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there is some one who loves you； and whom you want to see to…morrow；
and be with； and love back？ There is no other reason why we should
live on than that we love and are beloved。 It is when a man has
no one to love him that he commits suicide。 So long as he has
friends； those who love him and whom he loves； he will live； because
to live is to love。 Be it but the love of a dog； it will keep him
in life； but let that go； he has no contact with life； no reason
to live。 He dies by his own hand。
Eternal life also is to know God； and God is love。 This is Christ's
own definition。 Ponder it。 〃This is life eternal； that they might
know Thee the only true God； and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent。〃
Love must be eternal。 It is what God is。 On the last analysis；
then； love is life。 Love never faileth； and life never faileth；
so long as there is love。 That is the philosophy of what Paul
is showing us； the reason why in the nature of things love should
be the supreme thingbecause it is going to last； because in the
nature of things it is an Eternal Life。 It is a thing that we are
living now； not that we get when we die； that we shall have a poor
chance of getting when we die unless we are living now。
No worse fate
can befall a man in this world than to live and grow old alone；
unloving and unloved。 To be lost is to live in an unregenerate
condition； loveless and unloved； and to be saved is to love； and
he that dwelleth in love dwelleth already in God。 For God is Love。
Now I have all but finished。 How many of you will join me in
reading this chapter once a week for the next three months？ A man
did that once and it changed his whole life。 Will you do it？ It
is for the greatest thing in the world。 You might begin by reading
it every day； especially the verses which describe the perfect
character。 〃Love suffereth long； and is kind； love envieth not；
love vaunteth not itself。〃 Get these ingredients into your life。
Then everything that you do is eternal。 It is worth doing。 It
is worth giving time to。 No man can become a saint in his sleep；
and to fulfill the condition required demands a certain amount of
prayer and meditation and time； just as improvement in any direction；
bodily or mental； requires preparation and care。 Address yourselves
to that one thing； at any cost have this transcendent character
exchanged for yours。
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments that
stand out； the moments when you have really lived； are the moments
when you have done things in a spirit of love。 As memory scans
the past； above and beyond all the transitory pleasures of life；
there leap forward those supreme hours when you have been enabled
to do unnoticed kindnesses to those round about you； things too
trifling to speak about； but which you feel have entered into your
eternal life。 I have seen almost all he beautiful things God has
made； I have enjoyed almost every pleasure that He has planned for
man； and yet as I look back I see standing out above all the life
that has gone four or five short experiences； when the love of God
reflected itself in some poor imitation； some small act of love
of mine； and these seem to be the things which alone of all one's
life abide。 Everything else in all our lives is transitory。 Every
other good is visionary。 But the acts of love which no man knows
about； or can ever know aboutthey never fail。
In the book of Matthew； where the Judgement Day is depicted for us
in the imagery of One seated upon a throne and dividing the sheep
from the goats； the test of a man then is not； 〃How have I believed？〃
but 〃How have I loved？〃 The test of religion； the final test of
religion； is not religiousness； but Love。 I say the final test
of religion at that great Day is not religiousness； but Love； not
what I have done； not what I have believed； not what I have achieved；
but how I have discharged the common charities of life。 Sins of
commission in that awful indictment are not even referred to。 By
what we have not done； BY SINS OF OMISSION； we are judged。 It could
not be otherwise。 For the withholding of love is the negation of
the spirit of Christ； the proof that we never knew Him； that for
us He lived in vain。 It means that He suggested nothing in all our
thoughts； that He inspired nothing in all our lives； that we were
not once near enough to Him to be seized with the spell of His
compassion for the world。 It means that…
〃I lived for myself； I thought for myself；
For myself； and none beside
Just as if Jesus had never lived；
As if He had never died。〃
Thank God the Christianity of today is coming nearer the world's
need。 Live to help that on。 Thank God men know better； by a hair's
breadth； what religion is； what God is； who Christ is； where Christ
is。 Who is Christ？ He who fed the hungry； clothed the naked；
visited the sick。 And where is Christ？ Where？〃Whoso shall receive
a little child in My name receiveth Me。' And who are Christ's？
〃Every one that loveth is born of God。〃
Lessons from the Angelus。
God often speaks to men's souls through music； He also speaks to
us through art。 Millet's famous painting entitled 〃The Angelus〃
is an illuminated text； upon which I am going to say a few words
to you to…night。
There are three things in this picturea potato field； a country
lad and a country girl standing in the middle of it； and on the
far horizon the spire of a village church。 That is all there is to
itno great scenery and no picturesque people。 In Roman Catholic
countries at the evening hour the church bell rings out to remind
the people to pray。 Some go into the church； while those that are
in the fields bow their heads for a few moments in silent prayer。
That picture contains the three great elements which go to make up
a perfectly rounded Christian life。 It is not enough to have the
〃root of the matter〃 in us； but that we must be whole and entire；
lacking nothing。 The Angelus may bring to us suggestions as to
what constitutes a complete life。
I。
The first element in a symmetrical life is WORK。
Three…fourths of our time is probably spent in work。 Of course
the meaning of it is that our work should be just as religious as
our worship； and unless we can work for the glory of God three…fourths
of life remains unsanctified。
The proof that work is religious is that most of Christ's life was
spent in work。 During a large part of the first thirty years of
His life He worked with the hammer and the plane； making ploughs and
yokes and household furniture。 Christ's public ministry occupied
only about two and a half years of His earthly life； the great
bulk of His time was simply spent in doing common everyday tasks；
and ever since then work has had a new meaning。
When Christ came into the world He was revealed to three deputations
who went t