addresses-第15部分

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their　very　faces　wore　the　self…same　look？　　These　were　not　two

souls；　it　was　a　composite　soul。　　It　did　not　matter　to　which　of　the

two　you　spoke；　you　would　have　said　the　same　words　to　either。　　It

was　quite　indifferent　which　replied；　each　would　have　said　the　same。

Half　a　century's　REFLECTING　had　told　upon　them；　they　were　changed

into　the　same　image。　　It　is　the　Law　of　Influence　that　WE　BECOME

LIKE　THOSE　WHOM　WE　HABITUALLY　REFLECT：　these　had　become　like　because

they　habitually　reflected。　　Through　all　the　range　of　literature；

of　history；　and　biography　this　law　presides。　　Men　are　all　mosaics

of　other　men。　　There　was　a　savor　of　David　about　Jonathan；　and　a

savor　of　Jonathan　about　David。　　Metempsychosis　is　a　fact。　　George

Eliot's　message　to　the　world　was　that　men　and　women　make　men　and

women。　　The　Family；　the　cradle　of　mankind；　has　no　meaning　apart

from　this。　　Society　itself　is　nothing　but　a　rallying　point　for　these

omnipotent　forces　to　do　their　work。　　On　the　doctrine　of　Influence；

in　short；　the　whole　vast　pyramid　of　humanity　is　built。



But　it　was　reserved　for　Paul　to　make　the　supreme　application　of

the　Law　of　Influence。　　It　was　a　tremendous　inference　to　make；　but

he　never　hesitated。　　He　himself　was　a　changed　man；　he　knew　exactly

what　had　done　it；



It　was　Christ。



On　the　Damascus　road　they　met；　and　from　that　hour　his　life　was

absorbed　in　His。　　The　effect　could　not　but　followon　words；　on

deeds；　on　career；　on　creed。　　The　〃impressed　forces〃　did　their　vital

work。　　He　became　like　Him　Whom　he　habitually　loved。　　〃So　we　all；〃

he　writes；　〃reflecting　as　a　mirror　the　glory　of　Christ；　are　changed

into　the　same　image。〃



Nothing　could　be　more　simple；　more　intelligible；　more　natural；　more

supernatural。　　It　is　an　analogy　from　an　every…day　fact。　　Since　we

are　what　we　are　by　the　impacts　of　those　who　surround　us；　those　who

surround　themselves　with　the　highest　will　be　those　who　change　into

the　highest。　　There　are　some　men　and　some　women　in　whose　company

we　are



Always　at　our　best。



While　with　them　we　cannot　think　mean　thoughts　or　speak　ungenerous

words。　　Their　mere　presence　is　elevation；　purification；　sanctity。

All　the　best　stops　in　our　nature　are　drawn　out　by　their　intercourse；

and　we　find　a　music　in　our　souls　that　was　never　there　before。

Suppose　even　THAT　influence　prolonged　through　a　month；　a　year；　a

lifetime；　and　what　could　not　life　become？　　There；　even　on　the　common

plane　of　life；　talking　our　language；　walking　our　streets；　working

side　by　side；　are　sanctifiers　of　souls；　here；　breathing　through

common　clay；　is　Heaven；　here；　energies　charged　even　through　a

temporal　medium　with　the　virtue　of　regeneration。　　If　to　live　with

men；　diluted　to　the　millionth　degree　with　the　virtue　of　the　Highest；

can　exalt　and　purify　the　nature；　what　bounds　can　be　set　to　the

influence　of　Christ？　　To　live　with　Socrateswith　unveiled　facemust

have　made　one　wise；　with　Aristides；　just。　　Francis　Assisi　must

have　made　one　gentle；　Savonarola；　strong。　　But　to　have　lived　with

Christ　must　have　made　one　like　Christ：　　that　is　to　say；　A　CHRISTIAN。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　to　live　with　Christ　did　produce　this　effect。

