To be near unto God - pagina 198

this love for God upon the conscience of his hearers, with such warmth and eloquence, that the whole congregation would be impressed with his tender devotion to God, and would be inspired by his zeal to such a degree as to be itself revived in its love for God, with the board of ofl&cials in the lead. The press also should have a part in this. By means of these meditations we seek to direct attention in every possible way to the necessity of making, more than has yet been done, communion with, and knowledge of, and love for God, our daily business. Sound creeds, a blameless walk, and good works are undoubtedly indispensable. But the marrow of all religion is fellowship with the And in this fellowship it is only love Eternal. for God in which the brightness of gold glitters. And yet as soon as we press this love for God, we face a very great diflBculty. It presents itself in the two words, which stand at the head of this meditation, or rather in the last of the two, even in this painful word all. Would you love God? Then, says Jesus, you must love him with all your soul, with all your heart, and with all your mind. And this, let us humbly confess, is not achieved in this life by the holiest of saints. Sin and the world have so estranged us from God that sometimes it takes an utmost effort, even a few times a day, apart from our regular prayers, to lift up the heart to God in a conscious utterance of love. Is it saying too much when we add, that many prayers are said at home and in church, during which the soul does not commune with God? And when at times we did succeed in having the soul go out in love to God, what

would bind

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