p. 188 | Untitled article by A. S. HUTCHINS

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · September 3, 1867

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 12

BE MERCIFUL,

By A. S. HUTCHINS

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” Luke vi, 36. These words of the compassionate Redeemer, spoken to his disciples, while instructing them what course to pursue toward their enemies, should awaken in all of our hearts the inquiry, “Am I showing mercy to my fellow-men, as I would have the God of all mercies, show to me? Do I warn the erring, as I would be warned? Do I pity, and forgive those who trespass against me, as I would be forgiven of our Father in Heaven? Do I cherish a kind, tender, and affectionate spirit toward all, as I would have cherished toward me?”

Says the apostle, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel [margin, complaint] against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Col. iii, 12, 13.

Let each one of us dear brethren, examine our hearts closely, and try our lives by this scripture, and learn ere it is too late, whether or not, we are living agreeably thereunto. If we are, we may expect to obtain mercy; for says Jesus, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matt. v, 6.

But let no one imagine himself possessed of this gracious-characteristic of the child of God, however compassionate or clement he may be to man, if he possesses not a spirit of kindness and tenderness to his beasts. To be merciful is to be “unwilling to give pain; to be compassionate; tender; not cruel.”—Webster.

Now as I pen these few lines, more for the consideration of those who may read them than for those who never will see them, I ask you in love, dear reader, Does the daily treatment which your dumb beasts receive at your hand, show you to be a merciful man? Look at your noble ox or your patient horse; think of the care you give him; think how you drive and use him; and settle the question impartially. Are you unwilling to give him pain? Or do you in a manner most cruel, whip that poor, half-fed, and over-worked horse, simply because he gives back before the heavy load for want of strength, or because his pace grows tardy from hunger and fatigue?

Look at that kind and faithful beast to which God has not given power to speak for himself. See his bony frame. Count the marks of the cruel lash which your strong hand has made while trying to whip life into him day after day. Think of the sad and pitiful tale that beast would tell, of the reproofs he would utter, could he speak for himself, as did Balaam’s, but once. He needs good care, a proper amount of good food, and tender treatment to give him strength, courage, and life, a thousand times more than he needs to be whipped all the way through life. Says Solomon, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.” Prov. xii, 10. Taking this text, as a measurement of our righteousness, how does this matter stand with you, my dear friend and brother? You and I must soon appear before the Judge of all the earth, to give an account to him how we have improved our privileges here, and how used the blessings of this life. Shall we be prepared to hear it said of us, Well done, good and faithful servant? Hoping we may, and that our lives may ever give evidence of a subdued, sanctified, tender, Christian spirit, I leave this subject with you by adding the following lines from another who has thought and spoken on the same point:

“A man of kindness to his beast is kind, But brutal actions show a brutal mind; Remember He who made thee, made the brute, Who gave thee speech and reason, formed him mute, He can’t complain; but God’s all-seeing eye Beholds thy cruelty; he hears his cry. He was designed thy servant and thy drudge; But know that his Creator is thy Judge.”

A. S. HUTCHINS.

Health Institute, B. C., Mich.