shower of prayers and blessings in return for the shower of stones and similiar persecutions our enemies pour upon us. As Christians we should never lose sight of the Saviour's loving gentleness to all, nor ever cease to hear the echo of His dying words: " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Brethren, it were little to live soberly and justly in this world, loving one's neighbors and oneself, did one neglect the first and greatest command of all, " to live a godly life, to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, and our whole soul, and our whole mind." All our other affections must be so in line with our love of God, that while loving Him for His own sake we may love whatever else we love for the love of Him. Our entire being, too, with all its powers, our heart, our soul, our mind, should be intent on God, " looking," as says St. Paul, " for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Between youth and age there is this difference, that the old live in the memories of the past, but the young in the hopes of the future, and whosoever dearly loves his God is ever young, for he is ever looking for the blessed hope of the glory to come. Probably this was part of the Saviour's meaning when He placed that little boy in the midst of His Apostles and said to them: " Unless you become as one of these, you cannot be My true disciple, nor enter the kingdom of heaven." For lovers of God and those who do not love Him differ as do the children and the servants of a house-
