THE dawn of Christianity was a sunburst of good. It was history's most glorious exhibition of the giving that is born of Love. In terms of human sense it meant self-expenditure, and St. John phrases his thought of God's relation thereto in the words, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." Hence the redemptive scheme and achievement with which Christ Jesus is indissolubly associated would be fittingly described as "God's great charity." Our Master's reflection and interpretation of it is expressed in his wonderful words, "I lay down my life for the sheep."
The story of Jesus' life and teaching discloses his continuous effort to awaken in his disciples an understanding of this fundamental nature of his mission and ministry, and to transmit to them its life-giving impulse. The work to which he commended them was to be a giving that meant primarily living for, and the success which attended his effort thus to infuse his immediate followers with the vital purpose and spirit of his Messiahship is indicated in those unnumbered heroisms of faith and sacrifice which are referred to in the 11th chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews.
The glory of the early Church was the Christlikeness of its charity, its exhibition of the love that gives itself, and in this gives all. The saints of succeeding times have all been exponents of this gospel, but the temptation to substitute material possessions for self-giving has been a constant seduction, and its inroads upon Christian thought explain the significant and saddening fact that charity has come to mean to the many but the bestowment of goods, an interpretation which has proved no less degrading to men than dishonoring to Christ. Speaking of this matter a prominent commercial weekly has recently said:—
