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 and enemies,  and  men  and  women  of  every  age  and condition in  life. Finally the  formal  promulgation of Christianity  on  the  first  Pentecost  was  made  in  the presence of  men  out  of  every  nation  under  heaven. Thus did  the  love  of  God  appear  to  all  men  on  the three great  occasions,  the  three  crucial  points,  in  the work of  the  Redemption.

Brethren, the  revelation  of  God's  love  was  made with a  twofold  object — to  wean  our  hearts  from earthly things  and  to  win  them  back  to  God,  or, as St.  Paul  expresses  it,  "  to  instruct  us  that,  denying ungodliness  and  worldly  desires,  we  should live  soberly,  justly,  and  godly  in  this  world." On these two  commandments,  avoid  evil  and  do  good,, depend the  whole  law  and  the  prophets,  for  they involve that  twofold  law  of  charity  according  to which  we  should  be  ready  to  give  up  worldliness and to  lay  down  our  lives  for  God  and  our  brethren, even as  Christ  laid  down  His  life  for  us. For our return to  God  by  love  is  the  reversal  of  our  departure from  Him  by  sin,  and  in  every  sin  there are two  elements,  aversion  from  God  and  conversion to  creatures. It is  of  the  very  nature  of the  human  heart  to  love  something,  and  when  the heart grows  cold  towards  God  and  all  that  are His, when  the  practices  and  ceremonies  of  religion become  a  wearisome  burden,  then  worldly desires so  invade  the  soul  that  God  is  quickly  lost sight of  and  utterly  forgotten. How prevalent  this evil was  when  Christ  was  born! How world-wide  it is  to-day! Men treasure  up  the  riches,  honors,  and