general body will gladly devote its best-its wealth,

its culture, its intellect to the spiritual service of mankind. Where the supply of men set apart and dedicated to the work is inadequate or of inferior quality, there must be some blight which is wasting the religious force of the community, and the distinctive spirit of Christianity is giving way before the attractions of the world.

Such, then, are general indications of the way in which Christian love operates. They are but indications; for the circumstances of life are infinitely varied, and a living spirit meets them as they arise with its own free activity. The knowledge of love must come through our own consciousness, and we cannot see this part of the kingdom of heaven till we have learnt in our own experience what it is to love an enemy, and to have our natural and earthly antipathies transfigured by a heavenly benignity which is boundless as its source. Yet an outward appeal may help to bring our own dim and struggling ideas and aspirations into clearness and order; and he who would understand the social ethics of Christianity cannot do better than read Paul's grand description of love, and meditate upon it till his own heart feels the glow, and intellect

and will bow down before this sovereign principle of good.

It is in accordance with the general spirit of Christian ethics that there are very few precise rules affecting the special relations of life. The conduct of husband and wife, of parents and children, of masters and servants, of older and younger, of strong and weak, of subjects and rulers, must be regulated by the law of mutual love and reverence. There is, however, an exception in the case of marriage; for here Jesus set himself in direct antagonism to the loose practice of his time. To him marriage was a holy relation, instituted in the beginning by the Creator himself, and therefore possessing all the permanence of a Divine law; and accordingly nothing could justify divorce except a complete violation of the marriage contract. "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder," is the grand rule by which he raises marriage far above considerations of mere social utility, or temporary contracts to be maintained during convenience.1 Christian love transmutes the passion which draws man and woman together, and converts it into an inviolable bond; for though passion is fitful and 1 See Matt. v. 31 sq., xix. 3 sqq.; Mark x. 2 sqq.; Luke xvi. 18.

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capricious, love is of eternity, and partakes of the changelessness of God. All true marriage, therefore, is entered upon with a solemn sense of the Divine leading, and is felt to be far more than an earthly and arbitrary tie; and to the Christian conscience the notion which is sometimes put forward, that it is a mere legal contract which, like a partnership in business, ought to be dissoluble at will, is simply revolting, and seems worthy only of a community of beasts. From this sentiment of the divine sanctity of marriage has sprung the practice of monogamy. Christianity spontaneously accepted this practice, and confirmed it by the exalted view which it took of the marriage union.

Before quitting the subject of love, we must ask whether Christianity recognizes any duties towards the inferior animal creation. As is well known, the Jewish Law lays down some distinct regulations requiring the exercise of humanity towards the brutes, one or two which show even a remarkable tenderness of sympathy towards their possible sufferings; and it may fairly be said that Christianity, in adopting the Old Testament, with whatever reservations, incorporated such precepts as these. Still it cannot be denied that

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professing Christians have often shown an extraordinary callousness in this respect, and the New Testament is strangely silent as to that whole realm of barbarity in which creation has groaned under the tyranny of man. Indeed, Paul expressly repudiates the idea that God can care for oxen, and changes one of the generous provisions of the Law into an allegory for the benefit of Christian missionaries.1 Even the great Apostle had his limitations, and he was so absorbed in contemplating the relations between God and the human soul that all else seems to pass out of view, and we cannot find that the beauty of the scenery through which he passed, or the varied and winning life of beast and bird, had any charm for him. But in this I do not think he reflects the spirit of the Master. It is true we are not told of any particular precepts which Christ laid down as to the treatment of animals; but we get some interesting glimpses into his way of regarding both the animate and the inanimate world around him. His teaching abounds in references to the familiar scenes of his native land, showing that he had observed them with a loving eye, and he refers especially to the beauteous vesture of 1 1 Cor. ix. 9 sq.

the flowers, saying that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Instead of thinking that God did not care for oxen, he taught that our Heavenly Father fed the birds,2 and that not a single sparrow fell to the ground without God, or was forgotten before him.3 In repelling a charge of violating the Sabbath, he affirms, with evident approval, that there was not a man among his opponents who would not pull a sheep or an ox or an ass out of a pit on the Sabbath-day, and is only indignant that they will not go on to the universal principle that it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath-day. According to this teaching, it is a good deed to relieve the distress of a sheep or an ass, and one which justifies us in setting aside the pedantic scruples of an external piety. But apart from these particular illustrations of Christ's spirit, we may say that Christian love is intrinsically opposed to all cruelty, and must regard the brute creation with a sympathizing friendliness. How far our power over the animals may be legitimately exercised it is difficult

1 Matt. vi. 28 sqq.; Luke xii. 27 sq.

2 Matt. vi. 26; Luke xii. 24.

3 Matt. x. 29; Luke xii. 6.

4 Matt. xii. 11 sq.; Luke xiv. 5.