e two last: 'lovely and of good
report,' 'think on these things.'

Now, if my purpose allowed it, one would like to point out here how the
Apostle accepts the non-Christian notions of the people in whose tongue
he was speaking; and here, for the only time in his letters, uses the
great Pagan word 'virtue,' which was a spell amongst the Greeks, and
says, 'I accept the world's notion of what is virtuous and praiseworthy,
and I bid you take it to your hearts.'

Dear brethren, Christianity covers all the ground that the noblest
morality has ever attempted to mark out and possess, and it covers a
great deal more. 'If there be any virtue, as you Greeks are fond of
talking about, and if there be any praise, if there is anything in men
which commends noble actions, think on these things.'

Now, you will not obey this commandment unless you obey also the
negative side of it. That is to say, you will not think on these fair
forms, and bring them into your hearts, unless you turn away, by
resolute effort, from their opposites. There are some, and I am afraid
that in a congregation as large as this there must be some
representatives of the class, who seem to turn this apostolic precept
right round about, and whatsoever things are illusory and vain,
whatsoever things are mean, and frivolous, and contemptible, whatsoever
things are unjust, and whatsoever things are impure, and whatsoever
things are ugly, and whatsoever things are branded with a stigma by all
men they think on _these_ things. Like the flies that are attracted to a
piece of putrid meat, there are young men who are drawn by all the
lustful, the lewd, the impure thoughts; and there are young women who
are too idle and uncultivated to have any pleasure in anything higher
than gossip and trivial fiction. 'Whatsoever things are noble and
lovely, think on these things,' and get rid of all the others.

There are plenty of occasions round about you to force the opposite upon
your notice; and, unless you shut your door fast, and double-lock it,
they will be sure to come in:--Popular literature, the scrappy
trivialities that are put into some periodicals, what they call
'realistic fiction'; modern Art, which has come to be largely the
servant of sense; the Stage, which has come--and more is the pity! for
there are enormous possibilities of good in it--to be largely a minister
of corruption, or if not of corruption at least of frivolity--all these
things are appealing to you.