"Ian Maclaren's" little ideal sketches of the simple Scotch people about "Drumtochty," entitled "Beside the Bonnie Brierbush," is among the books that touch the hidden springs of pathos and make the heart a fountain of sweet tears. Its secret, tender charm never fails. It is one of the few books that can be read a hundred times, and the last time the eye will not be dry. Nevertheless, "Ian Maclaren" errs gravely, and just such a book as his will go far to mislead hundreds of thousands by [259] confirming them in a sentiment toward which they are already inclined. With him love is the greatest thing in the world, and does indeed cover a multitude of faults. And by love he does not mean the love described in God's word, but the fleshly, human affection, parental, conjugal, brotherly, or friendly, and the generous impulse of a man's heart for his fellow. This he puts in the first place. By this he interprets the Bible. Because this "love" of his regards the hell of the Bible as wholly too cruel, the belief in such a place is discarded. This "love" is to him more than all the doctrines of God's word, and what a man believes or is matters little as long as he excels in this thing. The great gulf between thoroughgoing faith in the Bible and the blighting infidelity of destructive criticism is bridged over by this love, and the difference becomes unimportant. I do not say that the tender and magnanimous traits of human character are wrong or to be despised; but they belong to a much lower shelf. "Maclaren" mistakes the meaning of love. His God is good-natured rather than good; easy-going rather than holy; not loving in truth, but weakly, sentimental, and gushing. And this is the sentiment of the age. It is counted all but a virtue to set aside God's will and word to save the tender feelings and give way to the affections of the heart, and the milk of human kindness is as good as the blood of Christ to wash away sins. But God holds a different judgment, and his estimate alone will count "in that day." His wisdom is pure before it is peaceable. With him truth is first, and must be maintained though every friend or dear one perish. He wants loving submission to himself first of all, and approves of the uncompromising faith that laid the beloved only son Isaac upon the altar. Whatever threatens the knowledge of the only God is to be sacrificed. The loss of the truth of God is with him the direst of all calamities that can befall [260] the race, and against the true interests of every man, and love will be incredibly cruel before she will consent to anything like that. See the fearful injunction given to Israel in Deut. 13:6-18. That was nothing but God's love working for the good of mankind. Nor even when he forgives sin is God weakly sentimental. Not by making excuse for our transgression; not by palliating the offense; not by minimizing its awfulness; not by considering the man's good points and ignoring his evil, does God save him. That were a miserable salvation indeed, and could not command our own respect. No, but the guilt must be settled for. One came in wonderful love and bore our iniquities and was wounded for our transgression, and squared the account, and by his stripes we are healed. Love is indeed kind and tender; but above all, just and righteous, rejoicing in the truth. And the love of man, where it is genuine, is subordinated to--nay, springs from--the love of God. But the love of God consists in setting him above everything else in the world.

[TAG 259-261]