divine love was more analogous to a mother's love than to any other known symbol; but when we come to examine the comparison closely, it utterly fails. Parental love is nothing more than an instinct primarily, although it often develops into something higher; and an instinct, moreover, that is common to animals as well as human beings. The bear will fight for her cubs and protect them and care for them to an extent that |