That is one of the messages brought to us by Christmas time, and this is linked to “glory to God.” You cannot glorify God more than by publishing good-will to one another. There is a special need for this just now. Political feeling has risen so high that friends, and even families, have been estranged. Let not another sun go down upon your wrath. Now is the time to prove that you are a Christian, by giving Jesus the pleasure of knowing that His birthday was the burial day of strife.

Which side shall be the first to move? Doubtless the noblest; the one who has most of God in him will hurry to say, “Come, now, let us reason together.” We need not to say that common-place religion cannot afford to do this. Those who live on old manna cannot rise to such dignity as to be the first to seek the friendship of those who think themselves aggrieved. On the other hand, “HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED.” Heaven has always been the first to seek reconciliation, and those who are heavenly-minded shew it by making haste to be friendly.

If you have been the injured one, you have the best chance of succeeding in healing the wound. It is God, sending a message of peace, that wins over His foes.

HE DOES NOT WAIT FOR US TO MOVE FIRST.

Who asked Him to offer His Son? If you take the first step, you will be treading in the footprints of Jesus. He has shown us how to love our enemies, and to do good to them that despitefully use us. It is true that you would have to make a sacrifice, to be the first to hold out the white flag. Yes, and you can afford to do it, if you are the one in the right. It is the man who is in the wrong who is the easiest offended, and the last to yield.

Whether we are Conservatives or Liberals, we are Englishmen, and cannot afford to be divided. Whether we want the Church to be Disestablished or not, we are Christians. Let us be friends once more, and try to think the best we can of each other. Whether our side has won or not, we are certain that Right will prevail in the long run. We can afford to wait, if we are on God’s side, for He wins by losing.

THE LOSS OF HIS SON WAS HIS GREATEST GAIN.

If you can rise to this, how you will enjoy singing

“Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to our new-born King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.”

Is there not wondrous common sense, as well as beauty, in the saying of St. John

“BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE OUGHT
ALSO TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

One would have thought it would have been we ought to love Him. But then we remember further on, John says,

“HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE
HATH SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM
HE HATH NOT SEEN?”

It is well sometimes to ask ourselves the question, “How will this matter look in heaven?” “What shall we think of ourselves a hundred years to come? How small all these matters of offence will seem in the light of eternity! We should not like to die without being at peace with all men. The way to secure this is to live at peace, and if there is anything between us and our brethren, let us treat one another as we wish God to treat us.

GOOD-WILL TO MEN!

“A FELLOW-FEELING MAKES US WONDROUS KIND.”
A WORD TO THE AGED WHO ARE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS.

This is quite true, and we wish there was more of this fellow-feeling. It is likely this will be read by some aged man or woman who has many comforts, and is assisted to bear the infirmities peculiar to old age in a way poor men and women cannot enjoy. If you are wealthy, or have enough for your wants, should you not have a fellow-feeling for those who are poor and need help?

Sometimes when visiting aged people, who were well off, a nice fire burning all the night through, and perhaps those about them who have not allowed them to be many hours without nourishment, I have said to such an one, “You have been kept alive by the fact that you can afford it. If you had been a poor man, you would be dead now.”

Will you not then, if you have it in your power, give some other old man or woman, who is poor and unable to get the comforts you have in such plenty, some share of what you have; if you do not, how can you expect God to shew you mercy in that day? It will be no use to tell Him that you loved Him; He does not believe in professions of affection for Him, which are not proved by love to our fellows.