addresses-第17节

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starved　humanity　bursts　into　a　fuller　life。　　They　do　not　know　how

it　is；　but　they　are　different　men。



One　day　they　find　themselves　like　their　Master；　going　about　and

doing　good。　　To　themselves　it　is　unaccountable；　but　they　cannot

do　otherwise。　　they　were　not　told　to　do　it；　it　came　to　them　to　do

it。　　But　the　people　who　watch　them　know　well　how　to　account　for

it〃They　have　been；〃　they　whisper；　〃with　Jesus。〃　　Already　even；

the　mark　and　seal　of　His　character　is　upon　them〃They　have　been

with　Jesus。〃　　Unparalleled　phenomenon；　that　these　poor　fishermen

should　remind　other　men　of　Christ！　　Stupendous　victory　and　mystery

of



Regeneration



that　mortal　men　should　suggest　GOD　to　the　world！



There　is　something　almost　melting　in　the　way　his　contemporaries；

and　John　especially；　speak　of　the　influence　of　Christ。　　John　lived

himself　in　daily　wonder　at　Him；　he　was　overpowered；　over…awed；

entranced；　transfigured。　　To　his　mind　it　was　impossible　for　any　one

to　come　under　this　influence　and　ever　be　the　same　again。　　〃Whosoever

abideth　in　Him　sinneth　not；〃　he　said。　　It　was　inconceivable　that　he

should　sin；　as　inconceivable　as　that　ice　should　live　in　a　burning

sun；　or　darkness　coexist　with　noon。　　If　any　one　did　sin；　it

was　to　John　the　simple　proof　that　he　could　never　have　met　Christ。

〃Whosoever　sinneth；〃　he　exclaims；　〃hath　not　seen　HIM；　neither　known

HIM。〃　　Sin　was　abashed　in　this　Presence。　　Its　root　withered。　　Its

sway　and　victory　were　forever　at　an　end。



But　these　were　His　contemporaries。　　It　was　easy　for　THEM　to　be

influenced　by　Him；　for　they　were　every　day　and　all　the　day　together。

But　how　can　we　mirror　that　which　we　have　never　seen？　　How　can　all

this　stupendous　result　be　produced　by　a　Memory；　by　the　scantiest

of　all　Biographies；　by　One　who　lived　and　left　this　earth　eighteen

hundred　years　ago？　　How　can　modern　men　to…day　make　Christ；　the

absent　Christ；　their　most　constant　companion　still？



The　answer　is　that



Friendship　is　a　spiritual　thing。



It　is　independent　of　Matter；　or　Space；　or　Time。　　That　which　I

love　in　my　friend　is　not　that　which　I　see。　　What　influences　me　in

my　friend　is　not　his　body　but　his　spirit。　　He　influences　me　about

as　much　in　his　absence　as　in　his　presence。　　It　would　have　been　an

ineffable　experience　truly　to　have　lived　at　that　time





〃I　think　when　I　read　the　sweet　story　of　old；

　　　　How　when　Jesus　was　here　among　men；

He　took　little　children　like　lambs　to　his　fold；

　　　　I　should　like　to　have　been　with　Him　then。



〃I　wish　that　His　hand　had　been　laid　on　my　head；

　　　　That　His　arms　had　been　thrown　around　me；

And　that　I　had　seen　His　kind　look　when　he　said；

　　　　'Let　the　little　ones　come　unto　me。'〃





And　yet；　if　Christ　were　to　come　into　the　world　again；　few　of　us

probably　would　ever　have　a　chance　of　seeing　Him。　　Millions　of　her

subjects　in　the　little　country　of　England　have　never　seen　their

own　Queen。　　And　there　would　be　millions　of　the　subjects　of　Christ

who　could　never　get　within　speaking　distance　of　Him　if　He　were

here。　　We　remember　He　said：　　〃It　is　expedient　for　you　（not　FOR　ME）

that　I　go　away〃；　because　by　going　away　He　could　really　be　nearer

to　us　than　He　would　have　been　if　He　had　stayed　here。　　It　would

be　geographically　and　physically　impossible　for　most　of　us　to　be

influenced　by　His　person　had　He　remained。　　And　so　our　communion

with　Him　is　a　spiritual　companionship；　but　not　different　from　most

companionships；　which；　when　you　press　them　down　to　the　roots；　you

will　find　to　be　essentially　spiritual。



All　friendship；　all　love；　human　and　Divine；　is　purely　spiritual。

It　was　after　He　was　risen　that　He　influenced　even　the　disciples

most。　　Hence；　in　reflecting　the　character　of　Christ；　it　is　no　real

obstacle　that　we　may　never　have　been　in　visible　contact　with　Himself。



There　lived　once　a　young　girl　whose　perfect　grace　of　character

was　the　wonder　of　those　who　knew　her。　　She　wore　on　her　neck　a　gold

locket　which　no　one　was　ever　allowed　to　open。　　One　day；　in　a　moment

of　unusual　confidence；　one　of　her　companions　was　allowed　to　touch

its　spring　and　learn　its　secret。　　She　saw　written　these　words



〃Whom　having　not　seen　I　love。〃



That　was　the　secret　of　her　beautiful　life。　　She　had　been　changed

into　the　Same　Image。



Now　this　is　not　imitation；　but　a　much　deeper　thing。　　Mark

this　distinction；　for　the　difference　in　the　process　as　well　as　in

the　result；　may　be　as　great　as　that　between　a　photograph　secured

