Abou Ben Adhem awoke one night from a dream of peace – so runs the Eastern story – and saw within the moonlight in his room, making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, an angel writing in a book of gold. He asked, “What writest thou?” The angel answered, “The names of those who love the Lord.” “Is mine there?” he asked. “Nay,” replied the angel. Then Abou softly and cheerily said, “I pray thee, then, write me as one that loves his fellow men.” Next night the vision came again, disclosing the names whom love of God had blessed, and, lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.
The more deeply we read into the life and teachings of our Lord and his apostles, the more clearly does it appear that the golden thought of this old legend comes out of the very heart of the gospel. It lies embedded not only in John’s Epistles, but in the teachings of the Master himself. Love for God is only a vaporous sentiment, a misty emotion, unless it manifests itself in love for men.
Our Lord gave us a picture of the last judgment which at first almost startles us; for, instead of making faith in himself or love for God the test of men’s lives, he makes all turn, in that great final day, and upon the way they have treated others in this world. Those who have used their gifts to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to relieve the distress of the poor, the prisoner, the sick, are welcomed into eternal joy. Those who have shut up their hands and hearts, allowing human need and suffering to go unrelieved, are themselves shut away from blessedness.
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