November 9

Ouerrome evil with good. — ROMANS xii. 21.

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despotefully use you, and persecute you: 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. — MATT. v. 44. 45.

JEWISH rabbi and heathen sage had taught alike the maxims of love for friends and hatred for enemies. But here is a new departure in the field of ethics. — an announcement that must have strangely startled the hearers of Jesus. How should they, indeed, love an enemy, reward bitterness and hate with blessing, or make intercession for the defamer and persecutor? But Jesus followed quickly with a reason for his tenet, a consideration the highest that could be conceived of. They who do these things shall be called the children of God. There is no higher character ascribed to God than that in which he appears as offering forgiveness to offenders. They, then, who cherish this perfect spirit of forgiveness are in the highest and best sense like God, and accounted worthy to be named his children. To acquire this spirit, to attain this divine likeness and this exalted recognition, should demand our best ambition and noblest strife. Blessed Saviour, thou Prince among teachers, may we sit humbly at thy feet until thou dost teach us perfectly this lesson, and dost put into our hearts the spirit which enabled thee to pray, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"

D. V. Berger

Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,

Thy friends unfaithful prove;

Unwearied in forgiveness still,

Thy heart could only love.

SIR E. DENNY.