The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-22
AMONG THE CHURCHES.
1.-THE LAW OF
KINDNESS"

The Rev. Edwin Bond Parker, pastor
OF she Second Church of Hartford, has
written the following sermon In the
rrize series now being published In the
New York Herald:
There are two superficial ana somewhat
prevalent notions of Kindness which over
look the truth of a law of kindness and
hinder the fultilment OF that law. The
first Is that kindness Is happy accident
of temperament When Charles Lamb
died Henry Crabb Robinson. went to visit
Mary Lamb, and she said to him:
snow, call this very kind In you; not
good natured, but very, very kind" Her
distinction Is just. Kindness is more
thau constitutional good natursdness. 1t
implies discipline and culture.
9 The second noJion associates kindness
with Christian etiquette and deportment,
with something amiable and desirable.
perhaps, out rather ornamental tnan ss-
sential. Consequently many religious
and devout. people are unkind In words
and actions without any feeling of sinful
ness on that account. Put away the no
tion Of kindness which regards 1t as
merely all external grace OF character or
q useful lubricant wherewith TO reduce
the friction Of social intercourse and con-
ceive 10 as an essential element OF all
goodness, divine or human, and as COM
pretended under Gods law Of human
Pression Of moral law, IL wiokednesS.
Nor is it enough to try and not be ur-
kind, for unless one tries to be kind he
not only ills Of duty, but will be unable
TO guard himself from actual unkipdness.
Kindnoss has Its root In kinship. II
implies relationship and affinity. Men
are CHILDREN Of a common Father, and
therefore brethren. Therein lies the sig
nifcance OF all that the Scriptures teach
concsrDipg the essential, exceeding and
everlasting loving kindness Of Goo. There
Is a kinsnip between Him ana men Gre
atsd In His image. Therein Is grounded
our human kinship and the law of broth
erly kindness for all men, than which no
law OF human life has higher authority or
sscreder sanctions.
AS no one can be as good as he should
and may te so no one can do coed as he
should and may without striving to full
Ill this law Of the cultivation and man
Hesitation of kindness There 10 nothing
else so powerful for good unless it DO
love. and lovs, as St Paul says, is kind.
1t disarms prejudice and hatred, it con-
ycrts distrust into confidence, it over
comes oil manner OF evil with good. 1t
brings out as nothing else can the latent
and potential good things In people. Men
have come to recognize and act upon
this principle In their treatment aud
training Of animals. How much more
effective will be the training OF children
and tho treatment of all human beings
which is based upon kindly sympathy.
The safest assumption that can no made
in all such matters IL that kindness will
meet all such response.
Kindness has insight and can detect
signs Of promise In the unprom isipg
whils under its genial influences ana
delicate II Illustrations those signs become
an fest and tie things they promised
begin to be fulfilled. What else gives so
great encouragement to the many who
are struggling with adversity or tempta-
tion, correcting and changing just those
depressed feelings OF Loneliness and
neglect wherein the power OF evil finds
its most favorable condition? Words
worth speaks Of
That best portion Of q good mans life
His little. nameiess. unremem bered acts
Of kindness and OF love.
How suggestive that is OF what 10 possi-
Bile and this way Of kin1ness, which
work. with magic power to transmute
apparent trifies into priceless treasures
as St Zits's cup Of cold water given to
dustv and weary pilgrim proved to be- as
he drank It, a cup If precious wine