Christ has been called “visionary"—­that is a favourite word with those who pride themselves upon being practical.  But as a matter of fact, one of the great virtues of Christ’s teachings is that they are practical.  He deals with the every-day things of ordinary life and in His quiet way irons out difficulties and makes rough paths smooth.  His philosophy is easily comprehended and readily applied.  His words need no interpretation; they are the words of the people, the language of the masses.  If He were a teacher of rhetoric He would surpass all other teachers because the art of discourse reaches its maximum in His sentences.  The learned sometimes speak over the heads of their hearers, using words that are unusual and long-drawn-out.  Jesus talked to the multitude and they not only understood Him but “the common people heard him gladly."

Let me recall to your minds just a few illustrations of the simplicity of His thought and language.  Take, for instance, the supreme virtue, love, upon which He always places emphasis.  Note how He weaves it into human experience.

“Therefore,” He says (Matt. 5:23), “if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother.”

Reconciliation is preferred to sacrifice.  The gift upon the altar can wait; but enmity between brothers must have attention at once.  What infinite woe and heartache will be prevented when this lesson is learned and applied throughout the world.  What untold blessings will be realized when even among those who profess the name of Christ it is always employed.  A word spoken in anger has often cost a life because neither party to the quarrel was big enough to obey the best promptings of the heart and beg pardon.  Families have been rent asunder; communities have been divided; nations have gone to war, just because some one lacked the spirit of the Saviour and refused the plain and easy road to reconciliation.  Well may religious rites be suspended for the moment while love removes offense and binds together hearts that were estranged.  We know that “To err is human,” and we believe that “To forgive is divine;” to ask forgiveness requires as much grace as to forgive.

In his first epistle (chapter 4:2) John makes a striking application of Christ’s doctrine of love:  “If a man say ‘I love God’ and hateth his brother, he is a liar.”

These are harsh words but the Apostle was dealing with a very serious subject, viz., the glaring inconsistency between love of God and hatred of a brother.

There are many ways in which one can manifest hatred of his brother, and it must be remembered that hatred is a sin that is proven by acts rather than admitted.  First, there is indifference—­a wide-spread sin—­and it is to be found inside the church as well as outside.  As love is a positive virtue, a failure to love is a violation of obligations.  A participation in the services of the church, even communion at the Lord’s Table—­does not always awaken in Christians the interest they should feel in each other.