HUMILITY

Evening Star, Issue 12308, 24 September 1904, Page 4

HUMILITY

[Bi Duncan Wright, Dunedin, Author of 'Friendly Letters.'] "Another winsome characteristic of Leigh Hunt was a beauliiul humility." "He never seemed conscious that he was saying a (Treat thing which the world would winder at. He flung his lovely thoughts abroad as a child flings flowers." "I do not believe," he said, "that other generations will take the troubio to rake for jewels in much nobler dust than mine." Tho man with earthly wisdom high uplifted Is in God's sight a tool; Bui ho in heavenly truth most deeply gifted Sits lowest in Christ's school. An very old—book, but quite up to date, puts the thing in a. nutshell: -'Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy Gad. 1 ' The world we live in is ono of beauty; if the spirit of these words of divinest wisdom was understood, appreciated, and acted upon, what a happy wond this would be! Most readers trill agree with me when I allege that amongst all classes—the lady with jewelled fingers, tha man with costly attire, and the man with homely fustiaoi—there is far too much stiffness, silly starch, and empty prida. Pride of money, of honor, of intellect, of social standing. There are manyvery many—happy and consnicuous exceptions, of course. " Bettor it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide tho spoil with the proud." Do you renumber the shepherd'boy's song in 'Pilgrim's Progress'?— j He that is humble ever shall ■ Have God to ba his guide. Ho that is down need fear no fall; He that is low, no pride; A lady once asked a preacher whether a person might not be fond of dress and ornaments without being proud. His reply wa3: "When you see the foil's tail peeping out of the hole you may bo sure the fox is within." Once more I assert firmly but regretfully that true humility is all too scarce, aud prido is too common; it is very costly, very hateful, most dangerous, and extremely insidjous', especially in the case of those who carry the name of Christian; and how abominable and offensive to the eyes of Him whom we call Saviour, Lord, King! When exposed to the poisoned shafts of Satan, think of the words: "Clothe yourselves, therefore, as God's own people, holy and dearly loved, with tender-heartedness, kindness, lowliness of mind, meekness,' long - suffering" (Dr Weymouth's version). If this were done universally, would it not mean Paradise regained? Beyond all controversy, it may be asserted that the man who constantly seeks the lowest scat in the school of the great unique Teacher is the man who learns most, loves supremely, and' acts the noblest. Oh! learn that it is only by the lowly The paths of peace aro trod; i If thou wouldst keep thy garments white and holy. Walk humbly with thy God. In auotner part of .flic Inspired Book we read: "Bo clothed with humility." Why? " For God resisteth tho proud and givelh to the humble." Where may we find this sentence; " Prido goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." And who is responsib'c for the lines: Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow, Tho rest is all but leather and prunella. Was it Coleridge who wrote this significant truism: "Religion' is in its essence tho most geutleminly thing in the vrorll." An old author now forgttcn says: "He is tho most lovely professor who is the most lowly professor; as incense smells the sweetest when it is beaten tho smallest, so saints look fairest wh?n they lie lowest; a believer is like a. vessel cast into tho sea—the mere it fills tho more it sinlft." Augustine, the eminent saint, the great theologian, and the great (sometimes called the greatest) bishop, being asked: "What Is the first article in the Christian religion o '' leplied "Humilitv"; the second?" "Humility": "and the third?" "Humility." Without, for one moment claiming to be perfect, if this be not an article in our creed, we are but foolish dreamers at whom tho world laughs, and inwardly despises. "See, father," said the boy to his father as they walked amongst the golden grain ready for the harvest, " how straight these stems hold up their hf>ads: they must be ths best ones. Those that hang their heads down cannot, I nm sure, be good for much." The farmer plucked a stalk of each kind, and said : " See here, foolish child ! This stalk that stood so straight is light-headed, ;nd alnwst srcod for nothing, while this that hung its head so modestly is full of the beautiful grain." But, leaving the abstract and'coming again to tho concrete, let. me ask: Is it not a sp'.endid fact, generally spanking, that those c who have a large muasure of grace, great gifts and strong grit, and are most useful in the world, aro truly humble, think tho most meanly of themselves, and are conspicuous for their graciousness to others? Is it so? Not onlv that, but scholars who understand tlWe matters tell us that the Greok. word for humility implies or indicutes that it is thre ribbon or cord that, tics terrether all the other Christian graces. If this ribbon or strinsr bo warding, then what about -the crr>'ces that accnmnar.v or flow from living union with the True Vine. Sir T. More puts the matter thus- "To be humble to superors is dnfv; to equals, courtesy: inferiors, nobleness; and to all, safety. The sain 1 , that weers Heaven's brightest crow l In dcen»ft adoration bends; The weight of glory bows him down Then most when most, his soul ascends;' ■Nearest, the throne itself must be The footstool of humility. —JAM3S JtoTGOMKirT.