"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.