Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/582

 we ignore  the  fundamental  principle  of  all  Christian morality, "  Do  to  others  as  yon  would  like  to  be  done by;" we  refuse  to  see  that  the  divine  remission  of  our vast liabilities  generates  in  us  an  obligation  to  forgive our  fellowman  his  paltry  debts. No, we  throttle him, and  cast  him  into  prison,  till  he  pay  us  all. " Mercy,"  says  Shakespeare,  "  blesseth  him  that gives  and  him  that  takes,"  and,  per  contra,  vengeance curseth  equally  its  victim  and  its  author. A man never  appears  to  worse  advantage — never  more contemptible than  when  he  clamors  for  revenge; whereas the  sublimest  heroism  is  patience  under  insult and  wrong. The author  of  the  book  of  Proverbs voices these  sentiments  when  he  says:  "  The  bearing of  a  man  is  known  by  patience,  and  his  glory  is to  pass  over  wrongs." Is an  injury  done  or  an  affront offered;  immediately  the  ignoble  rowdy,  with a shriek  or  an  oath,  rushes  to  the  assault,  but  the gentleman stands  unmoved  or  gives  way,  as  the  poet says, with  nobler  reason  against  fury  taking  part. The noble  Christian  looks  over  the  present  wrong, to a  greater  good  beyond,  to  which  wrongs,  patiently borne, are  stepping-stones;  but  the  rowdy  sees  only the wrong  here  and  now,  and  like  a  foolish  child  frets more bitterly  over  a  broken  toy  than  over  the  loss of his  inheritance.

Such incidents  are  but  modern  reproductions  of the  scene  on  Calvary — the  contrast  between  the mocking, blasphemous  thief  on  his  cross  and  the crucified Saviour — patient  and  silent — silent,  or  if He  spake  at  all  it  was  only  to  utter  that  gentle