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who laid down their lives for their cause proved the tension and suspense with which they were being watched. These men were, and felt themselves to be, trustees of the national honour and national traditions. It was therefore true instinct which led their leader not only to plant his country's flag at the South Pole, but also at the hour of his death to ask that a portion of that flag might be handed to his Sovereign, for he and his companions had earned the right to be regarded as representatives of the Empire.^
III.
The Blessings of Unity.
" For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." Does this mean for the individual simply a life that is to be endless ? In the light of the whole Psalter one may answer " No." " For ever " in the Old Testament has a relative sense, which has in each particular case to be separately investi- gated. If it were simply endless life, we might be encouraged to think of God's blessing as continuous prosperity in outward circumstances. It is altogether better to have that kind of blessing from God changeable, because our circumstances cannot remain long the same, and the relation of circumstances to us, and the influence of circumstances on us, are constantly varying. If God were to imprison and fix one set of circumstances for ever, and give us to choose which we would have thus fixed, we should be hopelessly puzzled, and God would be doing us no kindness. People talk about " for ever " and " everlasting," without thinking to what alone those terms can be appUed, if they are to represent any real blessing to us. The entire sphere of the sensual cannot be "for evermore." It is of its very nature that it begins and ends. The " fashion of this world passeth away." It is life that is for evermore. It is the spiritual being that man is that lives for ever. It is the spiritual character that man wins that abides for ever. And helping him to win that character is the blessing — the " life for evermore " which God bestows.
1. With Christian unity there comes peace. In the Psalmist's days brotherly unity brought peace. Benjamin ceased to " ravin * Canon Bickersteth, in The Ouardian, Jan. 30, 1914,
PSALM cxxxiii. I 137
as a wolf," and Ephraim no longer "vexed Judah." The civil strife of the land ceased, and peace flowed like a river. It is so always when Christian unity gains its holy power. Strife fails. Brotherhood hangs up the needless sword and shield and spear. Brotherhood soon forgets all jealousies, and ceases to practise the arts of war. Brotherhood makes mutual injury impossible. Brothers bear one another's burdens. Brothers in Christ follow peace with all men, and holiness. Brothers have one great anxiety, that, if it be possible, they may see eye to eye, and be of one mind in the Lord. Unity ever brings with it peace.
^ As a basis of Christian fellowship and fully acknowledged brotherhood, we hold that nothing more is necessary than evidence of unfeigned faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. " Unum corpus sumus IN Ceristo." That is enough : " Christ is all and in all." But, so far, we seem to be getting farther and farther from a union that is manifest to the world. A great ecclesiastical organization is a visible thing; uniformity, though less im- pressive, is yet quite easily observed ; even a creed is something that can be made visible after a fashion by the use of the press ; but this " faith in Christ " withdraws the essential unity so entirely into the spiritual region that the world cannot be expected to follow it there and find it out, and be any the wiser or better for it. It remains, then, to show how this unity of faith in Christ can be made manifest to the world. And here it will be safe to go to the Apostle Paul. "Neither circumcision," he says, "nor uncircumcision, but faith " — so far so good, and what next ? " Faith working through love." Here we have the transition from the invisible to the visible. The faith which links each Christian to Christ is unseen by men, but the love which is the result of it, need not, cannot in fact, be concealed from them, if it is there in force. And every effort should be made to promote the love among Christians, and to induce them to avail themselves of all means within their reach, not only of cherishing it in their hearts, but also of expressing it in their lives. There has been progress in this direction too, very marked and happy progress, in recent years ; but there needs to be a much larger development and fuller expression of this Christian affection before much impression can be made on an unbelieving world. It must, in fact, be so marked and remarkable as not only to compel attention, but to oblige those who observe it to ask the questions, How can it be ? Whence has it come ? No one can say that this point has yet been reached.^
1 J, jyionro Gibson, Christianity According to Christ, 102,
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2. Unity brings pleasantness. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is ! " Unity puts graciousness and beauty upon a community or a church, so that men think it pleasant to look upon. Unity is a bloom upon the fruit, sunshine upon the landscape, polish upon the diamond, health upon the face, morning glow upon the flowers, tone in the voice, and deep clear blue iu the vast sky. Unity tints a family, a church, an enterprise with pleasantness. How pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity !