It is not surprising that "the disciple whom Jesus loved,"...

IT is not surprising that "the disciple whom Jesus loved," he who had perhaps been the Master's closest friend and confidant in the three years since, leaving all else behind, he had entered upon his vocation as a fisher of men, should have given us in his gospel and epistles something more of that infinite love and tenderness he had experienced and witnessed than it was possible for the other apostolic writers to transcribe. He who was privileged to lean on the Master's breast at that last supper, he who declared that "God is Love," he who knew how deep and wide was that all-embracing love wherewith the Master's followers had been blessed,—"as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you,"—he it was who set down for our guidance that new commandment which was the Master's parting word to his followers ere he went forth to the supreme demonstration of his love: "As I have loved you, that ye also love one another;" and John was but following divine precedent when again and again in his epistles he bade the followers of him who loved us to the end, "Little children, love one another," as if this were the prime essential, the very foundation stone of obedience to the Master's commands.