Studies in Moral Theology Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 Excerpt: ...which he will endeavour to conform. His greatest effort in this stage, no doubt, will be to bring his passions into conformity with this ideal; but he will not fail to allow its influence to play upon mind and will as well. By degrees, however, as he meditates upon his example (for how else can he imitate it?) and moulds his conscious life upon it, there cannot fail to come upon him an experience which marks the beginning of a higher stage. In his struggle to be like Christ, he meets with temptation, worldly loss perhaps, scorn, suffering and trial; and all of these he tries to encounter as his Master encountered them upon earth. So there springs up in him a sense of sympathy or oneness with the sufferings of Jesus; he thinks of himself as suffering or dying with Him, even as making complete His sufferings.1 Here is a thought which is a very real illumination of the mind; an explanation--the only explanation--of the troubles of the world, as well as a great incentive to further effort and achievement. 1 See Rom. xv. 1-3, 7; 1 Cor. xi. 1; 2 Cor. viii. 9; Eph. v. 2; Phil. ii. 5-11; 1 Thcss. i. 6; and cp. Matt. xi. 29, xx. 26-28; John xiii. 14; Heb. xii. 1, 2; 1 Pet. ii. 18-24. iii- 17. I8, iv. 1, 2; 1 John iii. 16. Cp. also Clem. Rom., Ep. ad Cor. 16; Ignatius, Eph. 3, 10; Trail. 8; Horn. 6; Polycarpj Ep. ad Phil. 8, 10. It is therefore untrue to say that ' the imitation of Jesus, in the strict sense of the word, did not play any noteworthy role either in the apostolic or in the old Catholic period' (A. Harnack, History of Dogma (Eng. tr.), vol. i. p. 67 n.; Expansion of Christianity (Eng. tr.), vol. i. p. 107 n.)--unless the reference is to the voluntary acceptance of poverty and celibacy alone. This achievement is in part accomplished when those around...