Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-08-11
BEARING OTHERS BURDENS.

OOnGGNOs
Chrlst's Example Law of Duty to His
FOllowers--True sympathy and Love Can
Only BE Manifested by Personal Contact
and Self-Sacriiice.
Self sacrifice for others is the funda-
mental law of Christ's kingdom. That
empire is true brotherhood of mutual
sympathy and service. All constitute
one body in Christ, and are members
one OF another" The welfare of all Is
the welfare of each, and the reverse; il
one suffers all suffer; If one rejoices all
rejoice. Fears, hopes, aims, conflicts
and cares are one. All have mutual
duties and responsibilities arising from
their common relations to Christ and
to one another. ST. Paul teaches that
in the spiritual as in the physical body,
no member is independent, or self-suf-
ilcng, or free from service: "Tho eve
can not say 10 the hand, have no need
of thee; nor the head to the feet, have
no need of YOU" The unifying prin-
c,ple IN the Christian community is the
love for Christ and one another that
''seekcth not her own" that prompts
self-sacrifice and makes it Joyous ser
vice. This self-giving love has its
grandest illustration in Christ Himself,
who gave "liis life ransom for
many" who "bore our griefs and car
red our sorrows;" and though He was
rich, for our sakes became poor, that
we through His poverty might be rich.
Christ is the great burden-be bearer. lie
became incarnatc, lived in intimate re-
lations with the poor and heavy laden,
Put Himself in their place. entered into
their experiences (sin alone excepted),
was acquainted with their griefs, that
lie might sl mpathize with them and
bear their burdens. He was tempted
in all points like we are, in order that
He might succor those who are tempt.
cd. =
Christ made His example law OF
duty to His followers, saying: "a now
commandment | give unto you, that We
love one another us have loved you"
Love for men Ike Christ's love for us
includes and guarantees that care and
sympathy for them which bears their
burdens. Paul recognized Christ's ex-
ample rs the rule Of Christian duty
when he said: Bear We one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christi
and ave that are strong ought to bear
the iniirmities of the weak, and not to |
please ourselves. Let every one of us
please his neighbor for his good unto
edilication. For even Christ pleased
not Himself; but, as it Is written: The
reproaches OF them that reproached
thee fell on Me-" Advancement of the
Redeemers kingdom requires imitation
OF His example in bearing the burdens
of sinners. The Christian community
Is not select coterie that lives to and
for itself, and recognizes no obligations |
to the world that lieth in wickedness
around it. 1t is to be universal COM
munity, to gather to itself and to Christ
all the people of all Nations under the
sun, and it can only be successful in
this work in proportion as it bears their
burdens. The church must invite the
poor, the manned and the blind to Its
frasts; must 90 after them and compel
;hem TO come in; must make common
cause with them, make their burdens its |
burdens, enter into their sorrows, make |
itself their champion and defend their
rights. A church that is indiiier-
cut to, or silent concerning, the |
political, social or economic wrongs
Of the poor does not bear their burdens,
and can not save their souls. We may
not be able to remove the burdens Of
Others, but we are commanded to bear
them, and can only do this by sympa-
thizing, that is, suffering, with the bur
dened. We must weep with them that
weep, carry their sorrows on our hearts,
make their cause our own. This i'm.
piles contact association with them.
There is no Gospel work done at arms
length. Christ laid His finger on those
He would heal He was made in the
] kcness of men, and if we are going to
do any OF his uplifting work we too
have got to incarnate ourselves down
into the condition of those we would
save Unless we are willing to have
this fellowship with their suilerings, we
can neither sympathize with them nor
bear their burdens, nor win them from
t'N'i oNAAO"o uhu W NUTlSJ.
Preaching to men in trouble is MOI
enough. Almsgiving is not enough,
They want sympathy and love, and |
these can not be expressed in words or
conveyed in secondhand charities. |
These usually cost the giver but little.
and those burdened with sin and want
know it. They may have no right to
ask, but they do ask, and Christ asks,
thac you make roal sacrifices for them. |
That alone can convince them of your
love and give you the hold on them nee
cssary to win them to Christ You can
do anything with tho man you love to
the point OF Self-sacnfce.
This Christlike love which sacrifices
self for others. bears their burdens, de
tends the oppressed, Is the great nocd
OF society. 1t alone can bind men to-
gethcr and overcome the disintegrahng