The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-28

malice or hatred against your neighbors
or your past friend? One of the first
moves of a prosecuting attorney In trying
a criminal is to find a motive for the
crime. The district attorney says to him
self: Here is murdered committed. Who
would be benefited by the death of this
victim?" He always looks for a motive
to trace crime When Senator Leland
Standford's widow died in Honolulu the
news was flashed over the land that she
had been murdered with strichnine. Post
norton examination proved that poison
had been absorbed by the deceased. But
when the motive of the supposed cause
was sought none could be found. If Mrs.
Stamford was murdered the criminal has
gone free because no detective can find
a motiye to trace out the murderer EV-
cry crime. as a rule has a motive. What
motive have you for the sinful hatred
against your neighbor? Because you hate
him do you think ne will be inspired by
love to return to you fourfoid of what
he took? Because you hate him do you
think he will be Influenced to be better
and nobler character? Because you
hate him do you think the old bonds If
affection will be knitted together again
Oh, no. Continued wrath may destroy,
but II never yet purified. DIR. Adams
once said, "The angry man is like a ship
sent to sea which hath devil for a
piloti' | say in our dealings with a
brother, bitter, vindictive, hating man
is like pirate sailing under black flag
whose only purpose Is to wreck and not
to help or rescue or save.
We should renounce all our hatreds and
bitternesses and animosties toward our
brothers because these hatreds are ours
ing our spiritual lives as we'll as theirs.
You can denounce your neghbors for
doing wrong You can hate him or de-
spise him. oh, yes. But when you do.
he we'll aware that your own spiritual
life is gradually ebbing away. Week by
week. month by month. year by year. on
account of that bitterness you have been
lifting higher and higher and unsur-
mountable wall between you and God.
Brother sister. it Is high time you tore
down that obstructing wall 1t is high
time you consumed that hatred in the
confederation of the setting sun. It is de-
stroying your spiritual hopes. There is
no doubt about it-you cannot love your
God with all your soul and mind and
strength and hate your neighbor at the
same time.
Forgiveness of Others.
Can you not forgive others as you
would have Christ forgive you2 Not many
years ago, wrote a famous writer mis-
sionary was preaching TO a crowd Of ma
tives In far off india Suddenly a native
who stood behind him lifted hugo stick
to crush in the missionary's skull, but
happily the blow fell short. The crowd
would have torn this would-be murderer
to pieces but the speaker commanded
them to stop. XIII him! XIII himr'
cried the multitude. mo" said the mis-
sionary. 'T will not allow you to kill
him" Then, turning to the affrighted
man, he said: Brother. my religion
commands me TO love my enemies and to
do good to those who injure me. / for
give you, brother But remember that
though you escaped punishment at my
hands you cannot escape punishment at
the hands Of God unless you repent Of
your sins" Men. women. can you for
give as this missionary forgave? Christ
bids you to forgive. Can you not feel, as
the missionary taught that when you
are hating your brother you are hating
Christ? There IS no escape from eternal
punishment unless you repent Of your
sins and forgive those who have injured
YOU. See the sun Is set, 1t Is now the
twilight hour Hear We not the divine
commandment: BE We angry and sin
not. Let not the sun go down upon your
WRATH
In closing / would draw a picture OF
the evening hour which we used to spend
in our childhood days and find In 1t