The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-03-11
SERMON BY REV. .DR. PARKER
EMPHASIZING SERlION 1T DWIGHT
 PLACE CHURCH.

 The Great Power of Kindness -Kindnes
 Not Merely an Ornament of Character
 some Excellent Thoughts-Kindness ar
 Essential Element of Goodness.
 Rev. Edwin P. Parker, D. D. of Hart ford, preached yesterday morning a the Dwight Place church from tex in the thlrty-first chapter of Proverbs And in her tongue is the law of kind ness"
 The subject of his discourse wa.
 Kindness as an Essential Element oi Goodness" He spoke in part as fol low:
 The Holy Scriptures make much oi kindness as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It Is of great significance that the word is frequently used as descrip- tive of the goodness of God. We are told of His marvellous kindness" ot His loving kindness" and Jesus de- Scrlbes Him as a being essentially kind" This truth of law of kind ness, sacred as any other law of good character, is often overlooked Kind ness Is conceived as belonging to Chris t1an etiquette and department, rather than an element of Christian charac- ter.
 Accordingly there are many very re- ligious people-strict in external du- ties, strenuous for the conversion of sinners, denunciatory of the laxities and lukewarmness of others-who are very unkind, who are continually hurting Ot1prS' fpplin wal fc be convicted of sin in so doing. In fact, they are just as truly shining against the law of goodness as are they who are otherwise incorporate and unjust.
 Put away the superficial notion that kindness is merely an ornament of char acter, and conceive of it as an essential element of all goodness, divine and hu- man, and as comprehended in Gods law of human life. An unkind word is a wicked word; an unl1ind deed is wick ed deed; and unkind thought is wick ed thought. -
 Go to the root of the word and you find the original suggestion is of kim ship. We are kinsfolk because chil- dren of a common Father Therein is the significance of what is said of Gods loving kindness to us. There is kin ship between Him and us, since we are made in His image. In that is ground ed our human kinship and the law of kindness which requires us to be kind. ly affectioned one to another"
 The great and blessed power of kind ness was illustrated by the speaker in many examples drawn from life and lit- erature, and the magic charm which kindness possesses to work great re- suits by apparent trifles, and to trans mute common things into treasures, was set forth by many interesting refer ences.
 Emerson's genial criticism and Lambs sunny humor were contrasted with Carlyle's vitriolic speech. Sydney Smith was spoken of as a man of emi- nent wit who almost never hurt the feelings of the objects of his utter ances.
 We are very ignorant of each other and we need to cultivate the utmost kindness of thought and judgment, as well as of word and deed. We never stand by a grave and repent of any ut- most kindness shown or felt to the per- son who is laid therein. Our mistakes and regrets are all on the side of im- patience and severity.
 The gospel of Jesus is all the while striving to touch us in this tender way of nature to rouse our human sympa- thies and to make us feel that we are lSinsfolk.
 Oh for the time when Christian piety shah more and more flow, as 1t should, in these natural channels of human sympathy and intercourse, in these aI,a 1e,
 Just as we realize our human kinship in the fellowships and ministrations of brotherly kindness shall we come to know and rejoice in the loving Kindness of our God.