K I read the other day of a girl, a convert from heathenism in the Sandwich Islands, where Father Damien lived. She had a class of little children, and she wished to know which of them continued heathen and which had accepted Christianity. In her simplicity, uncontaminated by conventionalities and traditions which mislead us, she said to each child in her class, " Do you love your enemies?" If the child answered, "Yes," the un- sophisticated teacher said, "Then you are a Christian; stand here." If the child answered, " No," she said, with equal decision, " Then you are a heathen ; stand on the other side." Thus did the girl in the Sandwich Islands divide the sheep from the goats ; and thus will her Saviour divide them on the last day.3
H The Teacher earnestly desired to return to his post. I pled with him to remain at the Mission House till we felt more assured, but he replied, — " Missi, when I see them thirsting for my blood,
1 St. Francis de Sales. 2 J. Davies.
» H. P. Hughes, The Philanthropy of God, 40.
42o THESE THREE
I just see myself when the Missionary first came to my island. I desired to murder him, as they now desire to kill me. Had he stayed away for such danger, I would have remained Heathen ; but he came, and continued coming to teach us, till, by the grace of God, I was changed to what I am. Now the same God that changed me to this can change these poor Tannese to love and serve Him. I cannot stay away from them ; but I will sleep at the Mission House, and do all I can by day to bring them to Jesus."1
^[ Have we got this love ? Havo we got it as a city, as a Church, and as individuals? Have we got it as a city? I suppose that many would answer that by an eulogium upon the charity of London. We should have flowing articles upon the generosity with which we support our hospitals and our asylums and our refuges. But I have during this last week come across certain facts which I feel it my duty to place before you this afternoon. As the Bishop of East London, it is, I think, natural that, considering for a thousand years the head of every hospital in Europe was Bishop of the place, the Bishop of East London should take a great interest in East London hospitals. I took first the London Hospital, that lifeboat, as it were, which goes up and down the sea of suffering humanity in East London, to cure it and to save it. I thought that the charity of London would, at any rate, be sufficient to support a great institution like the London Hospital. What do I find? I find that the love of London has allowed a deficit of £30,000 in the last two years ; that so cramped are they that they have to build, and yet have no money to build with ; and that to carry on their work efficiently at all they want £10,000 a year more. I pass to the Victoria Park Consumptive Hospital, and I pass with the memory of having seen at least fifty of my East-end friends die of consump- tion before my eyes in the last nine years. I go to the Con- sumptive Hospital, and what do I find ? Out of 162 beds only 60 can be used for lack of funds. One hundred and two patients are passed as suitable, and yet of those 102 none can be taken in. Four women, passed a few weeks ago, have all died before their time to go in came. Those 102 beds are left vacant because the love of London is not sufficient for the purpose. I go to the Children's Hospital. One would have thought that the charity of a great city would look after its children. But what do I find at the North-Eastern Hospital for children ? I find the Hospital crammed with children, and another wing an urgent necessity, and yet the only £2000 which has been given was not given by
1 John G. Paton, i. 195.
i CORINTHIANS xm. 13 421
some one who hates creeds and who goes in for the service of man without creeds, but was obtained from a distinctly Church charity as the first contribution to the new wing. I say, then, that as a city we have not risen yet to the true standard of love. Have we as a Church ? x
" 0 happy souls, 0 radiant souls, what songs are ye out- pouring ?
What passionate, pure prayers are these from earth to heaven soaring ?
What mystic gifts of love and grace are these your words imploring
From God, for your neighbour and your enemy?"
Our souls are all afire with love — with love our hearts are glowing,
The mystic peace that Jesus gives our joyous strains are showing ;
For lo! our love can not be hid — our brimming love out- flowing
To God, and our neighbour and our enemy.
" But what of those who sought your harm — who joyed at
your mistaking, What place have they in this your chant — in these your