The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-08

that he which conveTteth the sinner from
the error of his way shalt save a soul from
death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.--
James V,'l9-z0.
Secular organizations of like fellowship,
wherever found, are bound together by
sentiments of hrrnest friendship. They greet
each other the world over by recognized
signs; they stand by each other through
thick and thin.
So in the Christian church there ought
to be the strongest bonds of love-it was
founded in love; there ought to be a fam
lily feeling-''be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love" Wherever
Christian people are wanting in the spirit
of sympathy, prompting to deeds of kind
ness in behalf of those who are of the
household of faith" and for mankind in
general-there the divine love has not been
found.
Things often go wrong in the church fam
lily The so-called Christian brings his
worldly nature. worldly disagreements.
worldly interests TO church, and makes
them a disturbing element there.
All church fights are of the devil. Per-
sonal grievances, prejudices and selfshness
bring them about. not the spirit of Christi
love, which is the rich legacy of the church
Things are wrong when Christians, go
astray." 1t is sad already when we find
them making light of Gods word, and seek
ing by open avowal to pervert the truth
they once espoused But it is more sad TO
contemplate when any of Gods people make
grievous mistakes in their public conduct.
The world smacks its lips over these slips,
and takes delight to publish them upon ev-
cry crowded corner But note the great in
consistency. Its very rejoicing over the
compliment to religion. 1t seems to imply
that the gospel ought to be able and is able
to make nothing but good people
The church people must not initiate the
spirit Of the world when one of their num-
Der has gone astray. Instinctively the
Christ-love ought to assert itself in sym-
pathy. You never fully know the popularity
of a mans case who has fallen-his secret
discoNag temptations and weak
nesses. 1t is comparatively easy for some to
be Christians. They were born with no such
hereditary tendencies to evil, but may have
come from long stock of believers, and
have imbibed their faith from a mothers
breast; they may have wholesome surround
ings, and have their thoughts and doings
daily protected by religious safeguards. Yes,
by birth and environment they may stand
surefooted, whilst others have daily battle
against themselves and the allurements
thrown in their way Always say, Put
yourself in his place. and ask: Gould L
have done any better?"
OF course, some use religion as a cloak
to do wrong. But it is different with those
who are ''overtaken with a fault" rather
than those who go out purposely to OVER
take the fault
A WRONG IS A WRONG.
And it is all the greater wrong with
| those who know better All wrong must
be condemned and repented Of. but he who
truly repents should be forgiven and re-
stored. 1t is a Christian duty even to go
after the erring and make it easy for them
to repent.
Moreover, it should be done with kind and
considerable feelings. As a surgeon resets
the limb of his own brother, and therefore
does it not only with the cold professional
skill, but with the tender sympathy and
touch of brothers heart-so you are to
reclaim your fallen brother to your own
heart as we'll as to the church's bosom
Christ had tasted Of the prosecuting instinct
OF the world. How it sought to entrap and
condemn Him! No wonder His parallels
are all aglow with pictures Of heavenly love.
What does His search Of the one lost sheep
you? That one Christian gone astray is
worth all your best effort to bring him
back again. We might have gallery OF
pictures to show how Christ set the broken
limb and healed the broken heart. He
that is without sin let him cast the first
stone"
II we are successful in bringing a stray
ing one back from the error Of his way"
we are sure to hide multitude of sins. %
1t is the mission of the church to convert
the vilest of outcasts and bring him into the
fold of Christ How much more is it a duty
to reclaim those of the fold who have erred
in the way. Push out the unfortunate Chris
tian and spurn him-you drive him away
from manhood and God. Burn down your
churches if they will not live and act by
the spirit OF Christ-love.
Paul acted in that true spirit when he
said: ITO the weak became l as weak, that
I might gain the weak; am made all things
to all men, that might by all means cave
some" That is the Christians accommo-
dating spirit that always will measure 9TH
ers faults with charity, and find the soul
worth saving from any kind of sinful be-
ing and doing. Solomon already taught this
Christ-spirit: Hatred stirreth up strifes;
but love covereth all sim" Peter enjons:
And above all things have fervent charity
among yourselves; for charity shall cover
the multitude of sins.''
We are so apt to make the pharisaical
prayer: God, / thank Thee that 1 am not
as other men are" We are ready to pun
out notes from other mems eyes when
there is beam in our own. How sweet is
the spirit of love in the heart which seeks
TO put the most charitable construction on
peoples actions. and considerably throws
cloak over and forgives a multitude Of
transgressions in the repentant soul.
TERMS OF FORGIVENESS.
So spoke Christ for all time. IF ye for
give men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive YOU"
Though you hide the faults of others from
the severity of your censure. yet you can
not conceal your own from the eye of God.
Only the love of Christ is your cloak to
hide sin. Repentance and faith will lay hnld
on 1t. Yes, and more-only he who has first
repented of his own sin can have charity
for others sins. You seek to hide anothers
sin from mans eye. when publishing it does
only harm and no good-but you also seek
to have 1t blotted out before God.
You shall save soul from death our