Since the beginning of religious history, humility has been recognized as the necessary prelude to all spirituality and has been proportionately exalted, religious teachers uniting in preaching its desirability and urging its practice. The world has seen many and varied demonstrations of its possibilities, but its lessons have seemed difficult to learn, and the full beauty of its exemplification has been but rarely appreciated.
Our blessed Master, the meek and lowly Nazarene, who came, "not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many," furnished us a complete and perfect example of humility and taught it in such plain and simple manner, that it would seem strange that all had not come to express it long ago, did not the same teaching point out the difficulties and resistance its practice must encounter.
How many, earnestly desiring to make the teachings of Jesus practical, had found it seemingly impossible to adjust them, in their accepted interpretation, to the everyday needs of life; for they were told continually that the words of Jesus must be taken with so many modifications, that his original meaning was well-nigh lost. But the fact remained, that he had said: "Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
