New-York tribune., 1874-09-14
THE HAND OF CHARITY.

THE HAND OF CHARITY.
m R b. Rossfter at & PresbytertSn Church
The Rev. S. B. Rossiter preached a sermon
yesterday morning In the Northwest Presbyterian
Church at Ninthave. and Thirty hrstst on the sno]ec'
OF Charity a. Manifested In Lberaty of Opinion and
Judgment" After reading the fourth chapter OF tne
First Episte General OF Peter as lesson he selected
the following as bis text: And above all thngs have
feryent charity among yourselves: for charity shaI
cover the multitude OF SINS" Peter, chap iy verse
It ia not my intention the preacher said TO speak
about charity in the In which 1t has been eeho
ally understood but Of that charity which mas IN
hberay Of opinion and Judgment; ana therei0re ue
sire my hearers TO examine their OVID hearts 10 see
there is not hidden therein narrowness OF views SELF
Righteousness which prevents them from seeing right
eousness In Others. The original Greek OF the word
which appears in the text charity, means loves put
charity as " is now understood does ho'
answer TO the word love, which has
worldwide signifcance while that OF charity
has "A special meaning. Love is whole river con-
centraton OF streams, while charity Is only single
stream love is the whole hand while charity Is only
nger To be charitable must be candid, Tor candor
il one of its eements 1t is impossible to investigate
facts with a pryjudeeo MUD. Inclination cannot be
avoided for mind without an INCLINATION is like stag
nsnt pool but prejudice be put aside. and charity
reoures it, iberality in Judgment is one OF the at
tributes Of charity-a lberaty which suspends Judg
ment until the proof s positive that puts the best con-
structon all things until the worst is KNOWN III Is
wrong aud lbera TO put construction upon what Is
only half known for that which is unknown has gen
orally large mixture OF good TO relieve the dark shades
of that which is known II human nature is weak and
wicked because 1t is weak the best construction should
be put on that weakness II men were totally depraved
society would be impossible. No man would work for
another assistant who was totally depraved
no would marry woman with such an aspersion
on her character fair construction put upon human
IA no viz Of
10 another while men trust each other In the MAN, do
business together, and form companioDships When
person IS accused Of a gdoing charity should ask
ne smc situ.ou have done betterl Would have
withstood tho shock OF such temptatlonF " An aot
WrSpS &C. Int charity does require that investigation
should back OF the act to tue person ana the ccu
stances under which the act was committed Society
has been amazed lately at man standing up in our
midst and asserting that God bad nothing to do with his
being thereby destroying the faith OF ages pr0caimng
that his body built up OF structural Iorces ana hat
his mlud and CONSCIOUSNESS was part OF the result OF
those forces even as flame Is the combination OF
kindred cases. who asserted that the only immortality
remembrance Of his existence IN the minds OF
others How opposite was this to the words OF Christ
who said 81 am the resurrection and the fe he that
beaeyeth 10 me- ,n9hEn de h1 VIZ ~ me shall never
die" CanuOt charity ind some eXtennaCon Tor such
would persecate with the greatest Intolerance all
the brethren that would presume To differ with
there no charity for such a man The members
of this congregation have mad theirsensiotes shocked
recently by the importation OF Irish to minister at
house OppOeite and they have been amazed at tbe
Roman CatDoiic Church the mead OF wh9n ptOcialns %
no charity for those who thus fall into errorf
There is a man in Brooklyn whose life has been the
light of the patton for many years whose personal In
fuence has spread the country like sea- and has
reached remote and inaccessible parts by little sreams
whose name Is a household word In myrid of homes
whose heart is large as humanity. the advocate OF
Tstherngs the apostle OF freedom State and religion
The calcium light Of the pulpit And yet there has been
accusations that have waited for the thunderbOt TO
destory the or the accused The outcome OF it
al at present Is the example OF great man weak OF
wise of his guard OF great Christian heart errlng
the side OF patience and forbearance Let nun stand
lesson for us a.! that there Is no immunity among
ortas from the slips and weakness OF human mature
Let him stand monument OF grace ana OF greaeness
but with flaw in It, But, brethren, Dy the memory
or all he has done, ana al ne mas sunereo,
IS Is III T CSTstia2 charity careful of its own
and careless OF othersl Wlltul wlckedneSs can ask
nothng charity and Christian charity would be an
Injury TO public it's Office was TO apologize for
wiful wrcng4or 70 whitewasa inexsensoie Sn; But
nprang weakness OF Judgment or his weakness OF
resistance Charity has its mild onee 10 ee lor every
who have boon carried away WITH craving ioI urnK.
and in spite OF home and religion leave an say Tue
brought to their present condition by early eachng
Let each apply the case 20 anas tbe future OF G
born In India. many OF those present msnI nave osen
Brshmns or u aI SPAN love tbe sS might have
been rebels II educated among SCIENTISTS might nave
mater was the beginning and end OF all things Cir
Cumstapces decide in many cases, and few can with
stand their influences. Men are what God has made
them operated upon by inheritance and surroundings.
shall man hur anathemas at others who may be sincere
opponents OF his particular faiths Does the
consciOusness OF the love OF God within us
Give authority TO make us hate those VINO disagree with
ia Those whom condemn might nave Deen as we
nre and in their place How necessary, then Is the
exercise OF charity when the feebeness OF human ma
ture the subtleness of temptation Is remembered
There is not man liv but might readily feel that
exposed to temptation he should Tall, except by the
grace OF God. How many able and dilgent fail through
some weakness. while tine less worthy, tnrou2h their
own force of character risel How many 1a INTO ln
ntion merely through weakness OF character. Let
charity make the woudbe judge examine into the cir
which caused the fall This was no plea Tor
lnexcusable The savior prayed, tatner forgive
them for they know not what they do; ana the lEno
rance OF the stnner pleads now DOtn ior mercy ano
BILE therefore let the sinner carry all his sorrows 70
HIM When dsagreements occur between nelghDorS
let charity stop when one feels that an0ther mas
wronged him. let charity have some place In the 1udR
ment: when a Christian that gold influences the
mind another than God, have charity when hot
may eemoye the fOrce OF the utterances.
But above all let each ask himself II such
might not have been his own failings but for
OF God. and then have charity for others
halting criminal might have been saved from de-
struction by word look Of charity the suicide
might have been held back frOm premature grave by
a charitable hand Then let charity be exercised In
All things, not year hence, but now Even as man
hanging on 10 a brauch with one hand VIII extend the
other who Is drowning, 30 let the Christian
SXtend one hand of charity to those who have fallen,
while with the other be hangs on his faith in Cod
HOW GOD'IS ROBBED.