by　the　infallible　pencil　of　the　sun；　and　the　rude　outline　from　a

school…boy's　chalk。　　Imitation　is　mechanical；　reflection　organic。

The　one　is　occasional；　the　other　habitual。　　In　the　one　case；

man　comes　to　God　and　imitates　him；　in　the　other；　God　comes　to　man

and　imprints　Himself　upon　him。　　It　is　quite　true　that　there　is　an

imitation　of　Christ　which　amounts　to　reflection。　　But　Paul's　term

includes　all　that　the　other　holds；　and　is　open　to　no　mistake。



What；　then；　is　the　practical　lesson？　　It　is　obvious。　　〃Make　Christ

your　most　constant　companion〃this　is　what　it　practically　means　for

us。　　Be　more　under　His　influences　than　under　any　other　influence。

Ten　minutes　spent　in　His　society　every　day；　ay；　two　minutes　if

it　be　face　to　face；　and　heart　to　heart；　will　make　the　whole　day

different。　　Every　character　has　an　inward　spring；let　Christ　be

it。　　Every　action　has　a　key…note；let　Christ　set　it。



Yesterday　you　got　a　certain　letter。　　You　sat　down　and　wrote　a　reply

which　almost　scorched　the　paper。　　You　picked　the　cruelest　adjectives

you　knew　and　sent　it　forth；　without　a　pang　to　do　its　ruthless　work。

You　did　that　because　your　life　was　set　in　the　wrong　key。　　You　began


the　day　with　the　mirror　placed　at　the　wrong　angle。



Tomorrow　at　day…break；　turn　it　towards　Him；　and　even　to　your　enemy

the　fashion　of　your　countenance　will　be　changed。　　Whatever　you　then

do；　one　thing　you　will　find　you　could　not　doyou　could　not　write

that　letter。　　Your　first　impulse　may　be　the　same；　your　judgement

may　be　unchanged；　but　if　you　try　it　the　ink　will　dry　on　your　pen；

and　you　will　rise　from　your　desk　an　unavenged；　but　greater　and　more

Christian　man。　　Throughout　the　whole　day　your　actions；　down　to　the

last　detail；　will　do　homage　to　that　early　vision。



Yesterday　you　thought　mostly　about　yourself。　　Today　the　poor　will

meet　you；　and　you　will　feed　them。　　The　helpless；　the　tempted；　the

sad；　will　throng　about　you；　and　each　you　will　befriend。　　Where　were

all　these　people　yesterday？　　Where　they　are　today；　but　you　did　not

see　them。　　It　is　in　reflected　light　that　the　poor　are　seen。　　But

your　soul　today　is



Not　at　the　ordinary　angle。



〃Things　which　are　not　seen〃　are　visible。　　For　a　few　short　hours

you　live　the　Eternal　Life。　　The　eternal　life；　the　life　of　faith；

is　simply　the　life　of　a　higher　vision。　　Faith　is　an　attitudea

mirror　set　at　the　right　angle。



When　tomorrow　is　over；　and　in　the　evening　you　review　it；　you　will

wonder　how　you　did　it。　　You　will　not　be　conscious　that　you　strove

for　anything；　or　imitated　anything；　or　crucified　anything。　　You

will　be　conscious　of　Christ；　that　He　was　with　you；　that　without

compulsion　you　were　yet　compelled；　that　without　force；　or　noise；

or　proclamation；　the　revolution　was　accomplished。　　You　do　not

congratulate　yourself　as　one　who　has　done　a　mighty　deed；　or　achieved

a　personal　success；　or　stored　up　a　fund　of　〃Christian　experience〃

to　ensure　the　same　result　again。　　What　you　are　conscious　of　is　〃the

glory　of　the　Lord。〃　　And　what　the　world　is　conscious　of；　if　the

result　be　a　true　one；　is　also　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord。〃　　In　looking

at　a　mirror　one　does　not　see　the　mirror；　or　think　of　it；　but　only

of　what　it　reflects。　　For　a　mirror　never　calls　the　attention　to

itselfexcept　when　there　are　flaws　in　it。



Let　me　say　a　word　or　two　more　about　the　effects　which　necessarily

must　follow　from　this　contact；　or　fellowship；　with　Christ。　　I

need　not　quote　the　texts　upon　the　subjectthe　texts　about　abiding

in　Christ。　　〃He　that　abideth　in　Him　sinneth　not。〃　　You　cannot　sin

when　you　are　standing　in　front　of　Christ。　　You　simply　cannot　do　it。

Again：　　〃If　ye　abide　in　Me；　and　My　words　abide　in　you；　ye　shall

ask　what　ye　will；　and　it　shall　be　done　unto　you。〃　　Think　of　that！

That　is　another　inevitable　consequence。　　And　there　is　yet　another：

〃He　that　abideth　in　Me；　the　same　bringeth　forth　much　fruit。〃

Sinlessnessanswered　prayermuch　fruit。



But　in　addition　to　these　things；　see　how　many　of　the　highest　Christian

virtues　and　experiences　necessarily　flow　from　the　assumption　of

that　attitude　towards　Christ。　　For　instance；　the　moment　you　assume

that　relation　to　Christ　you　begin　to　know　what　the　CHILD…SPIRIT

is。　　You　stand　before　Christ；　and　He　becomes　your　Teacher；　and

you　instinctively　become　docile。　　Then　you　learn　also　to　become

CHARITABLE　and　TOLERANT；　because　you　are　learning　of　Him；　and　He　is

〃meek　and　lowly　in　heart；〃　and　you　catch　that　spirit。　　That　is　a

bit　of　His　character　being　reflected　into　yours。　　Instead　o