moral sense, pointing us ever in the direction of practical duty, rebuking us when we neglect it or come short of it, bidding us test our feelings by our deeds, and ask ourselves whether we are really "keeping" and obeying the "word of God."

MEEKNESS.

[Re-written 1889.]

OUR word "meek" seems now-a-days to need redeeming. Whatever the reason may be, the word does not hold the place which it used to hold in the Christian vocabulary. We rather fight shy of it as a term of praise. To speak of any one-especially of any man-as being "meek," seems now-a-days to carry with it a certain flavour of disparagement, not to say of contempt. Whilst the "grand old name of gentleman" holds its own as a designation of honour in universal estimation, there are not many "gentlemen "who would thank you for calling them "meek" men! No doubt this is partly owing to the conventional meaning of the word "gentleman" as it is commonly used in society. Conventionally-and indeed etymologically also-the gentleman is not so much the man of gentleness as the man of gentility— the man of good birth and good breeding. There is many a European "gentleman," who, if you were to say that he is not a gentleman, would at once proceed to vindicate his right to the name by demanding the opportunity of killing you in a duel! Meekness and gentleness are qualities of heart-graces of character :

but there are many people who attach far more importance to what they call "good birth," than to being "born of the Spirit." I suspect that, in the popular depreciation of meekness, there is a certain Pagan element which has not quite risen above the worship of mere force. Meekness is not one of the Carlylean virtues. It has too quiet and tame an aspect for many minds: it neither roars like the thunder, nor flashes like the lightning: they would fain have something more pronounced in manifestation they do not perceive the spiritual strength that underlies it.

There is doubtless, however, another reason for the disparagement of meekness. Like many other virtues it has its counterfeits, which are not really admirable, and which lead men to mistake its true character. Christianity is mightier than Paganism; but a real Paganism may be a sturdier thing than a sham Christianity. The pride of obvious self-assertion naturally secures more respect than the "pride which apes humility." There is a bastard meekness which is associated with a flaccid and invertebrate characterlacking individuality, and marked by moral timidity. It is this namby-pamby mildness, which has no moral or spiritual pith in it, that men often mistakenly call meekness," and despise accordingly. But this is not the meekness which is so often commended in the Bible. The word needs to be redeemed to its true and proper use. There needs to be, on the one hand, a better understanding of what meekness really is; and, on the other hand, a higher appreciation of genuine meekness as a quality of noble and godly character.

True meekness stands opposed, not to self-respect, but to pride. Christ claims us as the children of the Eternal God. The gospel takes the poorest believer and lifts him, here and now, as into "heavenly places," and sets him in front of a glorious immortality. He may never he admitted into the society of the rich or great of this world; but, every day, he may find admission into the presence-chamber of the "King of kings," and may come forth from that chamber to the humblest toil, with a face brightened by the smile of God. He may be despised by many on account of his poverty; but the gospel speaks to him as an "heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ," and reminds him that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed.” The man who "learns of Christ," and who realizes these lofty privileges and promises, acquires a certain dignity of character and action. Such a man will not readily become the mere tool of others. He bears the "yoke of Christ"; and "to his own Master he standeth or falleth."

A genuine meekness cannot be incompatible with such self-respect as this. Meekness is not mere pliability. It is not a refusal to think and act for ourselves; it is not a thoughtless subjection of our spirits to any external influence. To be meek is not to be a mere nose of wax." The truth rather is, that where there is no self-respect there can be no exercise of meekness. Meekness is just that quality which prevents selfrespect from passing into pride. Look at the life of Him who said, "Learn of me; for I am meek." See with what dignity He carried Himself, even when He

was "led as a lamb to the slaughter." Think of the dignified calmness with which He spoke to Caiaphas, and the dignified silence with which He met the questions of Herod. See how Pilate quailed before Him in the judgment-hall, and then tried to banish this feeling of awe by reminding himself of his own authority, as he threatened Jesus-"Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?" How majestic, in its

simple dignity, was the calm reply of the thorncrowned King "Thou couldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the

greater sin." All this may surely teach us how compatible is the true dignity of self-respect with a genuine meekness. But observe that, in all this attitude of Jesus, there was no tinge of pride. The danger with us is lest self-respect degenerate into pride. And there is special danger here. For, of all vices, the vice of pride is probably the most attractive to every nature that is not grossly sensual. One great temptation of the intellectual, the refined, the brave, and even the upright, is to pride. And yet, of all vices, pride, when full-blown, is perhaps the most deadly. Nor is it difficult to understand why men who despise the vices of sensuality, avarice, and vanity should nevertheless fall into pride. Sensuality tends to degrade a man into a mere animal. Avarice makes a man the slave of a thing. Vanity is a petty subserviency to the opinion and admiration of others. But there is a certain grandeur of aspect about pride. Pride makes a man a little god to himself. Whether others admire him or not is a matter of little import