Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-07-16

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The first Illustration seems to SET
forth the pleasantness, and the
second the goodness or fruitfulness
of unity.
1. To make the lesson of the in.
spired Psalmist practical to ourselves
we will have first, to inquire as to
the true conception of that unity we
term as brotherhood. Regarding
ourselves in the relationship that
God has established between each
one of us and our fellows as ascreatures,
1t Is manifest that there is brother
hood in all humanity. Each of us
is the centre of q circle of brother
hood, whose radii sweep over the
entire surface of the globe, touching
all races and colors of human flesh.
But as there is recedence from the
centre ola sphere the particles are
found to be less and less bound to
the central one; 50 likewise in the
orb Of brotherhood, as you recede
from any individual as a centre,
other individuals are less and less
bound to him. In other words, in
dividuals in our own households are
more bound to us than our neigh
bors, our neighbors more than those
of surrounding neighborhoods, and
the people of our state more than
those of other states. and the people
of our nation more than those of
other nations.
But still there is tie of brother
hood through the world.
Our Apostle teaches US that God
has made of one blood all the ma
tions of the earth. Our scriptures
give us an account of the creation
of but one pair, from whom the
earth was peopled. Besides sin has
characterized all, showing federal
representation in the first transgres-
sion. Besides the salvation of God
Is for the nations of the earth. But
whilst this is so the brotherhood has
strength in proportion to nearness.
This Is the true idea of brotherhood
and to teach any other makes con-
fusion in all affairs religious and Sec
ular. Any other doctrine makes the
finite agent, man, inefficient in any
work of benevolence. In other
words, if there is as strong a tie of
brotherhood between the man in
China and one of us, as there is be.
tween us here In close proximity,
then our efforts to discharge our
duty to brother at a great distance
will not only be Intellectual but will
leave us no time to discharge the
duty to our brother who is near. So
our efforts for good will prove abor-
tive. The Savior being asked to de-
fine the term neighbor, said that it
was the one whom the providences
of God had placed near US.
II. The second inquiry that we
have to make in order to get an un-
derstanding of this Psalm is as to
the unity which is here enjoined.
AS there are mistakes made with re-
gard to brotherhood, so there are
mistakes made with regard to
this unity. Those who misappre-
hend the command. "Love thy
neighbor as thyself," regarding the
injunction as requiring the same
strength OF love and not simply the
same kind of love, have made this
mistake, and have attempted time
and again to force an impossible
oneness in human affairs. All com.
munistic efforts arise from this mis-
take. The slightest practical sense
ought to lead man to see that hu-
man depravity will render any effort
at communism abortive. No COM
munity Of interests can exist where
the slothful have full power over
the industrious, where the. spend
thrift can make frugality a null
lity; for a sense Of injustice will
soon break down any scheme enthu-
siastically intended to make earth a
picture Of heaven. The command,
"Love thy neighbor as thyself," pre-
scribes the kind of affection but not
the degree. The love that we have
for ourselves leads us to advance our
inter ests and seek our own we'll.
being by every lawful means. This
Is the self.love we ought to applaud.
When 1t passes beyond this and we
seek our well-being by unlawful
means, we become guilty of selfish
ness which is always to he abhorred.
After the manner we seek our own
well-being, when we seek 1t lawfully,
we ought to seek the prosperity Of
our neighbor. The same efforts for
bis prosperity are not to be made,
but like efforts. Nor are we to in
terfere with his lawful efforts to bet
ter his own condition.
Those who insist that the beginning
Of the Apostolic church established
communism have erred in their in
depreciation. All the facts show
that when necessary the christian
must surrender all of his earthly
goods for the Masters cause. But