of the
Ephesian Christians, simply repeating to them, over and over, the
words, 'Love one another. This is our Lord's command, fulfil this and
nothing else is needed.' We recall that in early centuries the
sympathy and helpfulness by which Christians of all ranks and races
were united called forth from heathen spectators the amazed and
respectful exclamation, 'See how these Christians love one another!'
Recalling these things, we cannot but be startled that, in the
nineteenth century of the Christian era, a teacher should, with any
expectation of being believed, have ventured to affirm that the great
discovery which it has been reserved for the present day to make is
that of loving one another. Ignorance of Christianity,
misrepresentation {117} of Christianity, we may well call it: ignorance
inconceivable, misrepresentation inconceivable: and yet, as we consider
the state of Christendom, do we not see what palliates the ignorance
and the misrepresentation? Have we not reason to confess that, if the
commandment be not new, universal obedience to it would be new indeed?
May the calm assurance that love is foreign to Christianity not startle
us into the conviction that we have forgotten what, according to our
Lord's own declaration, the chief feature of Christianity ought to be?
'By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love
one to another.'

VI

'How can we,' it has been well said, 'be asked to give the name of
Religion of Humanity to a religion that ignores the greatest human
being that ever lived, and the very source from which the Religion of
Humanity {118} sprang?'[17] Man in himself, man so full of
imperfections, man having no connection with any world but this, man
unallied to any Power higher, nobler than himself, is this to be our
God? Which is more reasonable: to set up the race of man, unpurified,
unredeemed, worthless and polluted, as the object of adoration, or to
maintain that 'Man indeed is the rightful object of our worship, but in
the roll of ages, there has been but one Man Whom we can adore without
idolatry, the Man Christ Jesus'?[18] The Religion of Humanity, so
called, would have us worship Man apart from Christ Whom yet all
acknowledge to be the glory of mankind, but we call on men to worship
Christ Jesus, for in Him we see Man without a stain, we see our nature
redeemed and consecrated, we see ourselves brought nigh to the Infinite
God. We adore Humanity, but Huma