The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-12-27
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE POOR.

| The PUUR.
According to the teachings of Christ, al
important feature in the Christian religion
is tender, plying love for mankind. In
deed, what heart but one hardened by sir
could view unmoved the frailty and suffering
of the human race? The heart of every
Christian must thrill with ardent sympathy
for his suffering brother-man, and his hand
must often be moved in the effort to alleviate
human misery.
There are some of the ellis which flesh is
heir to" that seem almost beyond the reach
of human benevolence; for often the ten
derest and most devoted attentions avail not
to ease the pangs of pain or arrest the pro-
gress of disease; and the warmest sympathy
cannot soothe the anguish of bereavement.
But there is a form of cruel and intense suf-
fering whose relief is within the reach of
human effort and material gencies-po0er-
ty, a0ant.
How dreadful in this fruitful world, with
its bounteous harvests, its Seattle upon a
thousand hills, and its vast and lordly for
e8ts, that any should feel the pangs of hun
ger or should shiver with cold! And even
when the degree of want does not reach this
extreme limit, how dreadful are the igno'
rance, and dependence, and the weary,
grinding toll which poverty entails!
"The earth is the Lords and the fulness
thereof, the world and they that dwell there
in" How awful in the eyes of our benef-
cent Maker must be the spectacle of por-
ton of His creatures squandering vast sums
in vicious indulgences, while another portion,
at their very door perhaps, writhe and Ian
guish in poverty-naked, hOusele8S and fam
ishing! And with what just wrath must He
witness the hardness and contempt of many
of the rich towards the poorl 10 the low
ing, plying Saviour how criminal must those
appear who regard the ignorance and coarse
ness which poverty engenders with scorn
and diversion, rather than considerate
pity. How abominable in the eyes of Him
who for the sake of men, all men, became
poor, must be the conduct of those who to
the inevitable evils which poverty entails
add the sting of their undeserved contumely !!
From the world, those who openly profess
to serve the devil, nothing better than this
can be expected; but does the Church en-
tirely fulfil its duty to the poor How many
protesting Christians are there who cOntri-
butte what they can to the necessities of
those poorer than themselves? 1t is ridic'
ulous to talk of love for the souls Of men
when we can view their bodily suffering un-
moved. "Whoso hath this worlds goods,
and seeth his brother have need, and shut
teth up his bowels of compassion, how dwell
eth the love of God in him." And, espe-
cially, how "dwelleth the love of God in
him" who gratuitously wounds the feelings
of the poor by his naughty and contemptu-
Gus bearing toward them?
There are some unhappy extraordinary
pretensions to godliness, who "make broad
their phylacteries and enlarge the borders
of their garments, and love the uppermost
rooms of feasts and the chief seats in the
synagogue" e." who never give mite to the
poor, and who when unavoidably brought in
contact with them in the business relations
of life, treat them with an insolent super
cilousness, and degree Of meannesS and
unkindness that would disgrace a non pro-
fessor in the eyes of the world. "Wo, unto
you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. for
ye pay tithes of MINT and anise, and cum
min, and have omitted the weightier matters
of the law, judgment, mercy and faith
These ought ye to have done, and not to
leave the others undone.' y
"Blessed is he that considereth the poor; !;
the Lord will deliver him in time of trou-
blc." Blessed is he that considereth the
poor, not only his physical necessities, but
his moral susceptibilities and his spiritual
welfare. The Lord, the mighty Maker Of
rich and poor, will deliver him in time Of
trouble-a time which is sure to come to the
very richest and mightiest of the sons of
Adam; for "man is born to trouble as the
sharks fv upward" NJ j. II.