The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-09-21
; - LAv SERMONS.
J Nc. +.

ii.ott-h >.nA Nrti: ;hr. t;;":. ne II;
ii, :. o. az, Is, au, !!Nr got charity,
t.."u,:; .I..yr All fl. i. ~ tina, | can re-
ni,ic munr;iAi:l>. and hav. got charity,
am ro!!:iEy: Charity horvth ali
things. v"nl'tcth not himself, thinketh
no iii of his ncighbOr-now ahid,th
Faith, Hope and Cha,ity,.but the great
est Of tlrst is Charity.'
r In carefully Studying these inimitaAlc
teas hings, Re see thu nature Of tie
Charity which is enioincd "p"n IT'S; md
We hold that though = man may believe
all the doctrines of the christian faith,
anl may draw from that t"ulh the most
earnest and sincere nope, if he have not
charity it avai|S lim nothing.
1t is Not Il charity which, finds Its fit
test expression IN n>>naHing the ph\ Steal
su1rriuG> Of humanity, but in it's mo.'Al
and intellectual effects. 1t follows linen,
among al CLASSES and conditions Of men,
| this Divine virtue may be Displayed. and
that the poor, as well as the rich are
alike called npon to exercise it. The
world is disposed to call that man c),ari-
table who dispense freely his wealth,
| perhaps even simply, and unoStcntatious-
ly-SU far it is well. but VIC must not for
get that the inspired word says, 't;ouYh
| bcstow all my goods to feed the |,oor,
though give my body to he bnrnrd,
and have hot charity it nrofitrth me
nothing. What then is the exact nature
of the charly which we arr called upon to
practice 1t seems to be thiS-tha, We
are to ind &c no man har>h]y, we are to
consider the circumstances which have
surrounded him-the Influences, natal
and ante-Datal. which have been brought
to bcar, upon bis course in life We are
to RENE mbcr bis own struggles before he
n ~", as~12t +" n ev IL M, fay as I ;S
WE must condemn the sin. we must pity
the soul, over which it holds dominion
Let us illustrate t.is. There is a man
perhaps, who does not give his body to
be burnrd,' but he does morr-witl; Il
noble abnt.ation Of self which lilts him
far above his fellow men, touched with
the sultrr:n.s of stricken humanity, he
devotrS himself to alternating them He
leaves the comforts of home. the love OF
friends, aud exposes himself to sickness,
and death. with the one idea Of doing
good. This is noble, it is Godlike, all our
hearts 90 out i'll warm love aud sympathy
with such a man; yet this very man,
perhaps has told you that if you do not
bell We just what he does, if you do not
give credrnce t" this or that doctrine,
you will inialIihIy be lost Lost take
in the full Significance OF that word not
a mere body lost, q Thing "of the earth,
earthy,' but a soul: a spark of the De-
vine Life, Il living soul, with all its nigh
attributes, which is to take up its abode
with Demons, which i. to live with 1.-The
worm which dieth not" preying upon its
vitals for long eternitieS OF suffering, to
which no human torture can compare
Every fiber of your heart revolts at this
yon say to yourself, it is better to ''fall
into the hands of God than man," this
man is destitute of charity. No, it is
You, yourself who need it. The human
soul is full of labyrinths and tanSles
which none but its Divine author can
unravel. His charity is Heavenly III
kind, not in degree. 1t is narrowed
down by early teachings, by many pre-
disposing causes, which you can not IN.
derstand. You do not reflect, that nc
human nature is perfect or how mu III
which is good, can consi with much
which, has over it the trail Of the ser.
pent. Take another case-you have a
friend, one perhaps endeared to you, BY
long years, in which You had taken sweet
counsel toge' her-one who had wept
with you in sorrow, and smiled in your
ioy-this friend wounds, or Injuries you
Enthusiastically, you think Willingly;
mast you from this conc ude that moth
ing but evil Hwells in that sonl! has
your sagacity for so many years been at
fault' Will you turn coldly away be-
cause this ole evil seems nnrepented OF
Do you forget all the years OF love and
unity which bound you together: Can
YOU present to your maker soul IN
stained with one indulSed aud petted
sin :, When We know ourselves we are
humble. 1t is only ignorance and sin
which blind us to the sweet Influences q
the charity (which sufftrrth long and is
kind
I We are told that when the Disciples
Of the great Master came to him com
planning that one was casting out Devils
but not in His name, he rebnked then
saying, "He who is not aga nst MS is +"
Ius" We're He to stand in some OF on
Churches in these Latter days, and lister
TO the bitterness which characterize
much which falls from the lips Of hi
ministers, when they speak Of those VIII.
differ with them in opininn, we mncl
fear. the same rebuke would be admins
tered VIII He at the great rec S"nin;
wnicI. awaits us all, ask, did you !eliev
in a prescribed form of prayer, or did yo'
wait for Divine inspiration Did yo'
believe in public or private confession
Did YOU give credrnce to this, or tina
tenet, rather, will he not say, odd yo'
believe in God, and in me! Did you 70
the love of me, keep my commandments
feed the hungry, cloth the naked, pro