s no
unrighteousness in him." The prophet Daniel in his confession said: "O
Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee." To work righteousness, then,
is to do the righteous will of the Father. All works of righteousness
have their origin in supreme love to God and subordinate love to man.
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" covers the ground. It is
very much the same as that other saying of Jesus: "All things
whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto
them, for this is the law and the prophets." This command comprehends
all the possible relations of men with each other. It takes in the
social, moral, civil, commercial, national and religious relations of
the human family in all time; and when a man's conduct in these varied
relations is governed by the Lord's golden rule, he is working
righteousness in the eye of God and is accepted of him. "_He that
worketh righteousness_" takes in every human being that lives a good
life. But no one can live a good life without help from the Lord.
Jesus says: "Without me ye can do nothing." Cornelius had help from
God. He feared God. He worshiped God. He was a devout man himself, and
all his house had the same reverence for God. He had also heard of
Christ, especially of the witness borne by the Holy Spirit, at his
baptism, and that of the Father acknowledging his divine sonship.

But Cornelius needed instruction in matters pertaining to the
ordinances of God's house. His knowledge and faith were sufficient for
the purposes of living a good, righteous life. He was a man of prayer.
He also possessed that element of goodness which Paul says is greater
even than faith, and that element is _charity_. Notice, the angel said
to him: "Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up as a memorial before
God." The angel included nothing else. In our acknowledgments of
regard and favor in the behalf of any one we refer to one's character
and standing in the eyes of men. But the angel made no such reference.
From this we may learn what God loves most in his people, and that is
LOVE. The love of Cornelius for God was manifested by his prayers.
Loving, faithful, trustful prayers are the proof that we love God: and
kindness, gentleness and goodness toward others, the proof that we
love our neighbor. This was manifest in his alms.

But the Lord wanted Cornelius to arise and mount a higher plane in the
life of righteousness: a high plane of holy intelligence and knowledge
respect