nal side of the same disposition. He who takes the true
measure of himself cannot but sorrow over the frightful gulf between
what he should and might be and what he is, for he knows that there is
more than misfortune or unavoidable creatural weakness at work. The grim
reality of sin has to be reckoned in. Personal responsibility and guilt
are facts. The soul that has once seen its own past as it is, and looked
steadily down into the depths of its own being, cannot choose but
'mourn.' Such contrition underlies all moral progress. The ethical
teaching of the Sermon on the Mount puts these two, poverty of spirit
and tears for sin, at the foundation. Do its admirers lay that fact to
heart? This is Christ's account of discipleship. We have to creep
through a narrow gate, which we shall not pass but on our knees and
leaving all our treasures outside. But once through, we are in a great
temple with far-reaching aisles and lofty roof. Such sorrow is sure of
comfort. Other sorrow is not. The comfort it needs is the assurance of
forgiveness and cleansing, and that assurance has never been sought from
the King in vain. The comfort is filtered to us in drops here; it pours
in a flood hereafter. Blessed the sorrow which leads to experience of
the tender touch of the hand that wipes away tears from the face, and
plucks evil from the heart! Blessed the mourning, which prepares for the
festal garland and the oil of gladness and the robe of praise, instead
of ashes on the head and sackcloth on the spirit!

III. Meekness here seems to be considered principally as exercised to
men, and it thus constitutes the first of the social virtues, which
henceforward alternate with those having exclusive reference to God. It
is the grace which opposes patient gentleness to hatred, injury, or
antagonism. The prominence given to it in Christ's teaching is one of
the peculiarities of Christian morals, and is a standing condemnation of
much so-called Christianity. Pride and anger and self-assertion and
retaliation flaunt in fine names, and are called manly virtues. Meekness
is smiled at, or trampled on, and the men who exercise it are called
'Quakers' and 'poor-spirited' and 'chicken-hearted' and the like. Social
life among us is in flagrant contradiction of this Beatitude; and as for
national life, all 'Christian nations' agree that to apply Christ's
precept to it would be absurd and suicidal. He said that the meek should
inherit the earth; statesmen sa