It　produced　it　in　the　case　of　Paul。　　And　during　Christ's　lifetime

the　experiment　was　tried　in　an　even　more　startling　form。　　A　few

raw；　unspiritual；　uninspiring　men；　were　admitted　to　the　inner　circle

of　His　friendship。　　The　change　began　at　once。　　Day　by　day　we　can

almost　see　the　first　disciple　grow。　　First　there　steals　over　them

the　faintest　possible　adumbration　of　His　character；　and　occasionally；

very　occasionally；　they　do　a　thing　or　say　a　thing　that　they　could

not　have　done　or　said　had　they　not　been　living　there。　　Slowly　the

spell　of　His　Life　deepens。　　Reach　after　reach　of　their　nature　is

overtaken；　thawed；　subjugated；　sanctified。　　Their　manner　softens；

their　words　become　more　gentle；　their　conduct　more　unselfish。　　As

swallows　who　have　found　a　summer；　as　frozen　buds　the　spring；　their

starved　humanity　bursts　into　a　fuller　life。　　They　do　not　know　how

it　is；　but　they　are　different　men。



One　day　they　find　themselves　like　their　Master；　going　about　and

doing　good。　　To　themselves　it　is　unaccountable；　but　they　cannot

do　otherwise。　　they　were　not　told　to　do　it；　it　came　to　them　to　do

it。　　But　the　people　who　watch　them　know　well　how　to　account　for

it〃They　have　been；〃　they　whisper；　〃with　Jesus。〃　　Already　even；

the　mark　and　seal　of　His　character　is　upon　them〃They　have　been

with　Jesus。〃　　Unparalleled　phenomenon；　that　these　poor　fishermen

should　remind　other　men　of　Christ！　　Stupendous　victory　and　mystery

of



Regeneration



that　mortal　men　should　suggest　GOD　to　the　world！



There　is　something　almost　melting　in　the　way　his　contemporaries；

and　John　especially；　speak　of　the　influence　of　Christ。　　John　lived

himself　in　daily　wonder　at　Him；　he　was　overpowered；　over…awed；

entranced；　transfigured。　　To　his　mind　it　was　impossible　for　any　one

to　come　under　this　influence　and　ever　be　the　same　again。　　〃Whosoever

abideth　in　Him　sinneth　not；〃　he　said。　　It　was　inconceivable　that　he

should　sin；　as　inconceivable　as　that　ice　should　live　in　a　burning

sun；　or　darkness　coexist　with　noon。　　If　any　one　did　sin；　it

was　to　John　the　simple　proof　that　he　could　never　have　met　Christ。

〃Whosoever　sinneth；〃　he　exclaims；　〃hath　not　seen　HIM；　neither　known

HIM。〃　　Sin　was　abashed　in　this　Presence。　　Its　root　withered。　　Its

sway　and　victory　were　forever　at　an　end。



But　these　were　His　contemporaries。　　It　was　easy　for　THEM　to　be

influenced　by　Him；　for　they　were　every　day　and　all　the　day　together。

But　how　can　we　mirror　that　which　we　have　never　seen？　　How　can　all

this　stupendous　result　be　produced　by　a　Memory；　by　the　scantiest

of　all　Biographies；　by　One　who　lived　and　left　this　earth　eighteen

hundred　years　ago？　　How　can　modern　men　to…day　make　Christ；　the

absent　Christ；　their　most　constant　companion　still？



The　answer　is　that



Friendship　is　a　spiritual　thing。



It　is　independent　of　Matter；　or　Space；　or　Time。　　That　which　I

love　in　my　friend　is　not　that　which　I　see。　　What　influences　me　in

my　friend　is　not　his　body　but　his　spirit。　　He　influences　me　about

as　much　in　his　absence　as　in　his　presence。　　It　would　have　been　an

ineffable　experience　truly　to　have　lived　at　that　time





〃I　think　when　I　read　the　sweet　story　of　old；

　　　　How　when　Jesus　was　here　among　men；

He　took　little　children　like　lambs　to　his　fold；

　　　　I　should　like　to　have　been　with　Him　then。



〃I　wish　that　His　hand　had　been　laid　on　my　head；

　　　　That　His　arms　had　been　thrown　around　me；

