New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-20


bereit a. he Is Of bis natural rights. and exposed
% evils the most oppressive and ruinous. VII, d
yo1 observe him closei y, IN many perhaps in most
Instances be found contenred with his lot. By 20
means poor IN mere physical eni0yments In pos
session Of all that he requires for bodily comfort
food and rsIment, contentment. many domestic
blessings also yet while We gaze upon him.
We are hied with the profoundest sorrov. We
behold hin as man degraded from his high posi-
non ana Transformed INTO brute.
Bot the sufferer himself nas little sympathy with
DIS own Illumination. aud 10 isnOt easy for Us under
such circumstances. % experience those ene-get..
emotions necessary @ impe as onward % any Use
iui and proper Interference IN his behalf
The orphan the neglected boy, the profigat
youth VINO has grown up without parental over
sight aud tenderness, whohss learned 70 be schem.
ing and crafty, handy and hardened, by his CON.
mlni0n with the vicious whom chance has made
his companions does not thank you for coming 10
wipe away his tears,-does not thank you Tor com
ing 10 relieve miseries, which are, In his opinion.
far more than counterba.anced By enioyments-re-
proaches you as an acknowledgements you as an
enemy II you wOnd lead him away from the
haunts lie loves.-irom the associations ct ier0-
rance and corruption with which be 50 deeply svm-
pathlzcs, 10 make linn an inmate Of your Sunday
School. and seat him 10 your churches, within
the range Of the Gospel mnstrations and divine
Instructions which are able 10 make linn rise unto
salvation.
Most Of all, the stranger to Chrst-the decent
man well % DO IN the world, at ease iu bis posses
sioas, with scared conscience and bard heart.
the reflector OF Christ; or lie who has never heard
% the name Of Christ rs a Saviour-most Of all
does he sp1-n the mission ol mercy with which
Jesus bids Us 90 approach him. that we may turn
lln from the error Of bis ways. Now lt is difficult
for Z man, under circumstances like these - work
with any great degree % carnestness or success.
" e. can hardly, in the presence Of 50 much con
tentmout and seIi-confdence, Of such high toned
and indepenent spirit. urrc orr mission Gi mercy.
and instruction. and sympathy and prayer, upon
fellow creature. We need something stronger than
mere human sympathy. when we are met by so
many discOuragements, where the sufferer him
se'f-den.s that be suiiers-c'aims % be WEI
of, asks himself no higher and better boon tnan
that which he is enabled T. snatch from the ci-cun
stances with which the world has surrounded hll.
Vow here we want a high religious motive
mn authoritative voice from Heaven, o. cheer us
0n ia q work 50 difficult, so unWec0me. We
want ihc authority Of God, % make IS stand our
ground. ! admit that anumber OF benevolent men.
fortunately tempered brought upin Christ an lands,
may be equal 70 graphing with dscouragemcnts
ike those We have enumerated, men and women.
too, whom We 90 not recognize rs Christians. DO
the highest sense OF the term. Jnquestiona0.y,
much IS 10 be ascribed TO natural temperament,
kindly feelings, right education. more. ] think,
however. 20 that prevalent spirit OF Christianity
which flows ont upon the whole community which
u denominstcd Christian, from those who truly
love the Lord. There Is q measure of heavenly
influence acting upon the whole multitude OF su ,h
community, in virtue of which many good deeds
are done, many sulferings are relieved.
But we need TO look away from Christian com
munt.es, and from those who are acted 1ron by
this unseen, unrecoenized indirect influence, in
order to what mere human nature can offer
10 guide us into q career of high beneicence.-
Look TO the nations who know not God, who
have not been visited by the light OF Chris
tiauity there benevolence, charity % the poor.
the debased, the down trodden, the ignorant, the
es,ranged from God is hardly ranked among the
virtues. The wisest and best men Of Heather
AnfiQnitv hardly thought the better OF a man be-
cause he was careful 10 relieve the poor. THIS
was sometimes recommended 10 smooth the way
of an ambitious man 10 political elevation aud
powe,. but hardly ever as a high duty, appertam-
Ing 10 cur humanity hardly ever from any such
elevated motives as Christianity would approve.
or rs belong 10 any large plan for the improvement
Of mankind.
We look IN vain among the remains OF Greece
and Egypt for the foundations of hospital, for the
runs of an asylum where the wretched the out
cast the beePar. the diseased the halt, the blind
the manned We're provided for and furnished
with a home The wanderer among the rams
of imperial Rome searches diligently tor some
chiseed fragment that mag warm ms heaii
with delightful recollections of good done in
all her proud monuments among all her reverend
ruins not one solitary stone IS found not one pale o
rubbish rises up before the inquisitlve eye, bearing
testimony to the compassion and mercy oi a pto-
pie the most refined and humanized OF antiquity
One splendid fabric indeed remains, the most eN-
pensive and magnificent that belonged 20 the I'M
perial City-that was erected by one OF rs wisesi
and most benevolent Emperors. for the improve
meut and satisfaction OF this refined nation ~ j.
the Amphithcater of Nespasian, where 'J,uuo GU
zeus OF this Metropolis OF the World assembled
from time 20 time. to least their eyes ana improve
their sentiments 10y spcctacles appaHHs 10 I.'NAii-
ity-yhere wild beasts tore and destroyed each
other f,r their amusement-and where less ire
quentlv but upon every important holiday, thou.
sands of barharous men, trained carefully Tor the
purpose. and armed with deadly weapons clt
each other throsts for the amusement ana sratih
cation of the most cultivated men ana the most re-
fined and svmpathizing women OF the most re-
non-ned and civilized nation that the world had
then known. Let II be remembered what was the
character of this people, and then need We ash
what was the power of sympathy IN such commu-
uity need we inquire what provision Mcy made
for the relief of destitute widows for the training OF
abandoned orphans, who arrayed fathers aud hus-
bands against each other IN deadly conflict Tor theli
amusement
II thismav be regarded as an extreme case, We
vet learn how little mere human sympathy can 90
in favor OF humanity. apart from the Influences OF
our holy religion. We know Wen that nowhere
where the Gospel of Jesus Christ has not been
preached-in PAGAN ands, in savage or 10 ciy lized
hie.-nowhere has any provision been made 70 re-
lieve human suffering, nowhere has morality
found place which has inculcated the duty OF re-
forming the vicious. OF nstructing the ignorant %
providing for the needy. IL was a discovery Tor
Christ and Christianity TO make and promu. gate.
Ii was duty for Christianity 70 hold forth 70 me
world Ii was for the honor Of these latter times
that this great virtue reserved to ma rs de-
velopment. g.,
What then is that feature of Christianity which
mas ACCOMPLISHED 50 much for humanity that las
been able 10 open fountains and plant green shades
along the deserts of human lie. where our pros
trate humanity may refresh Itself and ind a ne"
existence and a new JOY IL IS found to iolo"
the language OF our text, IN giving ourselves hfsi
u the Lord. aud then working out these problems
of Divine mercy by the viii OF God, But hfs'
giving their own selves unto the Lord and uAto
US by the VIII of God.
Now Christianity plants Itself at the iounaatono OF
an-efective benevoleuce, by announcing 70 as the
true character and destiny OF the humsn being
Take man as we ind him, degraded iaien' ae
PRAYED creature, tainted with corruption de'ofned
with vices tending 70 evil rather than % good al
most never rising in the scale OF being, bat rushing
L. nanHH