Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-24
SYMPATHY.
The Soul of Civilization The Pow
or Of Christianity.


In the Greek of this text may be
found the roots of one Of the greatest
words of modern times-the term SYM
patty. Paul congratulated his friends
and himself that they had not cold
and naughty high priest, but one VINO
was able, sumpathesiai, to sympathize
with their infirmities. This large word
is made of two smaller ones, SUN and
pathos, and implies in these germs a
companionship of feelings either of
happiness or its opposite. In his letter
to the Romans Paul urged
them to rejoice with those
who were rejoicing and weep
to those who are weeping.
There must spring up in hearts, asso-
ciated in any manner, a tendency to
share in common the tears or the re-
joicings ofany one Of the group. For
tunate were the early Christians that
in the long history ofthe priesthood one
had at last come who would always
make their griefs his griefs
and their happiness, his happiness.
That good fortune did not confine itself
to those early disciples, but it at once
began to widen its blessing and to fall
upon the world. The compound term
sumpathos, setting forth from the
Greek thought and sensibility, was to
become O term of the world.
The quality of the old civilization
may be detected quite clearly by the
presence or absence of,this word, for each
wordwhich runs through many language
stands by certain ever-returning senti-
ment or passion, and when we observe
that Plato and Plutarch and Cicero. used
this word, and when We remember
what men thes three were, compared
with their surroundings, we must con-
clude that we have before US a term
whose use has marked the glory of
mankind. Only the finest natures of
the classic world possessed heartstrings
which could make any music out of the
idea of sharing the pain of human
being not of ones own fireside. Plato
and Plutarch and Cicero were among
the widest and gentlest of all who lived
in the Olden times, and then came the
spiritual beauty of that term which was
soon to treasure up and embalm the Pc
shone out in the sky, hitherto dark, and
informed all the jOurneying wise men,
and all those in the shadow of any val
ley, that in Bethlehem there was an in
FAINT in whose bosom lay golden age,
so this word sympathy has hung over
humanity Ikea star, marking out the
cradle and childhood of nOhler and di-
viner times. Those have been the wise
men of all periods who have seen this
light in the sky and have fastened to
throw down their gifts before the good
ness it disclosed. Never was homage
offered at better shrine. In religion
this emotion became savior-in pOlit-
zeal and social relations it is becoming a
civilization. The High Priest of man
must be one able to sympathiZe with
human inf rmities and human longings
and powers.
There can be no perfect analysis OF
the influences which tend to make or
unmake great soul. Science may learn
what agencies must combine to produce
wheat or corn or gold or diamonds, but
there is no science delicate enough in
| its touch to he able to inform us just
what will make or unmake an impress
sive character; but the fact stands that
a great and perpetual regard for sell has
| in it all the terribleneSs of a famine or a
pitiless consumption. One unable to be
| touched by feeling for the good or i'll
of others cannot be great soul. If he
should be high priest by birth, or by
purchase, or by violence, he could not
be such in the affection of his nation.
Sympathy is the opposite of this selfish
ness, and is the feast, not the famine OF
the soul. 1t reacts upon the possessor
| like great mountains, or great oceans,
or great music, and makes him who
holds the virtue the owner of perfect
world all his own. 1t is not only good
for the people to have such high
priest, but it is good for the priest him.
self, because it lifts him above the COM
mon tribe of Levi and secures for him
! an infinite worth. 1t creates him out
of what was before only insensate dust.
'No radiant pearls which crested fortunes
wear,
Not the bright stars which nights blue arch
Nor rising sun that gilds the vernal morn,
| Shine with such luster as the tear that flows :.
Down virtues manly check for others woes.'
In that imperfect survey which only
can be made in moral thing, these two
terms "Sun1," "pdth0S" appear in all
the power of industrious and wonderful
creators. Under their hands civiliza-
ton changes its customs, its laws, Its
wages, its labors, its religion, its govern
ment. 1t is amazing what hardness
selfishness works and what happiness
sympathy can sit down and devise.
Open any page of recent history and
one of the first of the phenomena that
will attract your attention, II you be a
moralst, is that of individual pain or
unhappiness. In the last century the
Irish Parliament, composed OF rabid
Protestants, passed laws for the regula-
ton of Roman Catholics. 1t was de-
creed that a Catholic should not vote,
should not be lawyer, should not be q
physician, should not be a sheriff, should
not be gamekeeper. An lrishman must
not keep horse that was worth more
than SIS; if he happened to have one
worth $50 or more he was compelled to
sell it for S25 to the first Protestant who
should offer that sum. These are speci-
mems of laws numerous enough to make
a large law-bOok, and specimens Of the
rocks which helped sink the once noble
and happy Irish character. What arose
against these wrongs was this senti-
ment "of similar pain" which began to
show its beauty in the rich diadem OF
Jesus Christ. 1t made the eloquence of
William Pitt when he spoke against the
Irish wrongs; it created the elOquence
and patriotism of OConnell, and has
all through the 10Th century been active
in its varied form of interceSsion.
Since the majority of this audience
has been living in this world and call
ing it beautiful, there have been many
women, mothers, and girls working in
English coal mines where they could
not stand erect: working where they
would have to fall down for moments
rest; working as animals; these women
drew coal trucks by means of a chain
fastened to belt rudely around their
naked waists; working sixteen hours a
day, and doing this down in the eter-
nal night, while Victoria was above
them in the bright sunshine wearing
England's mighty crown. But this
"contagion of pain" was spreading,
and now some forty years have
passed since some noble lords and earls
felt the pressure upon their own hearts
Of those chains which women and girls
had sunk beneath for so long a period.
| No. lox.,o ~ Int kainO n ann Indy