which compel, or the little pleasures which allure, and yet is able to contemplate men as a great brotherhood of immortals, with a gaze analogous to Him in whose image he is made; when he can look on the world through the light of eternity, and is willing to suffer all things, and to endure all things, that by him and through him blessings may reach others,—­then it is he does that which it is the high privilege of man on this earth to do, and becomes a power to which under God humanity owes all it has achieved in time.  “I serve” is the law of the living forces of mankind.  Each man and woman has a place.  If they fill it, they furnish a channel along which God’s beneficent purposes find their way to a lost world.  If they do not fill it, they are set aside, and the verdict of the world is, Served them right.

It if surprising that, after Mary had been rebuked at Cana of Galilee, that she should have presumed to have interrupted Jesus in the presence of the multitude.  It is instructive that Christ taught us that the tie binding us to God and to humanity, is the most sacred of all; for while it made the God-man a brother to us, it makes us co-workers with God in carrying forward the enterprises with which men are identified on the earth.  When a man is true to self, to humanity, and to God, and so girds himself with the strength arising from confidence, he deserves the support, if not the admiration, of those with whom he is associated.  It was unworthy of Mary to ignore the Divine origin of Jesus, and call Joseph his father before the elders.  She thought to raise herself by lowering him.  He would not be lowered.  By his mother and by the world he knew that he had a right to be recognized as the Son of God.  This tendency to belittle greatness lives yet.  Men are seldom known until they die.  We praise the dead and ignore the living, as a rule.  There is too little respect shown to men occupying positions of public trust.  There is too little respect shown in the household.  The father and mother are not honored in the home as they deserve to be, and in the state the same principle rules.  “Thou shall not speak evil of the ruler of thy people,” is an apostolic precept, and the command, “Honor thy father and thy mother,” was repeatedly reiterated by Christ.

It is a significant fact, that Eve was led astray by Satan in the same direction that was Mary.  Mariolatry is only the outgrowth of the seedling that lay dormant in Mary’s heart, and is indigenous.  It is not natural for us to be contented with being used as an instrument for glorifying God.  We desire to be honored, as something more than an instrument.  In fact, it is true, that all are, no matter what their powers or capacities, instrumentalities employed of God for distinct purposes.  Against this power we revolt and are thrust aside.  The really great delight to recognize this truth, and their prayer is, “Use me for thy glory” and for the world’s advantage.