Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/254

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the chastened glory of heavenly light. Like the eagle, they can elevate themselves into the atmosphere above, though with inferior power. They can range through the regions of intellectual truth, and fly wherever the wish prompts them. But they are not like the eagle, solitary. Their love is best drawn forth in society; and, deprived of society, they lose their principal source of happiness; because, as has just been remarked, the love of truth is the love of the neighbour, for they who love truth find their happiness increased by making it known to others. Anxious to bring others to a knowledge of that truth which has added to their own enjoyment, their desire is to communicate; there language is, "Hearken, I pray you, unto me, and I will tell you what the Lord has done for my soul."

Descending now, in the third degree, to the individual, the same may be said of him that has been said of the general body of truth-loving Christians. The man of this character ardently loves truth: he is never wearied of seeking after it; he explores every source whence knowledge can be derived, and, as he ardently seeks for knowledge so he is eager to communicate what he acquires. The words of the Lord are ever before him: "Freely ye have received, freely give." Truth is indeed "sweet to his taste, yea, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb:" he wishes all around him to "taste and see that the Lord is good," and that true blessedness results from belief in Him. This intense love of truth is united to a harmless and religious life; a life of love, of the practice of truth, and of ardent and devoted affection to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the God of Truth. This is the class