Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-18
A Short Sermon,

n SNORT 1efmOns
True religion IS to visit the widow and
the fatherless, and keep himself unspotted
from the world The word translated
visit, means to relieve, comfort and pro-
vide fer. To "keep himself unspotted from
the world" is not to say, 'stand apart for
am heller than thou" but to keep himself
unspotted from sin. This is the test by
which faith will be tried at the great judg-
meat. There are no PARTICLES there. az
was sick ard in prison and ye visited me
moi" viii be the test; not, "ye did not pro-
fes5 my thirty-nine articles"
By this may every one try the spirit that
is in him. If be do this, he may know his
faith will do to travel on. If he do it not,
he may know his faith is not saving one.
The present time has increased the de-
mands Of all kinds upon the benevolent.
These ale occasions to prove ones faith. If
rightly improved these Affections thus work
out far more exceeding and external
weight Of glory. Men are not now called to
marty5dom for their faith; at least Chris
tiaus are not-unless they get into the wrong
are by no means curtailed. Every one has
them in his own sphere; and faithfulness is
just ss much required Of him as if the
heathen were raging against him with fire
and fsggot
Men talk of "taking up their cross;' yet
there IS no crucifixiOn nowadays; and tax
ing up the cross without that is a cheap play.
But there is a way laid down whereby they
may know if their hearts are acceptable to
ChIist; that is if they love the brethren.
And the brethren arc all mankind especially
the needy and they that have no helper; not
the brother who fences up his piety in a
fVe-hundIed-doila damask-cushioned pew,
and prays for poor sinners.
As the profound Bunsby would observe,
the "bearin' of this here observation lies id
the application of it," We began with the
purpose Of exhorting to works of benevolence
snd charity, but we have gone on incon-
tinently With some general remarks, from
which We conclude that we have been in
stgated or inspired. We suppose that every
good influence is inspiration.
A great many of our own citizens are not
aware Cfthe extent of the regular benevolent
operations in this city. Yet, though eom-
paratively unobtrusive, they put to shame
the State benevolent institutions, which we
are accustomed to boast of as the great
achievement of our civilization. While OuI
city penal code is only an aggravation of the
evil, ard our House of Refuge but little more
than preparatory course for the Peniten-
tiary, ard our public provision for the poor
seems but to triHe with the wants of the
really needy, there are private benevolent
associations growing up among us at rate
which promises in the future time when no
destitute person shall be without relief, and
no abandoned one without a refuge.
These are the results of individual effort
and devotion to the work; of just reeog-
milton of individual responsibility, which
does not put its duties upon the State, county
or city, nor regard them as done because
these bodies have made some public institu-
tons. Every man has a work to do. He
can not shift 1t on God. Is there any
hungry, cold, destitute, sick and in prison,
that he can help, that Is work for him to
do. God has provided enough for all. It
viii be Of no use for one to appropriate
abundance and luxury to himself, and then
call On God to help his needy brother. The
most athletic feats Of praying would have nc
power IN that case. When he has put his
shoulder 70 the wheel and performed his
own duty, then LEI him come up to prayer
and he will find himself inspired with greai