it is a life of fellowship that we live together. We have already seen that while God is fatherly toward all, not all men live with him as sons. In the same way, though we are to be brotherly toward all men, not all men will live with us as brothers. Where men do live together in that way, we have a new and higher kind of brotherhood, a true fellowship. That is the final purpose of God, to bring all his children together in such a fellowship, or world-family. Ideally, that is what the church is to-day, a fellowship or community of all who are trying to live as God's children after the spirit of Christ.

If we ask for Jesus' teaching concerning this fellowship, we find we have scarcely anything bearing directly upon it. The Gospels give us nowhere any precept from Jesus as to the duty of organizing a church, or directions as to how this shall be done. Nor do the beginnings of the church at Jerusalem imply this. The disciples apparently still consider themselves a part of the Jewish Church, though they assemble themselves together, as would be expected, and look to the twelve for guidance and leadership.

The First Fellowship.-All this, however, need not surprise us. Here too Jesus came to give life and not rules, and it takes but little study of the life that Jesus came to bring to show that fellowship has been from the beginning an essential part of it. That appeared first of all in the fellowship of Jesus and his disciples. There never was a simpler fellowship than this, for there was no test of creed, no rules to which to subscribe, no long novitiate. There was only one test, the willingness to follow Jesus. But that fellowship had in it the essentials of a religious communion. Jesus had called these men, "that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth." Here was fellowship of life and fellowship of service, and that includes it all.

The Church Based on Spirit, Not Law.-What operated in that first instance has operated ever since. If every church building were razed to the ground to-morrow and every Christian communion disbanded, it would not be a

week before groups of Christian people all over the world would come together for fellowship in worship and for common service. Jesus gave neither commandment nor direction as to organizing the church, but he did threethings. He organized the first fellowship, a little group of men and women which came together again after his resurrection and formed the nucleus of the church. Second, he set forth an ideal of religion which could be practiced only in fellowship with men, for it demanded good will, forbearance, helpfulness, service. And, finally, he gave men a common spirit of love and devotion which has drawn his followers together with a pull as sure and strong as that which holds the stars above. Fellowship is at the very heart of Christianity. It rests on no uncertain commandment, but upon an abiding spirit. No danger or persecution has ever been able to break this bond.

The Fellowship of Christ and the Visible Church.Jesus declared that the men who did God's will were his brothers and sisters (Mark 3. 35). In the great judgment he counts as his own all who have ministered to men in his spirit (Matthew 25. 34-40). We of to-day need to recognize this larger fellowship of Christlike spirit and service, though it leads beyond the bounds of the visible. church of Christ. In this day when the love of righteousness and the service of men are so needed, we should do all we can to find out the men of this larger brotherhood, and to unite all that will thus join for a common service.

DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY

The Scripture passages: Luke 15. 25-32; Matthew 5. 38-48. Go back in brief review and ask what Jesus' idea of God's Fatherhood means for our thought of God, of ourselves, and of our life with God.

Now study how Fatherhood gives to us as sons a law of life in relation to our brothers. Read the first section of the discussion. Compare this rule of brotherhood, or sonship, with other rules like the Golden Rule.

Consider the principle of brotherhood as reflected in the Christian Church. Does this limit the application of Christ's principle, or is the church an instrument for carrying brother-

hood into all the world's life? In what ways is this done by the church?

What conditions in our church life, local and general, make against brotherhood? How are these to be overcome? Apply these same questions to our social, political, and economic life.

CHAPTER XI

THE LAW OF REVERENCE AND REGARD

THE word "brother" is a word that is often lightly used. The "brotherhood of man" is a phrase that is frequently upon men's lips. Often it means no more than the physical or social unity of the race. We have seen that Jesus took the word "brother" and extended it to all men. But he did far more. He deepened it, and filled it with new and richer meaning. He made of it a great demand, a life for men to live with each other. We are to study now in some detail what this life of brotherhood requires, and we begin with this principle: Every human being is sacred in the sight of God and demands from each of us reverence and regard.

THE WORTH OF A MAN

God's Reverence for Man.-The law of reverence and regard begins with God. God has pity for all his creatures, but for man he has reverence. Man may be weak like other creatures, or even sinful; but he is a personal being like God; God is Father and man is child. All else that we know in God's universe is instrument, but man is end. The world is here for the sake of man, not man for the sake of the world. Man alone can know what truth is, and righteousness, and love. He can set before himself a goal and follow after it. But the highest is this: he can know God and live in fellowship with God. And this is true not simply of the wise and the strong; it belongs to men as men, to all human kind.

The Value of a Man.-From all this follows the infinite value of the human soul. He points out to men what their own life is worth: "What doth it profit a man, to gain the

whole world, and forfeit his life?" (Mark 8. 36, 37.) What Jesus means is not a man's physical life, nor yet the soul's existence beyond the grave; he means his true life as a man and a child of God both here and yonder. His reference to the child has the same meaning, the priceless worth of a single human soul. Here is the child, he says, the weakest and the least of human kind; yet it were better for a man, like the criminals in Galilee, to be cast into the lake with a millstone about his neck, than to make even one such child to stumble (Mark 9. 42). The parables of the lost coin and the lost sheep assert the same great truth. Though the shepherd has ninety and nine sheep, the one lost sheep is yet dear to him. The woman cannot forget her tenth piece of silver though she has nine others. So God cannot forget a single child of his that wanders. Every single human being has infinite value in his eyes. And all heaven rejoices when one who is lost comes back (Luke 15. 1-10).

THE LAW OF REVERENCE IN JESUS' LIFE

Jesus' Treatment of Men.-God's estimate of men and God's treatment of them is revealed in Jesus' conduct as well as in his teaching. There is no man who does not have infinite value for Jesus, and none whom he does not treat as personal being. He had his friends to whom he was specially drawn-Peter, James, John, the household at Bethany; but no man came under his eye so poor, so sinful, so wretched that Jesus did not care for him. He received them all, publican, harlot, thief on the cross; each one he treated as a human being. He had respect for their mind. He did not simply say, "You must believe this"; he appealed to them as reasoning beings, "What think ye?" He had respect for their wills. He did not simply throw out commands; he set forth ideals, a life. Above all, he showed his reverence for men by giving himself to them. He became their companion, their friend.

His Attitude Toward Sinners.-One might write a chapter on "Jesus as Gentleman," if one could only restore to