The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-12

But we can do worse than this. We
can pity. You can ignore a man and II
he is sensible he doesn't give II second
thought But TO pity man Is 10 relieve
yourself OF some frothy emotion, thus let
ting him know that you consider yourself
on a higher plane than he Us. We pity
men who have sinned, and there is moth
Ing that will close mans heart against
every effort you make TO help him as
quick as that will. He will be no worse
off and will think better OF you if you
hate him.
Pity leans down and tells n man how
sad his condition IL. Mercy says moth
ing. but climbs down. binds up a mans
wounds, pours wine and oil on them, sets
him on his own beast. brings him TO an
inn and takes care OF him.
Why? Because he Is our neighbor. Be
cause he IL our brother Because we have
common Father. Because his life Is
worth just as rpuch In Gods sight as our
own.
IL that feeling In far away from us it's
because we are far away from God We
need 10 get Gods point OF view. We see
men as they are. Jesus saw them as
they ought to be. He loved the ideal
man In the downcast, soul-stalned sinner
He saw his infinite possibilities and
warmed his finite realities into life and
vigor by his tender mercy and compass
sion for him. II we can't see men in
this light we shall never be able 10 help
them, for without that conception OF man
God is not there I'm our labor.
BETTER POINT OF VIEW.
When we reach this flame we shall find
that we are looking at things from a new
and better point OF view. There Is such
a thing as climbing too high to get a
good view Of the landscape In a noun
famous country Its easy TO get above the
clouds. That Pharisee who prayed, say
Ing, Il thank God that / am not as other
men are" had made this mistake in his
life. There is nothing remark
able about his experience He was cnly
troubled with very common malady
known as self righteousness He didn't
too high In his own estimation TO see
them. IL one should analyze his trouble
he would find II made up OF about rs per
cent OF Ignorance. and the remainder
false piety
But one thing there was not in It and
that was mercy For mercy not only
teaches equality by nature. but Il also
aids man to see his own life In its true
light and 10 say as the Publican did
God be merciful TO me, a sinner"
"A man to show mercy TO another man
must recognize his own limitations and
reflect that under the same conditions he
might have fallen as far as the other.
VINO knows what this Samaritan thought
when he stopped TO bind the wounds of
this man. He might have thought and
that II he had preceded him
on the Journey he would have been
robbed and wounded instead.
We need 10 get ourselves in the other
mans place. Perhaps when we know
MS story We shall wonder that he did so
we'll.
STRONG FORCES OF SIN.
On what weak natures the strong and
violent forces OF sin break in this world.
Unprotected by friendship or love or
need We be surprised II the will
Yields. On what untrfed and ignorant
Ives the full wish Of the passions and
usts or men come. Would we do better
Than they have done Then will our
righteousness that does not help them
count for US more than their sin will
,ount against them. Think not that the
sod who notes a sparrow in its fall I'M
reeds the soul that rushes TO its doom
iurled there by agencies that reform can
Tot wipe out or the united church OF God
lold In check
Thank God In the closet that you have
'een saved from these pitfalls, but show
'our gratitude to the world by helping
ONE one less fortunate, by giving them
he love and sympathy. by showing them
he mercy that God, through home and
riends. has chosen YOU
This is the elimination Of mercy. II "a
lot enough that we put ourselves on the
'ame plane or that we see their condf-
ION as are possible TO ourselves under
ess fortunate conditions, 1t Is necessary
hat we assume their sin. their pain.
helr misery as our own and help them
year IL,
THE GROWING GLORY.
To take some OF their burden off their
'houlders and put IL on our own. This |
the crowning glory of the Christ life |
Tohn saw Him as one bearing away the |
ns OF the world. He was the great |
burden bearer of humanity. He came |
'rfef; He did not condemn the sinner, |
nut helped him bear the burden of his |
in IL ds an exalted conception OF God |
'oming nro the world bearing the bur
-lted conception OF man we behold when |
We think OF pure, noble manhood taking /
lpon itself the penalty OF other mems |
ms and bearing IT with n glad heart |
nd a song. IL there come times when |
We are prone TO say all Is vanity. seeing /
he fraiities Of men and women. we /
here are mothers bearing on their hearts
be sins OF husbands and sons. dong IL /
ecause OF love, bearing n In quiet pa
ently, silently. the world not knowing
TO I'm our cities seeing vice and shame |
ampant that there are noble mon and |
somen going to and fro there also and |
harng the penalties Of sin inflicted and 1
ryfng tears and offering hope The good |
amaritans are not dead. There are still |
ONE Pharisees praying on the street cor
ers. but there are large souls, generous
ouls, merciful souls, who know what /
esus meant when he said. desire mercy
nd not sacrihce. and who are without |
ypocricy and cant. shedding their blood
nd giving their lives without stint or
1easure.
MERCY NOT STRAINED.
For them tho quality OF mercy is not
trained. and II you want TO test the
ieantng and the worth of Christianity
est IL by those who are living the life OF
hrist. Grant. however, that we do all
his OF what avail Is e.? Shall we not /
Taste our timer Is not the world hard /
earted and cold? Will not those in need
ccept all that we have TO give and when
hey have done this, will they not turn
leir backs on us and go their way?
The surest way to spoil n harvest IN tho
uman heart Is 10 think about lt while
on are planting the seed.
Besides, "a we sit down calmly and
ven In cold blood and calculate what the
nect VIII be upon IA certain life II We