The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-05-16
' iilatss,rnatiShsa sdhaN ;stsoss lessons.
- IHT- " III ~
Christianity and Charity. !

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: GHR1sT1ANITY is essentially charita-
BILE. 1t makes the heart Of its true sub
ectbenevolent, and prompts his hand
to deeds of kindness to, the poor and
needy. Christianity is the soul of
charity. It is that principle which
gives it vitality and consistency. 1t is
the law of benevolence in action. -
The charitableness of the heart of
man destitute Of vital piety. of controll-
ing lpve to Gods an impulsiye, and
capricious, and uncertain quality. 1t
will sometimes blaze utwith ~splendor,
and at another time emit not a CLEAN
Of light and warmth. 1t is the off
spring of circumstance, and not the
outgrowth'of an invariable principle.
1T can be flattered into brilliant dis
plays, and yet be mute as the grave in
answer to some humble plant of dis
tress. 1t will SOW freely upon the great
thoroughfare where there are multi
tudes Of eyes to behold and applaud it,
but will not drop a single grain upon
the by-path where there + none to see
but the beseeching eyes that silently
plead in vain to its unclasped hands.
1t is subject to temper or mood of
mind, expanding beneath its sunshine
and contracting in its gloom. 1t is an
unregulated impulse. 1t lacks the bal
ance-wheel of a divine law, and its
operations are marked by the extremes
of lavishness, on the nj hand, and of
figgardliness on the other.
There is, indeed, much that is beauti-
full and noble in the sight of man in
mere human charitableness, as distin-
guished from the benevolence of Chris
tianity. 1t builds fair monuments in
the hospitals, and asylums, and schools,
and other institutions for the relief and
benefit of humanity. 1t smoothes in
Vulnerable rough pillows. 1t sweetens
the cup of sorrow pressed to the lips of
multitudes. a& sf1 -1 5A4a
But when we have estimated the
charity of the natural heart at its real
value, as displayed in our public and
private systems of b~enefaction, we must
not overlook the fact that this grand
humanitarian development is produced
under the power and pressure of vital
Christianity upon the age and upon the
Nation. Where there is no Christian
~ --s r. II
the Gospel r utterly unknown there
is no outgrowth Of beneficent regard
for the needy. q
This is,so essentially and inseparablv
a product of Christianity. that mnlti-
tudes mistake it for the divine essence
itself, and while vet destitute Of that.
cultivate with assiduity all the
external fruits of #. To Christianitv.
th~erefore--to the blessed Gosnel ii
Gods grace in Jesus Chr;st-the nrac-
teal beneyolence of our ace and Of our
land is chiefly owing. it Is. after ali.
the religion Of the Crucifed One that
builds our alms-houses and endows our
tiers institutions for the relief Of the
s,H,r;nmnoo 49, - .m-.S-s
is stretched out to- poverty under the
irresistible. though unacknowled0ed
influence of Christianity. The noble
and exemplary deeds Of what Is called
Humanitarianism at this day. are moth
ing else than i'll unconscious tributes
to the spirit and powerIof the RELIGION
OF Christ-which. however. is not 'hn-
man, but divine.
IF tha ;nd;ract nouror ~ Cbr;st;ant