The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-23
THE RIGHT WAY,
Or. the Gospel Applied 10 tie Inter
course Of individuals and
Nations.
by REV. JOSEPH A. COLLIER.
Duties Relating to Human Intercourse.
(COntinued.)
T. LOVE YOUR NEIGIBoR.

1.-THE fulfilling of the law" is loUe.
This duty is variously expressed in the
teachings of Christ and his apostles.
Now it is called love to our neIghbor,
now a love to the brethren, and now q
love to enemies. 1t is represented un-
der such names as charity" "long-
suffering" "meekness," patience, !"
"forbearance,n forgiveness" and
"peace with all men," These different
terms 60 to prove its universal charac-
ter, and present some of lis phases
which might otherwise be overlooked
by us. They each form part of that
.'royal law" which embraces every
duty of man to man, "7hou SHAFT tove
thu neighbor as thysey." Matt. % 80.
The best commentary upon this pre-
cept, IS that afforded by its Author.
In his beautiful parable of the good
Samaritan" our Lord for ever answers
the question, "Nho is my neighbor"
Luke 10: 30-37. He that teaches us
that all alien, and even all enemy, is
our neighbor; that such an one, in
distress, has claim upon our compass
sionate, self-denying love; in short,
that every human being, whoever and
whatever he may be, has all undoubt-
ed right to our affection and our SYM
pathy.
This demand may appear to some a
severe one. What. it may be asked,
must our affections 60 out as well to
the stranger as to the intimate COM
panion to the inhabitant of distant
cline as well as to The beloved ones
about US? Some may be disposed to
scout such a requirement as absurd
aud impracticable. Let us, however,
look for moment at its business.
What is it, we ask, that renders any
human being all object of regard? 1t
is the supposed existence OF amiable
qualities in the object, or else the fact
that there are certain natural ties 0e-
tWeen as. Look, for Instance, at the
family. All must admit that the rela-
tions subsisting between its members
afford a reason for the exercise OF mu-
tual affection between them. Apply
ing this principle to mankind in gem
eral, will it not equally hold good?
What is our race but one vast race fam
ily, descended from common parent,
occupying common home similar in
general character, tastes, and pursuits,
and greatly dependent upon one anoth-
er for the most ordinary comforts OF
life? "Have we not all one Father?
hath not one God created us?" Nal.
G:lO. It is both our fault and our
misfortune that we have sadly lost
sight of this relationship, and too fire.
uuently look for son conventional or
social bond to regulate the outgoings
of kindly feeling. AS if God had i'm
planted within us these fine affections
for blessing only select circle OF chos-
en- friends or as if our hearts were
incapable of embracing any more than
q certain limited number of their fel-
low-hearts Many live and act as II
they had been gifted with but few and
feeble affections, and were fearful OF
extending them too widely, lest they
should all be lost. Yet so far from
this being the case, it will be found
true of our hearts wealth, as well as of
our gold and silver, that "there is that
scattereth, and yet increaseth and
there is that withholding more than Is
meet, but it tendeth to poverty"
Prov. II "a. We know not our own
hearts, nor the powers of expansion
with which God has endowed them.
If men would but cultivate them, as
they do their minds and bodies, they
would prove capable of embracing in
their large charities and synpathies,
alt mankind.
This required love is nowhere limit
ed as to its objects. The gospel makes
no distinctions, and not only does not
include, but expressly includes the en-
emy, the prosecutor, and the vile. We
are to love not merely the friend, the
benefactor, or the amiable, but the fel-
LoaU-mortal, the member OF the human
family. And the reasons of this love
are to be found not merely in favors
received, on qualities admired, but in
the divincly ordained relations of man
to man, and in plain, simple duty, as
prescribed in the gospel. TO him who
takes this high, scriptural view OF his
obligations, every man is In some de-
gree an object of love. Upon seeing
one who wears the human form in
need of kindness, he unhesitatingly
bestows it, stopping not to ask his
name, his country or his creed. lie IS
O. man, and therefore q 'aeighaor, and
his warm heart needs know no more to
impel him to do his utmost to relieve
and cheer him.
This "royal law" stops not with pre-
scribing the objects of our love- it
clearly defines its measure. 1t would
be interesting to learn the precise guide
which different minds would assign to
regulate it's strength. One would say,
we must be governed by our own in.
clinations; another, by the deserts OF
the objects; another, by his necessl-
ties. Never, in all the highest concep-
tions of human benev0lcnce, would
any have attained to the precept af-
forded by our Lord, "Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thysct." He thus
makes our selI-love to be our guide in
loving others. If ever ut q loss to
know how much of sympathy or re-
gard we ought to cherish towards
fellow-man, our doubts may be remov--
ed by glancing within ourselves, and
estimating the strength OF that prIncl-
pie of self-love which we all to great
er or less degree possess. There is no
danger that, with this for our stand
ard, we shall exercise too large chari-
ty for others. 1t may, however, be
urged that q strict obedience to this
precept is extremely difficult, if not
impossible. This sad truth should on
ly drive us to Him who has for us 'ful-
filled all righteousness" Yet the just
ness and obligation of divine COM
mand does not depend upon our power
literally to fulfill it. Are we absolved
from the duty of loving God because
we cannot love him with "aW' our
"hcart," and "soul," and "strength,"
and "mindw w
As Christ has shown the objects and