And　that　I　had　seen　His　kind　look　when　he　said；

　　　　'Let　the　little　ones　come　unto　me。'〃





And　yet；　if　Christ　were　to　come　into　the　world　again；　few　of　us

probably　would　ever　have　a　chance　of　seeing　Him。　　Millions　of　her

subjects　in　the　little　country　of　England　have　never　seen　their

own　Queen。　　And　there　would　be　millions　of　the　subjects　of　Christ

who　could　never　get　within　speaking　distance　of　Him　if　He　were

here。　　We　remember　He　said：　　〃It　is　expedient　for　you　（not　FOR　ME）

that　I　go　away〃；　because　by　going　away　He　could　really　be　nearer

to　us　than　He　would　have　been　if　He　had　stayed　here。　　It　would

be　geographically　and　physically　impossible　for　most　of　us　to　be

influenced　by　His　person　had　He　remained。　　And　so　our　communion

with　Him　is　a　spiritual　companionship；　but　not　different　from　most

companionships；　which；　when　you　press　them　down　to　the　roots；　you

will　find　to　be　essentially　spiritual。



All　friendship；　all　love；　human　and　Divine；　is　purely　spiritual。

It　was　after　He　was　risen　that　He　influenced　even　the　disciples

most。　　Hence；　in　reflecting　the　character　of　Christ；　it　is　no　real

obstacle　that　we　may　never　have　been　in　visible　contact　with　Himself。



There　lived　once　a　young　girl　whose　perfect　grace　of　character

was　the　wonder　of　those　who　knew　her。　　She　wore　on　her　neck　a　gold

locket　which　no　one　was　ever　allowed　to　open。　　One　day；　in　a　moment

of　unusual　confidence；　one　of　her　companions　was　allowed　to　touch

its　spring　and　learn　its　secret。　　She　saw　written　these　words



〃Whom　having　not　seen　I　love。〃



That　was　the　secret　of　her　beautiful　life。　　She　had　been　changed

into　the　Same　Image。



Now　this　is　not　imitation；　but　a　much　deeper　thing。　　Mark

this　distinction；　for　the　difference　in　the　process　as　well　as　in

the　result；　may　be　as　great　as　that　between　a　photograph　secured

by　the　infallible　pencil　of　the　sun；　and　the　rude　outline　from　a

school…boy's　chalk。　　Imitation　is　mechanical；　reflection　organic。

The　one　is　occasional；　the　other　habitual。　　In　the　one　case；

man　comes　to　God　and　imitates　him；　in　the　other；　God　comes　to　man

and　imprints　Himself　upon　him。　　It　is　quite　true　that　there　is　an

imitation　of　Christ　which　amounts　to　reflection。　　But　Paul's　term

includes　all　that　the　other　holds；　and　is　open　to　no　mistake。



What；　then；　is　the　practical　lesson？　　It　is　obvious。　　〃Make　Christ

your　most　constant　companion〃this　is　what　it　practically　means　for

us。　　Be　more　under　His　influences　than　under　any　other　influence。

Ten　minutes　spent　in　His　society　every　day；　ay；　two　minutes　if

it　be　face　to　face；　and　heart　to　heart；　will　make　the　whole　day

different。　　Every　character　has　an　inward　spring；let　Christ　be

it。　　Every　action　has　a　key…note；let　Christ　set　it。



Yesterday　you　got　a　certain　letter。　　You　sat　down　and　wrote　a　reply

which　almost　scorched　the　paper。　　You　picked　the　cruelest　adjectives

you　knew　and　sent　it　forth；　without　a　pang　to　do　its　ruthless　work。

You　did　that　because　your　life　was　set　in　the　wrong　key。　　You　began


the　day　with　the　mirror　placed　at　the　wrong　angle。



Tomorrow　at　day…break；　turn　it　towards　Him；　and　even　to　your　enemy

the　fashion　of　your　countenance　will　be　changed。　　Whatever　you　then

do；　one　thing　you　will　find　you　could　not　doyou　could　not　write

that　letter。　　Your　first　impulse　may　be　the　same；　your　judgement

may　be　unchanged；　but　if　you