The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-08-18
Plymouth Pulpit.
CHRISTIAN KINDNESS.
Sermon by Henry Ward Bccchcr.
tCHriStidn E'HiOn.1

lI"'lStt"" L"toH.I
"Fur In many things We offend all. II any man Of.
also to hridlc the whole body."-James ill.,, 9.
Speech is SUPPOSED to be and Is In general, the re-
Election Of a man thoughts an! feelings, 1t Is the
Interpretation Of q mana inward life: so Ihat-ahd IN
q very general sense this Is triir-if Il man speaks uni
form:y swcctly, wisely. bencncently. 1t indicates that
biz state of mind IS sweet and b. Inefficient; or, II, IN
the other hand, he Is snariing; cri;tca 'nniis',' nngry
uncl"rita'ic' ,h'aht'ou'' hirtin: ~ slrrch. IL is a lair
SGcl Is the structure of human society. there are 50
many biases, 80 iiiuny I~r'lndic' $. 50 many currents,
and such s'ciai examples, that It is not easy f"Ta man
Ia carry l:s disposition swertly, lovingly, kindly, Hnd
his t"Hs'lr d''crcct!y. ana when q riIn IS 50 situated
In HE tnat h. Is able t" regulate the words that he vt.
tiers, II l'lrly ihHlcatcs that lie regulates the inward
man also. therefore II Is nut" very rStravhsniIt stats-
iiirnt T., MAKE, that II my nan offend not III word. he
lsh perfect MAN. "rnlhhrily the capacity 10 overdue
ones expressions ih,isc'tes the capacity t" overruie
TIE l""h'aIh IRON Mnien tne eNl'rtssl"hs come:
Inc core OF thIlatanity Is kindness. The lnstrll-
ni"hls 10y wren ihrn h''nme Christians are the III.
NV II Srm XIII ""m u nmoIer rec ~ m'th; put inc tnlns
. .n ,ar" III ~ !. iuI - u :; CMiS.s tIH."n y klnnHtss
,p T. :" !" yn ~ NJ" aHI ~ ."S "" :" Sme. i""aiI" ".
n ,rn nn,, ~ ia "U o", :, ~ a. .'hen ~ NV
.rbnn .I,i, love th S n; 'hh Im" ~ 5me u lnnsr'
,ri ~ .i,. un,'nu. ~ ,Lnt |. .,i hn MI u n"nT'n.
MI ,rr.s,j ,n uur fcIlnw m.n >" = AN '' =
"' Nn, nv h. Thar i. un,t ,In"ncnt M, h. ,ho, 10 WING,
~ - IL" r ~" ~. =, ,ha, = =, -, u."Iuana, MOI ne ahatls mos,
has the most faith. not he that has thr ,nnst ar,iviv
is the best Christian. but he that has the mn,t nhnv'
dnnt ,t,,r,. nj III, ,Inr.s Th.v ,r, nt ali In H.. ,mIn,
mr. orc ibrv nil In tlr oui,,.. nf Tho church Shh, u arr nrr
,ha ,ns, .rTm,,, s.,r,s,ia,. r,,"n nas Ia 49,"
iL. ,nnst ,nnsricnnms md ,c,,v, m:-s,ns IN ,hn 49,
,muritv V"ry n,icn ,bo r,,.., In. rirh.", "nb ,hn
m ""., I,,,i 81 ,o,nr.s 49, - -" wy
Nv. !" .n,". i 'ui'v ~ u hmI. rn'rtnS mnHm"mm
eHn W.. d,c. Co.. sL,,", u,~r.n .ir" ."""' ~, "mt
,r m M iIrms,r,nms s'int sits h" ,hn cr,d,. nv" nr ~ ,hn
I LIN, c",r" ami T., mnrIr"nj,l.J mad nnr,nvn ,his
III. - liz r,y,
This ripdnrss IA mt IN ho occ,s,onoI M, ontion,,
ri, n 4 r. br a mrr. cnn,trsv. II dutv m ;,d IN
man and To ones self. If YOU are Kind when Won nre
happy, what thanks have you? II yon are kind tn.
