Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-05-22
OTHERS BURDENS.

OTHERS BURDENS.
Christ's Example q Law of Duty to His
Followers-True Sympathy and Love Can
ONLY BE Manifested by Personal Contact
and Sclf-Sacrifee.
Self sacrifice for others is the funda-
mental law of Christ's kingdom. That
empire is a 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; if
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 i'll the physical body,
no member is Independent, or self-suf-
1iclng. or free from service: 1.-The eye
can not say to the hand, / have no need
of thee; nor the head to the feet, | have
no need of you" The unifying prin-
ciple in the Christian community is the
love for Christ and one another that
"seeketh not her own," that prompts
self-sacrifice and makes it a joyous SER
vice. This s%elf-giving love has its
grandest illustration in Christ Himself,
who gave ellis life o ransom for
many;T' who .'bore our griefs and car
ried our sorrows;'' and though He was
rich. for our sakcs became poor, that
we through His poverty might be rich.
Christ is the great burden-bearer. He
became incarnate, 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
He might sympathize 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
ed.
Christ made His example q law of
duty to His followers, saying: ga new
commandment l give unto you, that y,
love one another as l have loved you"
Love for men like Christ's love for US
includes and guarantees that care and
sympathy for them which bears their
burdens. Paul recognized Christ's ex-
ample as the rule of Christian duty
when he said: "Bcar we one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ"
and "We that are strong ought to bear
the infrmities of the weak, and not to
please ourselves. Let every one of us
please his neighbor for his good unto
edlfication. For ever Christ pleased
not Himself; but, as it is written: The
r~eproaches of them that reproached
thee fell on Me-" Advancement of the
Redeemer's kingdom requires imitation
Of His example in bearing the burdens
of sinners. The Christian community
is not a select coterie that lives to and
for itself, and recognizes no obligations
to the world that lieth in w%ickedness
around it. 1t is to be q 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 it's
feasts; must go after them and compel
them to come in; must make common
cause with them, make their burdens it's
burdens, enter into their SORROWS, make
itself their champion and defend their
rights. A church that is indifer-
ent 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 NAV
not be able to remove the burdens of
others, but we are commanded to bear
them, and can only do this by sympa-
t%hizingg, that is, suffering, with the bur
dened. We must weep with them that
weep, carry their sorrows on our hearts.
make their Il our own. This i'm
plies contact, association with them.
There is no Gospel work done at arms
length. Christ laid His finger on those
lie would heal. He WAS made in the
likeness OF men, and if we are going to
40 any Of his uplifting work we too
V got to lncarnate ourselves down
into the condition of those we would
save. Unless we are willing to have
this fellowship with their su~tferinos. wa
can neither sympathize with them nor
bear their burdens, nor win them fron,
their sorrows and sins to Christ
lleacnlng TO men in trouble is not
enough. Almsgiving is not enough.
They want sympathy and love, and
these can not be expressed in words or
conveyed IN secondhand charities.
dnese usually cost the giver but little,
M those burdened with sin and want
anow 1t. They may have no right to
ask, but the, do ask, and Christ asks.
tnat you make real sacrifices for them
mat alone can convince them of vonr
love n give you the hold on them nee.
essary 20 win them to Christ. You can
40 anything with the man YOU love- tn
the point of self-sacrifice. "
rms Christlike love which sacrifices
sen lor others, bears their burdens. de-.
n inc oppressed, is the great need
OF soclety' 1t alono can bind man ~
&e1nef anu overcome the disintcorat;nc