New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-20
lRDoyfed Faonog,aBs'oauy 70, the Ye,o- York T,sra,

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selves o. ile Lori md unto IS t} s vii o. Cos IN
This passage Of Holy Scripture, which is not
perfectly inteiligibie, apart from the context re-
iers to n transaction very honorable 70 the infant
Churches Of Macedonia, Greece and Asia Minor.
A severe dearth had visited Jndea as well as
several other portions Of the Roman Empire and
the disciples Of Christ in several Of the neigh
boring countries, resolved 70 make pocunia-
~ contributions Tor their reliei.
The disciples in Judea were likely to feel
the pressure that was to come upon the nations
more heavily than others destitute as they were
ofthe sympathies Of their own countrymen, and ex-
posed as they were everywhere 20 prejudice and
contempt. The work had been begun more than
year, " hen the Apostle Paul, who was the
chief mover 10 this bengnant enterprise. desrous
Of accompi the business and Of forwarding the
contributions 70 Jerusalem, wrote this epistle TO
the Corinthians, urging them to finish their work.
lie best)ws hgh praise upon them for their spirit
o., Hberali,y. lie declares that they had far sur
passed his expectations as well what might
reasonably have been expected ofthem by others.
lie aa.rrs tia. they had contributed to the iuil
extent Of their ability and even beyond it.
Il is pleasant 20 encounter this spirit which IS
SO seldom to be met with ia the world, and to
fad even good men and women doing better than
we had hoped.
How our text reveals tie secret Of this mex
pectcd success, and states the principle upon
which this enterprise Of benevolence had been
conducted. They gave first Themselves TO the Lord
and then to the Apostles in this enterprise for the
accomplishment o., this work of mercy " by the
will Of God
Here is announced the great rule Of action
FOR benevolent operations-relisious Obligations
guided and sustained by the will oi God.
All plans for doing good are likely to. fail before
long, and never to attain 20 any remarkable, and
like The present. surprising aud unhoped Tor re
suits, which depend upon mere human bases
upon sympathy-upon the natural instincts Of t.
human heart because the foundation Is unsound
and the resources upon which depend for our
success are likely to be- soon exhausted.
Men are uneQueIy as well as sparingly endowed
with these svmpothies and instincts
We are all OF us acquainted with men who are
but little affected by the obvious claims ofhumauty
men who, so far from this, have evidently found
special enjoyment in inhicting pain, and in such
spectacies as to a more humane individual, would
be fruitful of the most painful emotions. Even of
those who are highly gifted with these humane
scntiments-with the great mass ofhuman kind
we fni but little disp ostion to recognize in these
emotions rule Of action OF high divine authority
What we give TO othe must needs subtract
from our own means Of enjoyment or onr own
sources of argrandize meui and We are guided by
self love 20 exercise over the impulses Of hcnevo
lence a very precise and calculating economy. The
better gifted of our species. who are ready TO weep
aud sympathize with every proper call for such
emotions. do not hold themselves obliged 10 pro-
ceed much farther than this They, for the most
part leave the sufferer with but an Inadequate
provision Tor the supply OF his wants They harden
by this means, their own hearts and very speed
ily dry up the fountains Of compassion within
themselves for it il a established law OF our
mental constitution that those sympathies which
find no outlet in some practical scheme of benevo-
lence-some enterprise which calls forth positive
eilort-now back upow their sources and consea
around the wellsprngs of compassion
AGAIN. beneyoence bringing from mere human
motive finds itself usu lily too weak 10 cope with
the opposition which it must always expect to
encounter in human selshness
Sefshness is perhaps the strongest and most
universal impulse to which we are subjected aud
when in the enterprises OF benevolence It comes
into conflict not with another equally strong but
with emotions and sympathles which are feeble
and transient and easily put down-in such an
antaeonism we may naturally expect that men
will not very long prosecute undertaking
which calls tor much outlay OF money or eXertion.
Retarded as we always are, IN all efforts u do
good by the conditions which our native depr@N'
ity imposes ON every work of humanity OF re-
Heiou there is also this additional ,ieiect IN The
motive referred 10 II can only be az oused 70 nc
ton bv objects near at hand or contiguous to US,
and which awaken emotions through the external
senses When the object is sufficiently remote.
mo- matter how strongly these claims are urged
upon u.s. il is difficult to obtain for them Ia
vorable hearing
Now we naturally turn away from the spects-
cles of wretchedness and woe, and in some sort II
occurs that the strength of our sypathes, that tue
tenderness and susceptIOities OF our natural con
stituton, do but prepare us to be the more easlIy
rcpulsed from such spectacles sisd from communion
with such painful scenes. At the same time NlS
moor. the ignorant and wretched, of every sort ana
degree do as spontaneously shrInk away from the
hnsv bcnevolence sud the opulenCe which might re-
lieve thcm-which would search cut the secrecy
of their woes-whch would seek 10 unveii the prl
vacy OF their suiierlngs IN order 10 bring the boon
which is 10 bless them. Hence AZ occurs that the
which needs relief, and the heneVo-
lence which mi ght relieve repealed one from an
other: ana instead OF working IN harmony-instesd
of being So related as mutually to help, 1" excite
to rouse each other--the tend ency is that each
shall attain a position where its powers will DC
paralvzed. Again, the mlseries that abound III
the world, whether they affect the bodies or mlnds
of men, are very often attended with wees, VITA
such degradation OF the human being as TO oret a.
claims upon the sympathies Of the spectator lnre-
gard 10 sullerings that address themselves 10 our
Vision. not our sorrow. not our compassion, is g.
WAYS excted-but frequently under such circum-
stances. our INDIGNATION and we are led rather u
blame. and desire punish % correct the evil tnan
20 pour oil and wine into the bruised spift oil the
sufferer. This IS unavoidable. Ii belonss, to some
extent, TO almost every kind OF wretchedneSs sh1
wee and wherever it exists 1t II becomes repus-
nant-hostle TO any considerable outla! OF tear
and sympathy for the abiect suiferer-and as posi-
tive physical Suffering which is addressed 70 our
ewes and our ears only when contiguous to us has