The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-05-14
THE RIGHT WAY,
Or the Gospel Applied to Intercourse Be-
tween Individuals and Naions.
BY REV. JOSEPH A. COLLIER.
(Continued.)
~. FORBEARANCE.

|
Christ, in denouncing the old max
i'm, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for u TOOTH" exhorts, "Resist not eril
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn TO him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the
law, and take away thy coat, let him
have thy cloak also. And whatsoever
shall compel thee to 60 mile, go with
/ him twain.n Matt. 5 39-41. This
duty is also urged in several other pas
sages. "Love as brethren, be. pitiful
be courteous: not rendering evil fol
evil, or railing for railing, but contrari.
wise blessing" Peter 3 :S, 9. See
that none render evil for evil unto any
man but ever follow that which is
good, both among yourselves, and tc
all men, Thess. 5 l5. "Recom
pense to no man evil for evil" "Be
not overcome of evil, but overcome
evil with good" Rom. 70: II, 81
"Say not thou, I will recompense evil
but wait on the Lord, and he shall
save thee" Prov. %: %. "Walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye
are called, with all lowliness and meek
ness, with long-sutfering, forbearing
one another in love-" Eph. 4: l,2.
The ordinary usage of society op
poses but slight barrier to the eXer
else of revenge. Although the rule
IAN eye for an eye, and tooth for 8
! TOOTH" may not literally be prscticet
! in civilized communities, it is in spirit
/ if not in letter, fair expression of the
public sentiment. Against this wrong
principle Jesus opposes the precept
''ResiSt not evu" Where love to al
enemy exists in tire heart, obedience tc
this requirement will follow as its
fruit. The forgiveness of all offender
implies q meek endurance Of the of
fence. AS God, when forgiving, stay:
his avengiug arm, and wilhholds tina
! punishment with which he nigh
Justly crush us, so those who would
/ initiate him must endure injuries will
forbearance and long-suflrring. Those
resentful thoughts and deeds which are
generally regarded as the natural righ
! of all. are not to be viewed with any
! favor 10y those who obey the gospel
The very word revenge should be blot
ted from their vocabulary, rs, Whei
the gospel triumphs, the thing itsel
shall be blotted from the world.
He, then, who would practice the
right way, will prove his love and for
giveness by resisting not injury. AS i
is the part Of lo"e to suffer- rather than
cause pain to it's object, he will patient
ly endure rnng at the hands of an
other, and even rejoice in his enemy
exemption from it. Upon those occa
sions when some degree of resistance j:
necessary, he will offer it with reluc
tance, and instead of rejoicing at tht
opportunity for so doing, will deeply
regret its necessity. AS a genera
thing, he will meekly yield to The
hand that smites and the tongue tha
reviles him, and will respond to the
insult, or disprove the SANDER, more
by his life than his words. Not only
will he avoid the retaliatory blow, but
even the witty sarcasm or inconsidera
BILE Jest, which would provoke laugh
at the expense of his adversary. The
only resistance he will offer, will he t(
the evils of his own heart and hi
will unite against them all those ener
gies with which others are accustomed
to resist all outward foe. DESTROYS o
following "the things that make fol
peace" he will obey that voice Of God
"Avenge not yourselves, but rather
give place unto wrath: for it is writ
ten, "Vengeance is mine; 1 will re-
pay, saith the Lord" Rom. -: -
"Blessed are the meek, for they shal
inherit the earth" "Blessed are tht
peacemakers, for they shall be callct
the children Of God" Matthew 5 3
10