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is greater than faith。 〃If I have all faith； so as to remove
mountains； but have not love； I am nothing。〃
It is greater than CHARITY； again； because the whole is greater
than a part。 Charity is only a little bit of Love； one of the
innumerable avenues of Love； and there may even be； and there is；
a great deal of charity without Love。 It is a very easy thing
to toss a copper to a beggar on the street； it is generally an
easier thing than not to do it。 Yet Love is just as often in the
withholding。 We purchase relief from the sympathetic feelings
roused by the spectacle of misery； at the copper's cost。 It is too
cheaptoo cheap for us； and often too dear for the beggar。 If we
really loved him we would either do more for him； or less。 Hence；
〃If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor； but have not love it
profiteth me nothing。〃
Then Paul contrasts it with SACRIFICE and martyrdom： 〃If I give
my body to be burned； but have not love； it profiteth me nothing。〃
Missionaries can take nothing greater to the heathen world than the
impress and reflection of the Love of God upon their own character。
That is the universal language。 It will take them years to speak
in Chinese； or in the dialects of India。 From the day they land；
that language of Love； understood by all； will be pouring forth
its unconscious eloquence。
It is the man who is the missionary； it is not his words。 His
character is his message。 In the heart of Africa； among the great
Lakes； I have come across black men and women who remembered the
only white man they ever saw beforeDavid Livingstone； and as you
cross his footsteps in that dark continent；
Men's faces light up
As they speak of the kind doctor who passed there years ago。 They
could not understand him； but they felt the love that beat in his
heart。 They knew that it was love； although he spoke no word。
Take into your sphere of labor； where you also mean to lay down
your life； that simple charm； and your lifework must succeed。 You
can take nothing greater； you need take nothing less。 You may
take every accomplishment； you may be braced for every sacrifice；
but if you give your body to be burned； and have not Love； it will
profit you and the cause of Christ NOTHING。
II。 The Analysis
After contrasting Love with these things； Paul； in three verses；
very short； gives us an amazing analysis of what this supreme thing
is。
I ask you to look at it。 It is a compound thing； he tells us。 It
is like light。 As you have seen a man of science take a beam of
light and pass it through a crystal prism； as you have seen it come
out on the other side of the prism broken up into its component
colorsred； and blue； and yellow； and violet； and orange； and all
the colors of the rainbowso Paul passes this thing； Love； through
the magnificent prism of his inspired intellect； and it comes out
on the other side broken up into its elements。
In these few words we have what one might call
The spectrum of Love；
the analysis of love。 Will you observe what its elements are？
Will you notice that they have common names； that they are virtues
which we hear about every day； that they are things which can
be practised by every man in every place in life； and how； by a
multitude of small things and ordinary virtues； the supreme thing；
the 〃summum bonum；〃 is made up？
The Spectrum of Love has nine ingredients：
Patience 。 。 。 。 。 〃Love suffereth long。〃
Kindness 。 。 。 。 。 〃And is kind。〃
Generosity 。 。 。 。 〃Love envieth not。〃
Humility 。 。 。 。 。 〃Love vaunteth not itself； is not puffed up。〃
Courtesy 。 。 。 。 。 〃Doth not behave itself unseemly。〃
Unselfishness 。 。 〃Seeketh not its own。〃
Good temper 。 。 。 〃Is not provoked。〃
Guilelessness 。 。 〃Taketh not account of evil。〃
Sincerity 。 。 。 。 〃Rejoiceth not in unrighteousness； but rejoiceth
with the truth。〃
Patience； kindness； generosity； humility； courtesy； unselfishness；
good temper； guilelessness； sinceritythese make up the supreme
gift； the stature of the perfect man。
You will observe that all are in relation to men； in relation to
life； in relation to the known to…day and the near to…morrow； and
not to the unknown eternity。 We hear much of love to God； Christ
spoke much of love to man。 We make a great deal of peace with heaven；
Christ made much of peace on earth。 Religion is not a strange or
added thing； but the inspiration of the secular life； the breathing
of an eternal spirit through this temporal world。 The supreme
thing； in short； is not a thing at all； but the giving of a further
finish to the multitudinous words and acts which make up the sum
of every common day。
PATIENCE。 This is the normal attitude of love； Love passive； love
waiting to begin； not in a hurry； calm； ready to do its work when
the summons comes； but meantime wearing the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit。 Love suffers long； beareth all things； believeth
all things； hopeth all things。 For Love understands； and therefore
waits。
KINDNESS。 Love active。 Have you ever noticed how much of Christ's
life was spent in doing kind thingsin MERELY doing kind things？
Run over it with that in view； and you will find that He spent a
great proportion of His time simply in making people happy； in
Doing good turns
to people。 There is only one thing greater than happiness in the
world； and that is holiness； and it is not in our keeping； but
what God HAS put in our power is the happiness of those about us；
and that is largely to be secured by our being kind to them。
〃The greatest thing；〃 says some one； 〃a man can do for his Heavenly
Father is to be kind to some of His other children。〃 I wonder why
it is that we are not all kinder than we are？ How much the world
needs it！ How easily it is done！ How instantaneously it acts！ How
infallibly it is remembered！ How superabundantly it pays itself
backfor there is no debtor in the world so honorable； so superbly
honorable； as Love。 〃Love never faileth。〃 Love is success； Love
is happiness； Love is life。 〃Love；〃 I say with Browning； 〃is energy
of life。〃
〃For life； with all it yields of joy or woe
And hope and fear；
Is just our chance o' the prize of learning love；
How love might be； hath been indeed； and is。〃
Where Love is； God is。 He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in
God。 God is Love。 Therefore LOVE。 Without distinction； without
calculation； without procrastination； love。 Lavish it upon the
poor； where it is very easy； especially upon the rich； who often need
it most； most of all upon our equals； where it is very difficult；
and for whom perhaps we each do least of all。 There is a difference
between TRYING TO PLEASE and GIVING PLEASURE。 Give pleasure。
Lose no chance of giving pleasure； for that is the ceaseless and
anonymous triumph of a truly loving spirit。 〃I shall pass thro