From childhood school days I...
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From childhood school days I recall the deep impression made upon me by a certain poem by J. H. L. Hunt. It began as follows:
Abou-Ben-Adam, may his tribe increase,
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,
An angel reading in a book of gold.
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adam bold
And to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
The poem goes on to have Abou ask if his name is written there and he is told that it is not. So he tells the angel to write in the book that he, Abou, is one who loves his fellow man. The next night the angel returned
And showed the names whom highest God had blest
And lo, Ben Adam's name led all the rest.
When missionaries first went to what was then known as the Sandwich Islands, they made so many converts that officials back home wondered if the converts were being fully educated in the Christian faith. A delegate was sent to investigate. He quickly got his answer by asking each convert: "Do you love your enemies?" When they answered, "Yes," he knew their faith was complete. "He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." -- Lentz
Abou-Ben-Adam, may his tribe increase,
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,
An angel reading in a book of gold.
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adam bold
And to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
The poem goes on to have Abou ask if his name is written there and he is told that it is not. So he tells the angel to write in the book that he, Abou, is one who loves his fellow man. The next night the angel returned
And showed the names whom highest God had blest
And lo, Ben Adam's name led all the rest.
When missionaries first went to what was then known as the Sandwich Islands, they made so many converts that officials back home wondered if the converts were being fully educated in the Christian faith. A delegate was sent to investigate. He quickly got his answer by asking each convert: "Do you love your enemies?" When they answered, "Yes," he knew their faith was complete. "He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." -- Lentz
