February 15

Proverbs xxiv. — 11. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

12. If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

17. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth;

18. Lost the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked:

20. For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

28. Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.

29. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

Matthew v. — 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil;

To retaliate injuries is the prompting of man's animal nature, and private revenge obtains among all savage tribes. The first advance upon this was the attempt to regulate revenge by a law of retaliation in States which had attained to some degree of civilization. A further advance was by courts of criminal law, through which a violence or wrong done to an individual was dealt with as a crime against society, and the redress of injuries was taken out of the hands of individuals into the power of the State. But in civilized communities, when the law is relaxed and the penalty of crime evaded, private revenge will sometimes break out as in the most savage tribes.

The Ten Commandments inculcated love; but some precepts of the penal code of Moses were perverted into a sanction of private revenge. Christ teaches his disciples to suppress the spirit of revenge by cultivating the spirit of meekness, patience, and forgiveness under injuries. We may still be

but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:

44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you;

45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46. For, if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47. And, if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

required, for the peace and safety of society, to bring to justice the criminal who has wronged us; but we must harbor no malice toward him as a personal enemy.

Our Lord refers to oppressions which the Jews suffered under the Romans. Soldiers were billeted upon them who would treat them roughly; they were compelled to serve as carriers for the government, going miles from home; they were dragged before tribunals upon false pretences. But Christians must bear such injuries meekly, and conquer injustice by love. This is to follow the example of Christ; this is to imitate the impartial, the perfect love of our Father in heaven. God does good to all, even the untrankful and the evil. If we cherish this spirit of patient, uncomplaining love, and the practice of universal kindness, then will our lives shine like the sun, scattering the darkness and wickedness of the world, and we shall overcome evil with good.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 53, 63, 82.

Thou holy and blessed Son of God, who for our sakes didst endure such contradiction of sinners against thyself, grant us, we pray thee, the spirit of meekness and patience under injury, and of forgiveness toward all who do us wrong. How often have we grieved and offended thee! Have mercy upon us, we beseech thee, and teach us to be merciful unto all men. May we be followers of Him who went about doing good! O Lord our heavenly Father! we bless thee for thy loving-kindness toward us, so free, so constant, so abounding. We would show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Oh! grant, that, walking in love, we may be the children of our Father in heaven. [May the children of this

family grow up in the spirit of love, being kind to one another, to their schoolmates and companions, and to all around them!] May love so rule in the hearts and lives of thy children, that it shall constrain the world to confess thee!

O God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life! grant us, we beseech thee, that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom, where, with thee, O Father! and thee, O Holy Ghost! he liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.