of charity by laying down his life for God and the brethren. Previous to His coming they had been weak and timid men; Peter had trembled at the voice of a maid and thrice denied his Lord, and the whole band was hiding for fear of the Jews, but now, as the plastic clay is by fire hardened into enduring brick, so the Apostles by the fire of divine love were made suitable to be the foundations of the Church of God. They who before shrank from ridicule and insult, now rejoiced that they were found worthy to suffer persecution and torture and death for the name of Jesus.
Brethren, it matters little whether or not we be learned, whether or not we be eloquent, whether or not we be miracle-workers, but it is a matter of supreme importance that we possess a goodly measure of love for God and our neighbor. " God is love," says St. John, and his meaning is that charity is of all the most characteristic gift of the Holy Ghost, the most infallible indication of His indwelling presence, the stem which produces and supports all the other gifts and fruits of the Holy Ghost. But how are we to know whether or not we possess this precious gift? Brethren, the natural outcome of charity is an ideal Christian life, but probably as sure indications as any other of its presence are fortitude and patience. "True charity casteth out fear," as we have seen it do in the case of the Apostles. When you saw your neighbor offending against the laws of his conscience and of God, did you admonish him? No. Why not? Because you feared his displeasure. Ah!
