Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1839-10-05

nfv or.;ns, him. when he would claim our IN
dulgcnce, or seek our forgiveness by demohs"a'
tons of change Of heart But before We ~
"to pluck the mote from our brethers eye w
shonld examine well our own hearts, to sec II
they arc ..ripht in the sight of Heaven H.
after our hearts have received all the prepara-
tim of which they are susceptible, to constr
into rs importial critics on the conduct OF olh'
ers, VIC should discover errors contrary 10 ''u'
holiness. we should net denounce them IN ''i'
claimably lost, or undeserying some oes's' -
lenitv True charity teaches us to forgive cue"
4 others faults, and unless we do this We "a"
have hut little claim to the character OF ohii',
tians. There are, however, various A'""'
errors existing in this life, which require "
combatted in different ways, in order 'l"' 'n''
NAV he amended. Some err in forming 'oo
bastv friendships for strangers; Others III H0'
forming friendships at all. Some err in lniPu'
ting improper motives good actioh'' a"u W"
ers, in imputing good motives to improper uc'
,ions Others again, err from misappfehen
o. tbe true causes which influence our ac-
tions. and some from too much charity IN HI
,I;ro, tho errors of mankind Thus the world
i rencte with error, and hence the propriety
/ and wisdom of the Divine command to forgive
one another, as our heavenly father iorglVes us.
And unless this Divine precept be complied
with, nothing but feuds and contentious, strifes
and anmosties will exist among mankind, and
this life become scene of continual warfare
and destruction; wretchedness and misery
But TO proceed with the subject set forth in
our text, which will afford us much wholesome
instruction. The teaching of the Divine wri-
ter is not the doctrine of selfish and narrow
minded mortals, who consider every person not
''natige" as unworthy Of confidence and protec-
ton, but it is holy and heavenly command
given to man to cavern him in his intercourse
with his fellow mortal. The spirit which the
text nfuscs is not the spirit of fanaticiSm; 1T is
not the spirit of willy politicians, nor that OF de-
signing intriguers No; it is the spirit of true
christianity, which teaches that all mankind
are brothers; that, although oceans and noun
tans may form the geographical barriers De
tween nations and countries, they should not
destroy the love and confidence that ought tc
exist between man and man, 1t cherishes thu
noblest sentiment Of our hearts, love for on'
another But once let the opposite spirit taxi
possession of our minds-that of hatred and dis
trust of strangers, and we at once destroy al
;, the philanthropic feelings, sentimentsand emo
+, tions which characterize the christians life. w
G must estimate every mans worth by his act
n but if our hearts be closed against the overture
Of strangers for admission into our society, an
a share of our respect, we Justly incur, not onl
the displeasure Of the good on earth, but we ha'
y sinded against the will of high heaven, who
e. command we have fagrantly violated, as $
forth in the text, sand if a stranger sojourn wi
p thee in your land, We shall not yex him"
We cannot form correct opinion of the CHI
ractor of our fellow man, but from his condu
in whatever station he may be placed, His OF
ed ward acts, form an unerring index to the inn
he man, to the heart, from which all his acts flo
TX, If his heart be pure his acts will be good; bu
it be evil, his conduct will condemn him, l
only in the estimation of the righteous, but a
in that of the wicked And hence, when we m
nc with an individual who would consign to an
no noble station, those, whose fortune it has be
He not to have brcathed, at birth, the same atm
in. phcre with himself, we may know how to G
e mate his worth in society, and the goodnes
his heart. We may say with truth, that
an possesses not christian spritand that his III
en- is not right in the sight of God for ne has
..oo4ol n hrothor he ST a nUpr who dwell
tod with him. The person who is thus pre- I'D
H.. against strangers is deprived of one of the gr
est of christian enjoyments-that OF exerci
NY begevolence and hospitality towards his br
cen rem. But disposition, which is sometimes !
Tested to undervalue the character of str
RTY crs, because they happened to be born in the
or or states, or in a foreign land, proceeds, NJ
- much froma want of common honesty, as
an ignorant and unfounded prejudice, which
pun best and most meritorous conduct could
rch- eradicate. There are few, very few, highn
/ or ed individuals in any community, in fact I
roit- are none, who, in the inspired language o
text, would not regard ga stranger as one
amongst them, and love him as themselves
II" his conduct, during his sojourn amongst t
WI be unimpeachable.
he is 1t is then, ungenerous, illiberal, and she
wicked and perversc heart, to reject the hu
,lace claims Of strangers to share of our COMIC
!, do. and respect, and to bestow upon them de
1der, e aAl 'n',' .";n.od th ,bon, III onr Il,
en- is But this anti-christan and selfish spirit van
from the heart, when illumned by the Zig
+. the gospel, and the peace and happiness
abroad in the soul, from a consciousness of
ter. ing ''done unto others as we would have
should unto u.s. How would that Taught
xour tyrannical spirit be humbled? How woulC
anger voice, which now thunders in bitter and 81
on as tic language against strangers, be chang
o him