for places :in.l lilli--, ol li ui'. roMieil iulluence
and ri'eo.i;iiil ion ,as the 'ure.-il ones' of .lewish ndard and line Not so shall it be among you. ' Henceforth, greatness lies in con- formity to a higher tlian the heathen or Jewish type: 'but who.soever would become gieat among you shall be your minister,' etc. The principle of this law is not imjiersonal, but personal ; the seat of authority in the Christian religion and in Chris- tian morals is Christ : ' even as the Son of Man came,' etc. (Mt 2()-'). Fin.ally, in one concrete act, Christ gave an illustration of the great principle He enunciated, when, at the Passover meal. He rose and ' took a tow el and girded himself,' and washed the disciples' feet. This astonishing inci- dent left an inett'aceable impression (1 P 5"), and ^varranted the literal saying : ' I am in the midst of you as he that serveth' (Lk 22'-'). Such an ideal and example of service have slowly effected a revolution in the moral sentiment and practice of niankinil. We may add, if Christ's setting forth of the ihild was evidence of His originality as a te.ieher, I lie substitution of the servant for the rulei- w.'is ,■! no less striking proof of the uniqueness of Hi- iii-i-lii :nhl methods.
'It is I,. Ill - v.-nients of Jesus that He introduced
into till ■. 11 I. (1 of greatness, such an ideal as men
had nrv, I Ui ,. I . I 111. Smith, The Days of Bis Flesh, 1905,
p. 44i If. Il.riiiiiui,. .11 ;irt. below: ' Im NT ist ohne Zweifel der Eindruck \\ieder;;f^i.lien dass Jesus in dieser Beziehung seinen Jiingern etwas vullij; Neues gegeben hat ').
Some ideals are too airy and remote to come into touch with actual experience and practice, but
rco
HUMILITY
HUMOUR
Christ's Law of Service is capable of daily realiza- tion, and is Avithiu the reach of every one. It is open to all to do some simple deed of kindness, helpfulness, and self-denial, and no action inspired by Christ-like love and humility will pass un- noticed or unrewarded by the gracious Master and great Servant of all (Mt 25*).
iv. Characteristics and Kelationships.— A few further points of general and practical interest are suggested by this subject, and may be briefly touched on.
1. Humility and charaeicr. — In ordinary experi- ence, humility is related to sin and penitence, and marks the feeling of unworthiness in the light of the illimitable moral ideal. In presence of the holy revelation of the Son of Gott, conscience be- comes sensitive, and the sense of guilt, as in the case of Peter (Lk 5"), weighs men dowTi. ' This, however, is not one of the essential conditions of liuraility, for we know that humility was also an element in Christ's character' (Ritschl). The greatness of the Baptist was rooted in his humility and utter freedom from jealousy (Jn 3""°), and this grace has been the soil and safety of saints ever since. Keble treated others with a ' humbling humility ' (Lock's Life, p. 233. Cf . MacE wen's Life of Cairns, p. 600 : ' The first personal impression that he made on all who met him was one of wonder at his humUity'). The child, to which Christ pointed, represents humility as part of the essence and permanence of Christian character, and remains an immortal type, preserving the wonder and lil.ioin (if llic moral world.
2. Humililii iiinl I.iinli-' il rirtucs. — No Christian grace is isoliile.l i>i ihrives alone. Humility is ' part of a grcaL jiuiral whole. Instead of proscrib- ing, it promotes the growth of virtues unlike yet not unfriendly to itself (Liddon on 'Humility and Action ' in University Sermons). Thus it is closely connected with Truth, for humility or confession that does not rest on the recognition of facts is insincere and worthle.ss. It is inspired by Love ; ministering love appears always in the guise of humUity. Meekness rvsl ^ un liiiiiiil it y ;is its founda- tion (Trench), and l'','t:.„,> ,.x|i,,-~.'s along with humility the practical \iiin.' <.i \\i>- Christian re- ligion, especially called lor ami tcstud in the world (Kitschl).
3. lliiinility and self-consciousness. — It has been the tendency of certain schools of theology and jiiety to make humility the result of self-contem- plation, aiTived at by the soul's reaction upon itself. This gives rise to artificial and extreme methods of discipline, and misses the healthy ob- jectivity of the life that forirets self in the con- sideration ami si-iviiv ..f i.lhrr^ i<>;- llrniiiann's art. for vigurnii-. .■! ii iri-m .ii iln- icii.lcncy and ideal of ascclinMn, .lrii\c,[ iimih Auju^iinc and Bernard. Cf. ilaruaik's IlUuni of hu,,m„. [Eng. tr.], vi. p. 10, note). Humility is ' the eye which sees everything except itself (quoted in Ritschl). Work and the school of life are the best discijiline of humility, ss of the othnr ^•irt^l•-.
' We arc lo respect our 1- ■ ; ' ' ' '-i i 1
r.ai»al>le, hut not. niir caiM I i ' I
to lie no coniplurctit. s.h ...!.■,. ji : |-(
When self is \ir;.,, <l, •! , •, ■ i.,ti
Ontheotli. : i
and the dai i l ■ i m i monies that lead 1..^ avoidc.l. Christ am all needless self-con (Mt 0'"-, Col L>--'. I forms of worslii|. lie