FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



Wagner must have been thinking of the life of Christ when 

 he thus expressed himself. 



Love. The religion of Jesus Christ is founded on love. 

 The highest instinct of humanity, in fact of the whole animal 

 world, is that of self-preservation, and yet so great was 

 Christ's love for humanity that He gave His life for its 

 redemption. The greatest sacrifice that was possible for Him 

 He willingly made. All Christians agree with Drummond 

 that love is the greatest thing in the world. Next to Chris- 

 tianity, the most aggressive religion on earth is Mohammedan- 

 ism, a religion of force. Yet notwithstanding the fact that 

 for many centuries these two religions have been striving for 

 world-mastery, the ideal of the one being love and that of 

 the other force, Christianity has made the more rapid prog- 

 ress. Ever since the Middle Ages, Christianity has been driv- 

 ing Islam from Europe and the likelihood is that some day 

 every vestige of it will have disappeared from the continent. 

 And just as Right always triumphs over Wrong in the end, 

 even though Right may be on the scaffold and Wrong on the 

 throne, so the Religion of Love is bound to triumph over the 

 Religion of Force. " God standeth within the shadow keeping 

 watch above His own." 



Rest. Christ engaged in a very active life during His 

 three years' ministry and He often found it necessary to 

 withdraw from the stirring scenes of His work, and even 

 from the companionship of His disciples, and seek repose. 

 He found it necessary to renew His strength at intervals 

 that He might always be at His best in doing the work that 

 His father had given Him to do. The Germans have a word 

 that has no equivalent in the English language. It is Menschen- 

 muede, and it means, " tired of people." One is thrown 

 almost constantly into contact with people in his daily work 

 and often longs to get away into some quiet retreat where he 

 can be absolutely alone with his thoughts. This was many 

 times the feeling of Jesus. And He needed this self-com- 

 munion that He might be 'better fitted for life's duties. He 

 also needed physical rest each day. Although Jesus knew 



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