"ARM YOURSELVES LIKEWISE WITH THE SAME MIND."

Fifth Day.

MEEKNESS.

"I am meek and lowly in heart."--Matt. xi. 29.

There is often a beautiful blending of majesty and humility, magnanimity
and lowliness, in great minds. The mightiest and holiest of all Beings
that ever trod our world was the meekest of all. The Ancient of Days was
as the "infant of days." He who had listened to nothing but
angel-melodies from all eternity, found, while on earth, melody in the
lispings of an infant's voice, or in an outcast's tears! No wonder an
innocent _lamb_ was His emblem, or that the annointing Spirit came down
upon Him in the form of the gentle _dove_. He had the wealth of worlds
at His feet. The hosts of heaven had only to be summoned as His
retinue. But all the pageantry of the world, all its dreams of carnal
glory, had, for Him, no fascination. The Tempter, from a
mountain-summit, showed Him a wide scene of "splendid misery;" but He
spurned alike the thought and the adversary away! John and James would
call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village; He rebukes the
vengeful suggestion! Peter, on the night of the betrayal, cuts off the
ear of an assassin; the intended Victim, again, only challenges His
disciple, and heals His enemy!

Arraigned before Pilate's judgment-seat, how meekly He bears nameless
wrongs and indignities! Suspended on the cross--the execrations of the
multitude are rising around, but He hears as though He heard them not;
they extract no angry look, no bitter word--"Behold the _Lamb_ of God!"
Need we wonder that "meekness" and "poverty of spirit" should stand
foremost in His own cluster of beatitudes; that He should select _this_
among all His other qualities for the peculiar study and imitation of
His disciples, "Learn of Me, _for_ I am _meek_;" or that an apostle
should exhort "by the _meekness_ and _gentleness_ of Christ!"

How different the world's maxims, and His! The _world's_--"Resent the
affront, vindicate honor!" _His_--"Overcome evil with good!" _The
world's_--"Only let it be when for your _faults_ ye are buffeted that ye
take it patiently." _His_--"When ye do _well_ and suffer for it, ye take
it patiently, _this_ is acceptable with God." (1 Pet. ii. 20.)

Reader! strive to obtain, like your adorable Lord, this "ornament of a
meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price."
Be "clothed" with gentleness and humility. Follow not the world's
fleeting s