wards those tlnt are kind to you, what do you mere
than others? If you are kind on al occasions when
some gratifying news or 'fne good fortune. or some
hardy digestion. or some train Of circumstances has
given You the very hest Of yourself, thru In what do
y",l d ifcr from other people? That which makes q
Christian Is the d. nth, the richness, the uniformity
and the ~ .rcomirr bower of In. spirit of Kindness
toward MI men. always anil every where. that make, u
ChrislIa, man and n Christian woman. A true spirit
of Kindness r,,yul,,rs IN, disnosi,irn. rcyulnt.s III,
sprrch. rr,ulatrs The action. II rules over everything
-th. feelings, the uttcrauce and the conduct
IL iucludrs. then. not mere actions, IL includes no,
alone what VIC cali visit4linns. instructions. charitable
gifts. donations. and m. building of hnspltals nnl
churches. all of which things nrc right and very noble.
The shirt of Christian Kindness rrluirrs nIsn that
that ,.art OF the body which Is most fruitful and indie.
ra,i:ablr-,hc tor u--shDuld he uniformly kind. 1t
shnnld be governed by the divine law Of kindness. II
should not yihratc siiilanlly like the scrIcnt's t0rgrlr.
1t should not was like the ruo.'s, 1t should not throw
WV S'htr t''h ''Nf t'F s''' ~ ''
instrument II kindness, bearing happiness every " here
md 1t should BE- 50 bcc1nse mat winch Is behind II In
3 50.
; iOh have no right TO think nnEindiy. ION nave no
right To feel unk'n!lE., Inc %h"sr dlsloSltloh should
5 be e Mai. snn>hiny, plrasire-heat1nS Not thlt cir.
2 culilstances may mol sometimes loree ynh u srVerity
} Init that must BE- occasional and alternative: The hab'
itnal state Of mind should be one that bears out;
;, through the speech AMI through the hand, the breath
: and atmosphere aud spirit oi real kindnesS-lUvlng
Kindness.
In other words, kindness must no "f the very nature
I OF the soul Itself. IL rust mol hta garment that y",i
E put on; II must not b. an occasional rrralId IL must
5 not he = dole gut" n compromise: 1t must be your
sell. Fnr eht'suans ARE hot NE ca'ne,tne-aeI!
symmetrical ana w'hnnt u pr.clc "i fragrance.
( lhty are hh' the i"sr :n,t ! J"et I've IN
ahd lint IL also eHIn'sileIy lh:'u",, aunt, !n'
grhht, not ID Canss ohr Has uee"ntc" n's c"'"she p't''r
into II. bnt al is own nature. We IRE u oe y frame"
into the law oi thsl't tmat lne emission o, pnr nature;
Hibdned ny I hri't, Snail ur fragrant OF Sihnhess ana
though NJ tln'rS, one WIZ h're % nc h'hu ny,hS IT
were. hWosl WccIHii'Cil ruu'Ni'oh' "'lno"rH te,'l,If
tirn to the other disposition may require the knitting
Of tho brow. the compression nl tile up. silence, ana
even obscurity FIR = time. These are sclnnlS In which
We are trimming ourselves to the rcnl life of Christ
the life nf uniform. universal, ~stradIast kiEdness.
:. The Christian disposition, then. must not be apt tn
SEE, or u believe evil. You cannot help seeing 1t. but
b That IL very din" rent from being nPt to See. 1t IL the
nm, IRE uf true { lIis;inn k nhnrsS that II ~"rrjn;cc. h
not In lniquitv." 1t Is the nature of SELF -hncss that
does rejoice in ini.uity. a converted man lhnt. is
converted In the right way. IN the rig!tspirit and In.
! to the right dispositions. lisa man that hns the same
feeling towards any ching i0rrly aud sinful in other
u,r that II ,,hvsic,un h ~ toward the cks!l Of ii scnrd
:. /, n sweet flowing symuluny. 1t hgr.s him. lie RI.
luicr,h not in it. He turis away from IL charithbly.
lie ,ishcI!rvrs in l., rs long rs he can. lie "thilkein
/. no evil" lie belle vrth MI things lie is creIrlous
~ ,.,J and l.. nat slnrn md lr.r, I'm fine h,i,f uL