The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-17

in all its perfection. God is Him.
self the golden link Of charity. one
with the blessed in Heaven and
with tie faithful on earth. Time
shall not change it and eternity
shall not sever it.
To Us, charity is the habit given
to US by God through which we
love Him purely for himself and
ourself and our neighbor for the
love of God.
Early history relates to us Ia
mentablc limitations in the first
principles Of charity.
To the Greeks and the Romans,
human person had not inherent
worth. He was important only as
a citizen. The majority Of the sub
: cts of these two great powers be-
ing slaves were without any legal
rights. The poor were whether
slaves or freemen, were treated
with contempt or pity akin to con-
tempt. The poor, therefore, lived
in an atmosphere of discomfort
while Stoicism discouraged all
sympathy. Human wretchedness
was regarded as a minor evil. or as
no evil at all. Gifts to beggars
were few and usually for motives
entirely selfish.
Although Athens and Rome have
received from some historians a
tribute Of praise, authorized rec
crds conclusively prove that such
praise came from the pen which
loved nat:cry more than truth.
In the annals Of justice, it is re-
corded that Hebrew charity was the
first OF high order, being prompt
ed by obedience to God and genu-
inc pity for the unfortunate. One
of it's ideals was thus expressed IN
the words of Jehovah There snail
be no poor among you.
Owners were warned that their
possessions were from God and
thev were but stewards. The WI
dow, the orphan, the blind and the
lame were objects Of special COM
passion. The poor were permitted
to gather for themselves, portions
of the crop left in the field by the
reaper. Labor was raised to a high
er dignity, heather principles grad
ually vanished and the first true
glimpse of a nation practlclns
Gods idea Of charity is given to
US in the home Judaism.
The nations Of the world mui-
tiplied and human ambitions be-
came more and more diversified. To
many of the people Of the then
known world, Morality passed
through an epoch of decline. AM
bition, averice, selfishness and IN
human weakness Lecame the popu-
lar idols of many. Respect TOR oth-
ers' names, for others goods grad
ually declined under the reign OF
the Ceasers and brotherly love by
many was scorned and considered
cowardly in the eyes OF men.
Charity among many was at the
pinnacle of its decline.
The God Of the Jew became also
the God Of the gentle, and for the
first time in the then four thou
sand years, history Of the world,
the God-fearing Israelite and the
God-fearing Christian became one
at least in the bond Of charity.
With the dawn of Christianity,
charity began it's real conquest
In Christ we have the true eN-
ample of brotherly love. Durlns
His earthly reign, He is pictured 70
us in the cast of the Good Shep-
herd. the Father of the Prodigal
the Good Samaritan, the Curer OF
the Lepers, the JOY of CANA and
the Comforter at the grave OF Laz-
arus and at the bier of a widow,
son. These and many other eX-
amples, prove to us that the heart
of the Son of God throbs in ac-
cord with all humanity, be 1t IN Joy
be it in sorrow.
His example was naturally ef-
fective. From Bethlehem to Cal
vary He is to us the perfect mod
el of charity, and His words to us
are Come follow me-.
Pagan prosecutions diminish and
the inhuman barbarisms Of the Ro-
man empire submitted to the soul
stirring teaching and example OF
the early Christian.
Christ came to conquer not the
body but the soul and the heart OF
men. He sends his Apostles into
this work Of conquest. They come
not with clanlor Of arms or the
tun1ult of warfare. but imbued With
the spirit Of Him, who said Love
YOUR enemies, do good for those
who hate you and pray for those
who persecute you, that you may
be called the children Of your Faith
er who is in Heaven
We cannot love God unless we
love our neighbor, neither can we
love our neighbor unless We love
God.
Charity is a virtue and with God
and man operates vice versa.
The obligation to perform acts
of charity is taught in US both by
I.evelation and by reason. Under
the former head may be cited the
words of Christ Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. AS YOU
would that men should do to YOU
do you also to them in like man
ner," and particularly the descrip-
ton of the good from the bad al
the final judgment.
Reason tells us we ought to love
our neighbors since they are chill
dren of God. since they are our