68 Sermon Illustrations on Love in Action

In the time of a great pestilence, Cyprian, Bishop of the church in Carthage, in the third century, exhorts his flock to take care of the sick and dying, not only among their friends, but their foes. "If," says he, "we only do good to our own people we do no more than publicans and heathens. But if we are the children of God, who makes his sun to shine and his rain to descend upon the just and upon the unjust, who sheds abroad his blessings, not upon his friends alone, but upon those whose thoughts are far from him, we must show this by our actions, blessing those who curse us and doing good to those who persecute us."

Stimulated by their bishop's admonition, the members of the church addressed themselves to the work, the rich contributing their money and the poor their labor. Thus the sick were attended to, the streets soon cleared of the corpses that filled them, and the city saved from the dangers of a universal pestilence.

# NVY.

A young man wounded in the war lay in the hospital. His mother came a great distance to see him. She was told that her son was sleeping, and that his state was critical. “Let me at least go and look at him while he sleeps,” she pleaded. The doctor hesitated, but at length yielded and permitted her to stand by the bedside. When she saw her son’s pallid face her motherly instincts were too strong for her, and, in spite of the doctor’s warning, she placed her hand gently on the invalid’s brow to wipe the death sweat away. The sufferer recognized the touch in a moment and murmured, “That’s mother’s hand.”

When Dr. Duff first read to some young Brahmins in the Government school the precept, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you," one of the Brahmins cried out, with delight, "Beautiful! Beautiful! This must have come from the true God. I have been told to love those that love me, and I have not always done that: but to love my enemies is a divine thought." That young man became a Christian under the influence of that precept. Let your good will go forth even to the worst of men, for Christ's sake. Forget their evil as you behold His goodness.

Queen Tyi was a woman of marked ability, the consort of King Amenhotep III, who ruled in Egypt from 1414 to 1379 B.C. Recently Egyptologists discovered her shrine in Thebes. It was cut out of solid rock. Approach to it was by a descent of twenty steps, adjoining that of Rameses I. Around and within were all that material, wealth and skill of Egyptian art could offer. The coffin, itself intact, is a superb example of the jeweler’s craft, the woodwork covered with a frame of gold inlaid with lapsis lazuli, carmelian and green glass. The royal mummy was wrapt from head to foot in sheets of gold, bracelets on the arms, a necklace of gold, beads and ornaments encrusted with precious stones around the neck, and the head encircled by the imperial crown of the queen of ancient Egypt. “Behold how he loved her,” can be said of the king whose consort she was. Nothing is too precious for love to give. (Text.)

Here is one more illustration of a moral power that occasionally came out of Confucianism. Ieyasu, the founder of the Shogunate, is regarded as perhaps the greatest hero Japan has produced. In his wars, his enemy, Mitsunari, was defeated, and fearing the revenge of Ieyasu’s seven generals, he sent to Ieyasu for pardon. The desired forgiveness was immediately granted, but the seven generals were indignant that such an enemy should escape death, and remonstrated with Ieyasu. The proverb he quoted to them shows how near the best hearts in all ages are to Christ’s “Love your enemies.” His reply was: “Even a hunter will have pity on a distrest bird when it seeks refuge in his bosom.”--JOHN H. DE FOREST, “Sunrise in the Sunrise Kingdom.”

See ECONOMIC MOTIVES.

SOCIAL RELIGION

Only the selfish man could wish to go to heaven alone. The door of life is always closed to the man who is not helping some other man on his journey.

A priest had a striking dream. He dreamed he had ascended the ladder that reached from earth to heaven. Expectantly he knocked upon the door. Some one responded, and demanded, “Who is there?” Proudly the priest called his name. “Who is with you?” came the reply. “No one,” answered the priest; “I am alone.” “Sorry,” said the angel, “but we are instructed never to open these gates for a single individual.” And, crestfallen and disappointed, he descended to earth.

There is a certain famous preacher, perhaps the leading man in his denomination, against whom I have had a prejudice which has been slowly increasing for the last twenty-five years. When he used his influence a few years ago to prevent the recognition in a great ecclesiastical council of two of the noblest spiritual leaders of this generation, because of their adherence to the old-fashioned faith and methods, my bump of prejudice against that man reached full-sized proportions.

It was my lot very recently to be a member of a house of mourning where this same minister was the officiating clergyman, and I had to meet him personally. But when he had finished his prayer, my prejudice had all melted away like dew before the rising sun, and I felt like rushing up to him, putting an arm in his, and saying, “You didn’t do it, did you? I’m sure I’ve misunderstood; please set me right about yourself.”--GEORGE W. COLEMAN, “Searchlights.”

See LIKENESS OF GOD.

KINSHIP

This poem has the ring of the right kind of sympathy. We do not know the author:

If you have a friend worth loving Love him, yes, and let him know That you love him, ere life’s evening Tinge his brow with sunset glow-- Why should good words ne’er be said, Of a friend, until he’s dead?

If you hear a song that thrills you, Sung by any child of song, Praise it. Do not let the singer Wait deserved praises long; Why should one who thrills your heart Lack the joy you may impart?

If you hear a prayer that moves you By its humble, pleading tone, Join in. Do not let the seeker Bow before his Lord alone; Why should not your brother share The strength of “two or three” in prayer?

If you see the hot tears falling From a brother’s weeping eyes, Share them, and by kindly sharing, Win your kinship with the skies. Why should any one be glad When his brother’s heart is sad?

If a silvery laugh goes rippling Through the sunshine on his face, Share it. ’Tis the wise man’s saying, For both grief and joy a place. There’s health and goodness in the mirth In which an honest laugh hath birth.

If your work is made more easy By a friendly helping hand, Say so. Speak out bravely, truly, Ere the darkness veil the land. Should a brother workman dear Falter for a word of cheer?

Scatter, then, your germs of kindness, All enriching as you go; Leave them. Trust the Harvest Giver, Who will make each germ to grow. So, until the happy end, Your life will never lack a friend.

The Christian's sympathy should ever be of the widest character, because he serves a God of infinite love. When the precious stone of love is thrown by grace into the crystal pool of a renewed heart, it stirs the transparent life floods into ever-widening circles of sympathy. The first ring has no very wide circumference — we love our household; for he who cares not for his own household is worse than a heathen man. But mark the next concentric ring — we love the household of faith: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." Look once more, for the ever-widening ring has reached the very limit of the lake and has included all in its area, for "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, (are to) be made for all men." A follower of Jesus means a friend of man. A Christian is a philanthropist by profession, and generous by force of grace; wide as the reign of sorrow is the stretch of his love, and where he cannot help he pities still.