character and fruits of love, it is
unnecessary to introduce the subject here. The topic is sufficiently
treated in the epistle lesson for the Sunday preceding Lent. We will
look at the command to love, in the Law of God. Innumerable, endless,
are the books and doctrines produced for the direction of man's
conduct. And there is still no limit to the making of books and laws.
Note the ecclesiastical and civil regulations, the spiritual orders
and stations. These laws and doctrines might be tolerated, might be
received with more favor, if they were founded upon and administered
according to the one great law--the one rule or measure--of love; as
the Scriptures do, which present many different laws, but all born of
love, and comprehended in and subject to it. And these laws must
yield, must become invalid, when they conflict with love.

Of Love's higher authority we find many illustrations in the
Scriptures. Christ makes particular mention of the matter in Matthew
12, 3-4, where David and his companions ate the holy showbread. Though
a certain law prohibited all but the priests from partaking of this
holy food, Love was empress here, and free. Love was over the Law,
subjecting it to herself. The Law had to yield for the time being, had
to become invalid, when David suffered hunger. The Law had to submit
to the sentence: "David hungers and must be relieved, for Love
commands, Do good to your needy neighbor. Yield, therefore, thou Law.
Prevent not the accomplishment of this good. Rather accomplish it
thyself. Serve him in his need. Interpose not thy prohibitions." In
connection with this same incident, Christ teaches that we are to do
good to our neighbor on the Sabbath; to minister as necessity demands,
whatever the Sabbath restrictions of the Law. For when a brother's
need calls, Love is authority and the Law of the Sabbath is void.

8. Were laws conceived and administered in love, the number of laws
would matter little. Though one might not hear or learn all of them,
he would learn from the one or two he had knowledge of, the principle
of love taught in all. And though he were to know all laws, he might
not discover the principle of love any more readily than he would in
one. Paul teaches this method of understanding and mastering law when
he says: "Owe no man anything, but to love one another"; "He that
loveth another hath fulfilled the law"; "If there be any other
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying