A Rule of Charity by L. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 24, 1905

A Rule of Charity

By L. A. S.

THERE is a rule of Christianity which says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” The mere appearance of evil is not evil in itself, as between the individual and God; but it gives occasion for impressions to be received and reports started which may work serious injury to the cause of righteousness. The Christian will be careful to pursue a course which will jealously guard the interests of this cause. There are some individuals, however, who, while they carefully remember this injunction of the Scripture, seem entirely to forget that there is another rule equally important which says, “Charity . . . thinketh no evil.” They are ready to seize upon any appearance of evil in others and make it a subject of comment and of gossip, severely criticizing them for permitting such appearances, pursuing a course equally or even more reprehensible themselves, and with a zeal which indicates a decided relish for the task. It seems never to occur to such that in judging others they are condemning themselves.

It is to place Christianity in a proper light before the world, that Christians are required to avoid even the appearance of evil. While such appearances are better avoided at all times, it ought not to be necessary for an individual to go to extreme lengths of inconvenience to avoid any possible occasion for evil surmising on the part of those who profess to be governed by the principle of Christian charity. It ought not to be expected that those who make such a profession will vie with the world in the indulgence of this characteristic propensity of the carnal mind.

The appearance of evil would not so often be productive of evil if those who are so ready to condemn it as unchristian would be equally ready to practise the precept of Christianity, “charity . . . thinketh no evil.”

L. A. S.