The Hickman courier., 1872-10-05
Faith and Charity.

How differently are these states of
mind understood by people pretend
ing always to admire them. There
is something high and noble in faith,
( the exercise of which segregates
mind and thought from both past
and present. Eagle-hke it fixes its
talons on futurity, and will not be
diverted from that unseen, but firm
ly grappled, ideal good. more potent
than tangible, but passing certainty.
Faith, the poenix of the soul, smiles
at the ashes of the urn as serenely
as il does at the drawn dagger.
What Campbell in his classical and
superb illustrations of hope, addu-
ces, may, with equal felicity, be ap-
piled to faith. since that Is built on
trust, and hope only combines the
eros of desire with the sterner quail
ty of copfidenc- or trust in other
words. faith Now, this sell-abnega-
ting faith, when reposing on frail
humanity, i often a broken reed.
"Oh. with what confJing trust
/ leaned upon that stay Of dust
we sometimes hear the heart, bruised
and shattered by the injustice of the
world, and the ingratitude Of
friend, exclaim. The shock expert
enced by a noble nature under these
circum stances, is something fearful
to contem plate, and we turn from
the sickening picture Of It's desola-
tion. bering the words of
Israel's monarch minstrel
~ .,ff d naFr
der They are like the serpent that stoppeth
her ear
Surely men Of low degree are vanity, and
men Of high degree are a lie; 20 be lqld IN the
balance they are altogether Hght-r than vani
tv." Again Cease from maj whose breath
But we are not ignorant that there
is one on whom lden-wlnged faith,
as she looks into futuri'y, may cast
an undoubting eve. The better life,
rising from ashes and defilement,
fulfls this faith IN the presence Of
Deity, and clappiUg her triumphant
pinions, exclaims, The glorious
work is done" Humanity has
clothed itself in fadeless and unde-
caying robes. Faith is realized, and
immortality has become the inheri-
tancs of man.
Charity pertains exclusively to
this life-not = day, scarce al hour
of existence, but this heavenly virtue
is called into play. Happy those
most accustomed to heed its mercl-
ful and kindly prolnptings That
Judgment is infinitely important III
its exercise, being self-evident fact
few viii gainsay. 1t was once al
firmed bY a thieyish and plausible
servant that his master had trusted
him too farm other words, that
misplaced confidence had thrown
temptation in his way. The mis-
creant sought, by this ibute, to
snn'nk in part responsibility for IN
/ gratitude and dishonesty, by draw
inc reproach on his patrons virtue
/ There was a shade of verify III the re-
mark, and we would add that, Ike
all Christian excellence, even charity
NAV be too indiscriminstely cultiya-
ted. II is wicked to close Our eyes
on evil, the result OF which dairy
/ shocks them, ana give, as an excuse
for SO doing, that " charity thinketh
no evil
If this same white-robbed, celes-
tial nymph thinks no i'll, as her ma
ture prompts, so much the more
reason that she should lift up her
voice where evil stares her IN the
face, and declare against such abuse
because, being mercitul, it behooves
her to speak for the children Of per
secution, and to shield them. She
must not soil her stainless hands
( with the denominations of hypocrisy,
I or spread her immaculate robe over
the fair seeming of sin, because that
sin looks venial and IS only half re-
vealed.
Charity, in its most complete de-
velopment, being nearly allied to
truth, avoids debatable ground and
always asks counsel of her bright,
strong sister, before unfolding the
soft, palm shade of her reviving
presence about the steps Of detected
villiany. Give us Faith and Charity
for our guides Who viii harm us
then