The Faith Preceding Evidence
“Faith which worketh by love.” — Gal. v. 6.
I TAKE the words to mean that there are things for which love is itself the evidence. There is a familiar saying, “Seeing is believing.” But it is equally true that “feeling is believing.” There are some in this world who love because they believe; but I think there are a still larger number who believe because they love. It has always seemed to me — though it is not the common opinion — that St. John belongs to the first class and St. Paul to the second. John’s motto is, *’ Believe, and live “; Paul’s motto is, ‘* Live, and believe.” John sees the transfiguration glory and then lies upon Christ’s bosom; Paul lies upon the bosom and is then caught up to see the glory. John says, “If we walk in the light we shall have fellowship”; Paul cries, “If ye be rooted and grounded in love ye shall be able to comprehend, with all saints, what passeth knowledge.” I have seen two children, each animated by perfect trust in an earthly father, but each for a different reason.
The one virtually said, “I trust him because he loves me “; the other said in effect,” I trust because I love him.’’ Now, I think the larger number of the human race belong to the latter class. The amount of faith we repose in others is quite disproportionate to our knowledge of them. You will see two girls in the course of a few hours becoming mutual confidants. Why is this? It is because they have taken a liking for one another. Their faith in each other has had nothing to work upon but love. There has not been time for experience. Love is the anticipatov of experience. Love pays in advance; it gives the money before it receives the thing. Divine love is no exception. God pays man in advance for services not yet rendered; I suppose that is what the prophet means when he cries, “Behold! His reward is with Him and His work before Him!” Love gives its confidence in advance. It waits not for proof. It lingers not for corroboration. It suspends not its trust till its object is weighed in the balance. It surrenders its faith unpaid for.
My brother, be this thy faith in thy fellow-man! Do not wait till thou hast proved him! Thou lookest abroad upon the lapsed masses; thou seest no beauty to be desired in them. Wilt thou then let them go? Is thy faith to be dependent
on sight? Not if thou lovest. If thou lovest thy lapsed brother thou wilt hope all things for him. Love gives the benefit of the doubt to those who seem unpromising. Love imputes its own righteousness to those who are still in shadow. Love believes in to-morrow for those in a dark to-day. My brother, if thou lovest, thou shalt believe that all things are possible for man. Though as yet thou seest no rainbow, though as yet thou hearest no bells across the snow, though as yet there has come from the waters not even an olive branch of peace, still thou shalt believe. Love itself shall be thy rainbow; love itself shall be thy bell of hope; love itself shall be thy message from the flood. Humanity is still climbing the Dolorous Way — fainting beneath her crosses, groaning amid her thorns. Wait not till she has conquered, wait not till she is crowned! Go out to meet her in her climbing! Go out to greet her in her night! Go out to own her in her rags! Take up her bitter cross and call it thine! And if men say to thee, “Why darest thou to hope for these withered leaves?” lay thy hand upon thy heart and say, “Love believeth all things 1”