National Republican., 1883-08-20


moment and then crosses over to the other
side aud goes on his way. What Can 1t be
possible that ho has gone by, without even
saying word to tho poor suGcrer2 Yes, he
is so highly respectable, so extremely high
toned, that it might ruin peoples good opn-
ion of him should he he seen talking TO such
a character; he has a reputation 10 keep UP,
and besides, what has he to do with this low
felow2 lIo ought to have kept ont Of the
way oftcmutatiun he ought to have takCn
bettcr care OF himself. And so he passes on,
getting out of the way, lest his fine clothes
might get soiled and polluted. All, my fine
friend, remember you are travelling the same
road that this poor sinner was when he was
overtaken. Look out for tho robbers further
down the road, whose names are Pride. Sell
iishncss Hard -heartedness. They may leave
you in this same condition. for Let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall"
But see : there is another coming this way.
lie Is not so well dressed rs the other. He
perhaps will have u word of sympathy and u
kind look for our poor friend. lie is crossin g
over TO him; he stops near him, he looks
steadily at him yes he is-alas. poor soul, he,
too, has turned away and rccrossGd the street,
and is passing on his way. 1t was only the
vulgar feeling of curiosity that led him to
gaze upon your poor mangled body it was
nothing but the shameless stare of an uniecl-
ing heart that you saw in his eyes And now
that he has looked upon your nakedness and
bruises he turns on his heel and leaves you
feeling you have no claim upon him. lie
never saw you before, he never remembered
seeing you in church saying your prayers, as
he and his respectable friend did with great
show every Sunday he doesn't even know if
you ever 20 to church. aud so he, too passed
on. Oh, God is there no helper near 2 Must
he die alone and with all his sin and wicked
ness upon him Is there no one to put even
the cup of cold water to his parched and
thirsty lips2 His pain becomes intolerable
his wounds smart and burn so, and in tho
agony of despair there escapes from between
his clenchod teeth the prayer, Lord, help I!
Master perish p
And now third party comes into view. He
looks poorer and humber than the other two
but rs he draws near there is something in the
face that arouses our hope. That look of love
and sympathy in his eyes that gentle express
sion around the mouth, all tell of kind and
loving nature. He surely will not pass by.
If he does then there is no hope for you, poor
sinner; if he fails then there is no other to
whom you can look for aid. Should he not
take pity upon your lost and wounded condi-
tion, then let us give up in despair. Let us
take all that has been precious to us in the
words hope faith, love, goodness, truth, and
cast them to the winds, for they but mock at
our calamity, and let us go out into the dark
ness of eternity without hope and without
God. But, see, our kind looking friend is
drawing near. Yes, he too sees the poor suf-
feror He gets down from off his beast and
goes over to him. Oh, what look of tender
ness and pity comes into his face rs he bends
over the PROSTATE form and begins to chafo
his cold and clammy palms See, he is taking
from his travelling effects oil and wine to pour
| upon his bruised and aching heart. He dis
robes himself that he might cover and pro-
tect that feeble body, and, then lifting him in
his arms, he places him upon his own beast,
while he walks willingly by his side
Dear friends, as l hold up before each ono
of you this morning the mirror of your past
lives, and as you look into it, which of these
three characters do you see reflected back
While all of us to certain degree represent
the poor wanderer, robbed and suffering, yet
some one of the other three must also stand
for and represent the lives we are living. Is
it the naughty and proud spirit that has no
touch of sympathy for fallen brother2 Is IL
the well dressed respectability which fears to
be seen with publicans and sinners? Is it to
bestow the cold, indifferent stare of vulgar
curiosity which induces us to go the least bit
out of our way only to leave the poor soul
worse than if we had never gone? sGod grant
that none Of us are taking either the priest or
the Levite for an example, but rather that
we are following humbly in the footsteps of
| the good Samaritan NOT stopping to argue
OF ask questions as to how this poor wounded
sinner came SO; not stopping to find out
lrst as TO whether he is Baptist
or a Methodist or an Episcopalan
before we render him the help he is dying
for, not stopping to lecture him and rub salt
into his wounds by saying: "Ah, you see if
you mad only taken my advice. / knew
you'd get in ntrouble." No, stopping for none
of this; all we see, all we want to sec, is
fellow creature in distress-a poor. weak
SHINING nature like our own, an immortal
soul that is fast slipping into eternity. oh,
and what an eternity Shall we not nut ont
q hand to save him? Shall we refuse to COM
fort him with the consolation wherewith we
ourselves are comforted. God forbid Let
us go then to the sinner who is dying on the
wayside let US pour into his heart and life
tho gospel of Christ; let us bind up his bruises
and wounds and comfort him with words of
Gods love and sympathy.