hen his affection, refine his
reason, enlarge his horizon. How admirable Christ's words, how
illustrious His work, how divine His character! The philosopher
describes man, but Jesus Christ loves man, weeps for man, dies for
man. Dante inspires, but Jesus Christ gives life. Shakespeare shines,
but Jesus Christ uplifts. History causes the heroes of yesterday to
pass before the mind, surrounded by applauding multitudes. When
Napoleon entered Paris the people ran together with one accord, and
the tides of enthusiasm rose like a mountain freshet. When Garibaldi
entered Florence, when Kossuth passed up Broadway in New York, when
Grant, returning homeward, entered our own city, the streets were
filled solidly with multitudes who forgot hunger and exhaustion,
exalted by hero-worship.

But the divine man never stood forth in full proportion until Jesus
Christ stepped upon this planet. What strength! What gentleness!
Behold His exquisite sympathy! Behold the instinct of confidence, that
drew little children to His arms! How did men, defiled within and
without, throng round Him, while His presence wrought the miracle of
miracles in cleansing them! Then for the first time in history did
disheveled ones so feel the beauty of goodness that an irresistible
enthusiasm drew them about Him to kiss the very hem of His garment.
All the excellencies of life, and more, unite in Him; the orator's
persuasive speech; the artist's love of beauty; the scholar's passion
for truth; the patriot's love of country. His also is more than the
love of mother, lover, friend, for his is the love of Saviour. To-day
He rises over each soul in such majesty of excellence as to include
the excellencies of everything in heaven and everything on earth. As
the clouds sometimes, after hanging for days and nights in the
atmosphere, at length come together and pour down their refreshing
showers, so let all that is deepest and richest and sweetest in man's
thought and affection pour itself out before Him who is worthy of the
world's anthem. For His mind will guide, His mercy forgive, His love
redeem, His hand lead--not into the abyss of death, but unto the
heavenly heights. He who with Dante looks upward to-day may behold the
Saviour's divine chariot "sweeping along the confines of heaven, a
sweet light above it, its wheels almost blocked with flowers."

CONSCIENCE AND CHARACTER

"There is a higher law than the constitution."--_Seward._

"Whatever