more than natural strength bestowed upon us, we are all but certain, like fractious children when beaten, to kick and plunge and scream, or to take the infliction of the sorrow as being an affront and an injury.  If we have any claim to this benediction, we must earn it by accepting our sorrows; then the accepted sorrow becomes a solemn joy, or almost akin thereto.  The ox that kicks against the goads only does two things thereby; it does not get away from them, but it wounds its own hocks, and it drives the sharp points deeper into the ragged wounds.  Let Him strike, dear friend, for when He strikes He cuts clean; and there is no poison on the edge of His knife.  Meekness towards God is, first, patient endurance of His Will.

And, in reference to Him, it is, next, unquestioning docility and obedience.  Its seat is in the will.  When the will is bowed, a man is far on his road to perfection; and the meaning of all that God does with us—­joys and sorrows, light and darkness, when His hand gives, and when His hand withdraws, as when His authoritative voice commands, and the sweet impulses of His love graciously constrain—­is that our wills may be made plastic and flexible, like a piece of wrought leather, to every touch of His hand.  True meekness goes far deeper down than any attitude towards men.  It lays hold on the sovereign will of God as our supreme good, and delights in absolutely and perfectly conforming itself thereto.

And then there follows, as a matter of course, that which is usually the whole significance of the word, the meekness which is displayed in our attitude towards men.  The truly meek heart remains unprovoked amidst all provocation.  Most men are like dogs that answer bark for bark, and only make night hideous and themselves hoarse thereby.  But it is our business to meet evil with good; and the more we are depreciated, the more we are harmed, the more we are circled about by malice and by scorn, the more patiently and persistently to love on.

Ah, brethren, it is easy to say and hard to do thus; but it is a plain Christian duty.  Old-fashioned people believe that the sun puts out the fire.  I know not how that may be, but sure I am that the one thing that puts out the fire of antagonism and wrath and malice in those who dislike or would harm us is that we should persistently shine upon, and perchance overcome, evil with good.  Provoked, we remain, if we are truly meek, masters of ourselves and calm and equable, and so are blessed in ourselves.  Meekness makes no claims upon others.  Plenty of people are sore all over with the irritation caused by not getting what they consider due respect.  They howl and whine because they are not appreciated.  Do not expect much of men.  Make no demands, if for no better reason than because the more you demand the less you will get; and the less you seem to think to be your due, the more likely you are to receive what you desire.

But that is a poor, shallow ground.  The true exhortation is, ’Be ye imitators of God, as dear children.’