134 QUAKER ASPECTS OF TRUTH 



ideal so nobly held by the Pharisees — an heroic national 

 patriotism ; bravely fighting for our country and for the 

 religion of our fathers* And on the other hand, the 

 Christ Ideal of Love at any price, even at the price of 

 the Cross* And once again, the Christ Ideal has been 

 utterly defeated* Jesus has been crucified afresh, and 

 that, not by the world, but by the Church ! 



And now let us consider the question which of these 

 two ideals is really the higher* Let us put all prejudice 

 and pre-conceived opinion on one side* The fact that 

 the Churches have rejected the Christ Ideal does not 

 necessarily mean that the Christ Ideal is the higher, 

 though some of us might regard it as presumptive 

 evidence pointing in that direction* Probably what will 

 help us most to come to a right conclusion is to ask 

 ourselves the question : which of these two ideals is the 

 more difficult of attainment ? Which requires the greater 

 heroism ? To smite with the sword, even in a forlorn 

 hope, amidst the applause of our friends and the respect 

 of our enemies ; or to hang on the Cross, amidst the 

 scorn and execration of friends and enemies alike, and 

 to pray, ** Father, forgive them, for they know not what 

 they do " ? 



And if we have made up our minds which is the higher 

 ideal, then comes the question : Which ideal has been 

 ours ? Have we, however unconsciously, been among 

 the pious throng, crying, *' Crucify Him, crucify Him,*' 

 or have we been saying with the doubting Thomas, ** Let 

 us also go that we may die with Him *' ? But whatever 

 may have been our attitude in the past, the future is 

 still before us, and the Christ Ideal still claims our 

 loyalty* And if we have realised but a hundredth part 

 of the Beauty of Christ's Holiness and the Glory of His 

 Sacrifice, we shall feel that it were better to follow the 

 Master to defeat and to death, rather than follow any 

 other leader to victory and endless joy* 



