The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-03-30
Mr.. Wells Address.


st. Luke VI, 3G.37: Be ye there
fore merciful; as your Father also is
merclful. Judge not that ye be not
judged Condemn not and ye shall
not be condemned; forgive and ye
shall be forgiven.
These are among the closing words
of the Sermon on the Mount. They
are very full of practical religion
They set forth the spirit of the re-
ligion taught by our Blessed Lord.
In another part OF Holy Scripture we
are taught that the highest christian
virtue is charity and that being desti-
tute of 1t the protesting follower be
comes as sounding brass and as
tinkling cymbal. The teaching is that
in proportion as we become imbued
with true piety, we become broad, lib
eral and charitable in our judgments
of others. That we become tender,
passionate and merciful to the err
ing and the unfortunate. that we COM
mserate with the erring and the fall
en-. The psalmist says of God that
He Is good to all and that His tender
mercies are over all His works. That
He careth for all, that He sendeth
rain upon the unjust and upon the
just.
The average cast of human nature
is quite otherwise disposed. There is
much generous and kind feeling dis.
played in mems treatment of each
other, but there is an equal, If not
larger share of contrary sort. 1t
has been said, and truthfully no doubt,
that mans regard for man, apart
from selfish interests, is not exces
sively large" Certain 1t is that his
generous sympathy and sworn friend
ship are often found wanting when
tested by conflicting interests. Many
warm friendships have, when thus
tested, been found to grow cold.
AS we are to be merciful and com
passionate in our treatment so are
we to be lenient and loving, that is,
full of charity in our judgments. In
juries, censures and unkind words the
christian can forego, knowing that
This is thankworthy, if a man for
suffering wrongfully."
Charitable judgments, lenient treat
ment, free and full forgiveness are the
plainly written requirements of true
christianity.
Hard judgment, an eye for evil rath
er than for good, strained severity
are thorns that prick and hurt those
who use them. They ALLEVIATE the
heart and mind from the tenderer
phases of social life, beget a restless
uneasiness which robs of true peace
and quetness of life. The happy heart
is the one that is full of meekness and
of gentleness, not given to criticism,
or unpleasant comparisons, not ready
to see slight or formulate motive
for hypocrisy in speech or act.
There is dignity and composure
in an honest, frank, open, forbearing,
forgiving spirit which sets at naught
the assaults and wrongs that are put
upon 1t.
The world is full of opportunity for
the exercise of charity. There are
to be recovered, injured ones to be
defended and all manner of wrongs
to be righted. And all by those who
have the power, and social standing
and strength of character to bestow
the needed support to those in trou-
bic. We are not to forget either that
we ourselves are not already perfect
when seeking opportunity to supply
the deficiencies of others. The Savior
reminds us that we may possibly over
look greater faults in ourselves than
we find in our neighbors. A spirit not
given to magnifying defects, not CEN
serious, not prying after the evil
one worthy of the highest commenda-
tion. True piety is more concerned
to be right itself than to seek to
bring to light the failings and faults
of another. 1t is an easy thing to sit
in judgment upon another-much of
the zeal expended in setting others
Alright might be expended with great
propriety and profit upon those who
manifest 1t. There is a zeal which
| fattens on the flesh OF its fellows, that
loves to feed on others failings, ever
on the lookout for other peoples faults
and wrongdoing and blunders, and
never slow to spread and magnify
them. They see the notes in the eyes
of their fellow travellers, their own
massive beams being held in shadow
All such zeal the Savior calls hypoc-
risy. True piety remembers its own
shortcomings and is not given to swift
judgment. 1t is most concerned about
its own standing before God and it
deals gently with the faults of by
standers.
1t is well also to remember that it
is not an evidence of virtue, holiness
or saintliness for men to be facile in
discovering defects in others. A zeal
for censure may exist without a zeal