The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-10-13
Hatred.

One of the most dangerous demons
that walks to and fro in the earth to- :
day Is the one whose name is written
rs q caption to this short article. The
bearer of the above name is one OF the
most hideous monsters that live IN
the impure human heart. he Is con-
tinuously going up and down, to and
fro, in the world, seeking hearts into
which he NAV enter. And oh sad 80
many have heard his knockings and
admitted the dangerous visitor; now
he's supping bitter, burning food with
those who have taken him in, and
he'll be pleased to take such food with
them through eternity.
Solomon says, Hatred stirreth up
strife" Let's see: 1t stirs up strife
between individuals. Hatred is caus-
ing the, strife between those two neigh
bors who are spending their livings
! fighting each other in the courts. That
man will not speak pleasantly to lns
next door neighbor, and the calumni-
Gus things they say about each other
are born Of hate. There are multiple
ed thousands of human beings in the
world who hate somebody. Sometimes
the strife boiIs in the quiet thoughts
before it bursts forth, but it is always
strife, for "hatred slirreth up strife"
1t stirs up strife in families. Many
a precious family circle has bee broken
up and its members turned against
each other by hate. There are hun
dreds of men who are wearing the
clothes of Cain, skirts stained with
their brothers blood. While we write
we are thinking of son who had been
fighting his father for years. A large
estate has been "gobbled up" by law
yers because of the strife between these
members of the same family. There
is daughter who has been the recip-
lent of thousand favors from her
father put it was "love's labor lost"
for to-day she is loud in her hatred of
him and he, following the evils of his
own nature, returning railing of rail-
ing.
1T stirs up strife in churches. Oh !!
how true! There are churches In
Georgia which are all wrangling among
themselves. Look into the case close
ly and you will find at the bottom some
thing which dosen't resemble love.
The humble writer went into large
city church some years ago and
heard the learned, pious pastor preach
a powerful sermon on "If by forgive
not men their tresspasses neither will
your Father forgive you your tress-
passes" He told the people of their
malice toward each other and upon
enquiring We learned that its members
were fighting each other in almost
every conceivable way. Now. that
church is dead hatred stirred up strife
and strife killed. Its best members
united with another church Of the
same faith an order, and ere long the
building was sold. We konw church
which was the pride OF its pastor OF
wears, but hatred workedits cruel way
into that humble country church and
such awful strife way stirred up that
its influence was paralyzed and it Is
almost dead now. When st dies, for
die in will, demons will clap their
fiery hands and shout over hatreds
victory.
It stirs up strife in communities.
In some of our best neighborhoods
such strife is rising that good people
tremble or their safety. In a certain
country in the northwest part of this
state there was q lovely valley. Six
years ago we passed through that beau
tiful vale and lovelier spot we never
; saw. Broad fields Of tasseling corn,
and fruiting cotton, greeted the eyes.
The people lived in beautiful houses.
The yards were fragrant with sweet
flowers, but best of all in that happy,
beautiful valley there blOssomed the
Rose of Sharon which sent forth
fragance that carried the blessed power
OF healing wounded, bleeding hearts.
Alas alas the homes are neglected,
and the fields are poorly cultivated,
the flowers no longer bloom, the sweet
Rose of sharon no longer blesses the
the spot. Why it is such an uninvit,
ing place to-day? The demon, hatred
walk in to that community and spread
its black wings over it and from them
there dropped poison which dealt
dead. But enough with this. Rerder,
don't allow hate to blight your life and
damn your soul.