Agapè was translated one way for the Evangelist and another when S. Paul wrote about love. The famous thirteenth chapter comes in the closest connexion with the Talents and the Gifts of Office; and is itself the finest exposition of the Fruits of the Spirit. Let us then read it, so as to get a fresh impression, in Dr. Moffat's modern English—vowing nevertheless that this is the last time we will use 'charity' to mean 'almsgiving'! S. Paul has been saying that it is better to be an apostle than to heal (a point in which our modern postulants for the episcopate have very generally agreed with him), better to be a teacher than to work 'powers', better to be a useful helper than to speak with 'tongues', and so on. 'Set your hearts earnestly on the greater gifts. And yet show I unto you a more excellent way', he says, and continues:
'I may speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but if I have no love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal; I may prophesy, fathom all mysteries and secret lore, I may have such absolute faith that I can move hills from their place, but if I have no love, I count for nothing; I may distribute all I possess in charity, I may give up my body to be burnt, but if I have no love, I make nothing of it. Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy; love makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful; love is never glad when others go wrong, love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient.'
