The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-11
Christian Life Column,


or. He spoke too with an air or con
scious pride, as if the fact was some
thing over which be ought to jubilate.
A brother told me lately Of the settle
ment Of several old church feuds,
which had long stood in the way Of
the progress Of the work. Many OF
the members were keeping aloof from
each other, and refused to speak when
they met on the common highway.
I guess a close inspection would bring
out many such troubles in all sec ions
Of the country, and many a church
that is grooming and Travelling Of the
dear saints whose boast is, II don't
speak to him"
l want to reason a little with these
misguided and irate people. There are
very few persons to whom you should
not speak. Even if one has wronged
you, you have no right to withdraw
your speech from him. Toe old time
doctrine, nearly absolute now in prac-
tical daily life, was, 1T thine enemy
hunger, feed him; If he thirst, give
him drink" To refuse to speak to n
may not injure any one but you. 1t
helps you to nurture and harbor re
sentiment. Every time you refuse to
speak, q little fuel is added to the old
fame. II a time Of softening comes,
q refusal to speak brings back the for
mer feeling OF i'll will, and you go
away worse eff than you were before.
Because you do not speak to a man, 1t
does not follow that the said man is
going at once to everlasting ruin. 1t
may only show that you are headed
that way yourself. Your naughty and
august silence shoW rs that there is a
wrong spirit in you, but does not nee
essarily prove that the other fellow Is
q rascal. o, l am sure n cannot be
happy who retains res eminent and
nurtures animcsities. l have heard Of
q church in which there are people
sitting within two feet of each other.
They commune at the same table, and
profess to believe in the same God Of
grace; but they do not speak. Who
is to blame2 and where does the doc.
trine Of Christ coma in as q factor IN
these lives7 If a man does not speak
to you, sill you ought to speak to him,
until you fad that all your overtures
amount to nothing. Here Is the way
il is put by the wis 81 Teacher the
world ever saw: 1T thy brother sin
against thee, go show him his fault
tween HIM and thee alone; If he hear
thee thou hast gained thy brother"
This is the first step. The other steps
are all recorded in that 18Th chapter
of Matthew. Not q word is S id about
getting in a huff and swelling up
around the owls like a dead frog. II
a person has really Wronged you, it
gratif9s him to have you ignore him.
To speak to him, and treat him as
Christ said you should, would be like
putting Goals OF fire on his head. But
as matters 10Y stand, you alone are
suffering. The sulking and Tuning
within keeps down all religious joy
and shuts off everything like zeal In
divine life. II do not speak to him."
is no boast to be proud of. 1 am some
what largely inclined ID side with the
fellow to whom you do not speak. The
weight of evidence is in his favor. He
may harbor wicked thoughts. OF this
1 have no evidence; but 1 know what
you do, and therefore I say I am in
clined to take sides against you. The
long silence, the sneer, the air of pride,
the naughty spirit, the manifest vim
dictiveness-all these things go to show
tina the mind and temper of Christ are
not within you. God says, Vengeance
is mine; l will repay" But you say,
Lord, you have made a great mis-
take in this matter; the vengeance will
be very poor and Imperfect unless I
can have a hand in it," And hence
you go on your way boasting Of the
fact you do not speak to certain per
sol S The whole COURSE is sinful, and
no good can come out Of it. If those
poor souls whom you have ignored
had withered away under your curse,
then there would be some shadow of
a poor reason for you to continue in
your course Of conduct; but since they
do not seem to suffer, and the blight of
heaven is kept away from them, wis
dom would suggest that you try some
other plan. There are many weakly
souls In the churches who are cursing
themselves. They are losing place
among their brethren. There was a
time when they were loved and trusted
and an honorable S at was given to
them in church conferences; but the
fact Of harboyed bitterness is slowly