1 C. A. Row, Future Retribution, 24.
8 G. Matheson, The Bible Definition of Religion, 35.
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if he could. Hence, while the prophet begins with doing, he reminds us that our doing justly must spring from a corresponding inward motive, which he describes as loving mercy. This is the only guarantee that we shall act in accordance with justice. It alone supplies the power which shall keep us up to this standard of conduct in face of difficulty or strong temptation to forsake it. If a man does not love a principle or the course of action which is prescribed, he will find some way of evading or only partially recognizing it. And to do justly is often so directly opposed to what seems to our advantage at the time, or to what our natural instincts prefer, that nothing will enable us to overcome these but the love which pays homage to righteousness for its own sake, and finds more satisfaction in doing it than could possibly be found under any circumstances by its sacrifice. And it is not only justice we are to love but mercy. For the best way to secure that a lower duty shall be done is to love a higher one that embraces it. Even to love to give a man what is really his due is not to be governed by the most generous of motives. It encourages a precise and rigid way of looking at things. It is always ready with its foot-rule to see that it gives no more, if it gives no less, than the precise measurement. It stands with the scales in its hands (as Justice was fabled to do of old) and is mainly concerned to see that the beam of the balance is straight. But we are required to do something more than this. We are to love mercy.
Many fulfil the first requirement but stop short at the second. They do justly, but they do not love mercy. They are as upright as a marble column, and as cold and as hard. They lift them- selves up in their integrity like some snow-clad mountain peak ; but it is always winter-time with them ; no gentle beam ever falls on them to thaw the ice, and make the generous stream to flow in blessing to the valley beneath. They never ask any favours and they never wish to give any.
1} A sage, Baroka by name, while walking one day in a crowded market-place, suddenly encountered the prophet Elijah, and asked him, who — out of that vast multitude — would receive the highest reward in the Future State. Whereupon the Prophet pointed out a weird-looking person — a turnkey, because he was merciful to his prisoners. And next, two commonplace workmen
MICAH vi. 8 367
who were walking through the crowd pleasantly chatting together. The sage instantly rushed after them and asked " In what consists your special merit ? " But they, much puzzled, replied : * We are but poor workmen. All that can be said for us is that we are always of a cheerful spirit and good-natured. When we meet anybody who seems sad we join him, and we talk to him, and cheer him till he forgets his grief. And if we know of two persons who have quarrelled, we talk to them and persuade them till we have made them friends again. Nothing more. This is our whole life." x
Small things are best;
Grief and unrest
To rank and wealth are given;
But little things
On little wings
Bear little souls to heaven.
3. When a man loves mercy and exercises mercy towards men because of his love for humanity, he will have learned that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and to look upon all he has and is as a means to an end. If God has given a man an abund- ance of this world's goods, it is not that he may sit in idleness, but that he may become the benefactor of men. If He has given one broad shoulders and strong muscles, it is not that he may tyrannize over the strong, but that he may lift up the weak. If to another He has given great powers of mind and heart, it is not that he may make others his servants, but that those powers may be utilized to the blessing of humanity.
TJ Think of that noble Father Damien among the lepers at Molokai — the lovely island in a smiling sea, which looks a Paradise, but is the home of miserable lepers who long for death. Their only hope has come through that brave messenger of mercy who was himself stricken with the fell disease and wrote to a friend : " Almighty God knows what is best for my sanctification and with that conviction I say daily a good c Fiat voluntas tua ' — let Thy will be done."
Think, lad, of living one's life, one's life with such as these; To leave all bright and fair for horror and foul disease, For the sick that none can cure, the sore that none can aid — Do you think the stoutest heart could face it undismayed ? 1 Jevrish Chronicle, Nov. 21, 1913.
o
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And more — to know full well its like will come to pass, One's own clean body and sound shall be this hideous mass, This loathsome, shuddering heap one fain would put away In the breast of the kindly earth, to hide from the eye of day.