REDEMPTIVE POWER TO THE UTTERMOST. 361 men. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence. Indeed, if there were no salvation for the vilest of the vile, there would be no Gospel adapted to all the varied needs of men. It is evident that efforts in behalf of the low, debased, and outcast must be paralyzed, unless this strong faith in the power of the Gospel reigns in the heart. The work may be slow and discouraging, even without perceptible results, for a long time. But often. the most marked results are obtained. Kindliness of heart, deep pity, yearning love, and the spirit of sacrifice are the conditions of success. The mind and heart and method and truth of him who said, “The poor have the Gospel preached unto them," are, above all other things, essential. In the parable of the good Samaritan he has deposited much wisdom on this subject. * I Cor. I 27-29. 362 CHAPTER XVII. THE PASSION FOR HUMANITY. HUMANITY, as here used, includes every member of the human family. But while it includes all men, it also includes all the interests of man, whether they be physical, intellectual, or moral. Instead of being a mere abstraction, the term humanity is thus very concrete, and presents to us individuals and all that pertains to them. The interests of man are very varied, which makes it so difficult to comprehend just what is embraced in the word humanity. These interests include all that emanates from man and all that affects him. They include all the needs of man and all his powers; all his attainments and all his aspirations; all the means resorted to for a livelihood, and all the occupations of men; all arts, literature, science, government, religion, and, in fact, all that concerns men and interests them. In this broad sense we speak of a passion for humanity—a passion not for something that merely pertains to humanity, but for humanity itself. When we speak of the passion for humanity, we mean an intense desire to promote the welfare of man. It is simply the interest in humanity raised to a fervent passion. It implies that there is an ardent love for PASSION FOR HUMANITY. 363 man as such; that there is genuine zeal for promoting the interests of mankind; and that there is enthusiasm in the effort to ameliorate the condition of the human family. This passion is the death of all selfishness. It can exist only in large hearts and generous, comprehensive natures; hence it is a stranger to the heart whose affections twine only around self and home. It rises above the limited affections of immediate relationship, above all class and party interests, and even above national prejudice. Through these, above and beyond them, this passion recognizes all men as akin, and all their interests as inseparably interwoven. The heart in which this passion glows has realized its relation to humanity, and appreciates its kinship; it has been made conscious of the whole, of which it is but a part; and it feels that the whole is of greater moment than merely a part. Such a heart must do itself violence to limit its affections to itself, or to make itself the source and the end of all its activities. Recognizing its interests as those of humanity, it labours for humanity when for itself, and for itself when it labours. for humanity. This passion must not be confounded with a vague general sentiment respecting human welfare, which is idle and dreamy. Nor is it, like so much of what is called passion, blind. Not only has it a definite object in view, but it also works rationally for the attainment of that object. In this object the affections are absorbed, and this makes it a passion. It is not visionary, but intensely practical. For the intellect, the heart, and the will, it makes the brotherhood of man a reality. It has a definite ideal for the mind ; and this ideal shapes the affections and controls the conduct. If this passion is healthy, it will not only seek to promote all the interests of humanity, but it will also seek to promote these interests in proportion to their worth. It will not despise even the least that pertains to man's welfare; but it will seek especially that which is best for man. Making humanity the standard of all earthly values, it estimates things not as having value in themselves, but according to their power to affect man. Man's body is not ignored; it is essential to him here, and its wellbeing is the condition for the healthy activity of the mind and the spirit. The improvement of its condition is, therefore, of great importance. But its value is not in itself, but in its relation to the mental and the moral. The mind, being higher than the body, is worthy of more culture. But the highest of all is spiritual culture. And if the passion for humanity is true and healthy, it will seek chiefly to promote that culture which is highest, though it will by no means neglect the other interests of man. In laying special stress on spiritual culture, it simply seeks the proper symmetry and proportion, and aims to cultivate man as man, not as a mere animal. When, therefore, this passion makes the spiritual welfare of humanity its highest aim, it simply acts in harmony with the truth. Does Christianity cultivate this passion? There are those who regard Christianity as hostile to some of the interests of humanity, hence as one-sided and partial, and as either ignoring or else directly opposing some of the just claims of man. It has been charged that it does not recognize fully the claims of PROMOTING ALL THE INTERESTS OF HUMANITY. 365 man's physical nature; that while it cultivates the spirit of patience and submission, and all the gentler virtues, it does not cultivate the heroic virtues, and the spirit of manliness and independence; that by laying special stress on the life to come, it does not do full justice to this life, but depreciates it, and also this world; that by making faith the condition of salvation, it does not give reason its right place, and that, consequently, it does not promote science in all its departments; and that it does not cultivate the fine arts. These and other objections have been urged against Christianity, to show that it is not a friend to humanity, but is hostile to some of its interests, however much it may promote others. As a rule, those who make these changes do not judge the Christian religion according to its own standard and real merit, but according to its representation in some individuals and in some churches. That in these religion is often very imperfect must be admitted. There are false systems of religion against which the above charges can justly be made; but genuine Christianity is not hostile to a single just claim of humanity. It seeks to remove from man whatever is hostile to his true manhood, and to develop that manhood in all its purity and to the utmost degree of perfection. It teaches that God not only created man, but also that he made him in his own image; if, therefore, it is hostile to any true element of man, it is hostile to the very work and image of God. It does, however, oppose that which depraved men crave, but not a single craving of the pure soul. And when men say that Christianity is hostile to humanity, they either do not understand the Christian |