Sympathy: Its Proper and Improper Application
By Jos. Clarke
No quality of mind is more to be admired than sympathy, if rightly applied; and none more to be detested than this, when misapplied. If you see a person in a suffering condition, you may sympathize with him and relieve him, if consistent, but if inconsistent, you cannot honorably sympathize with his case, or relieve him. Thus the idler, or spendthrift, or drunkard, who, finally, ends his career in disgrace, may have your pity; but your sympathy you withhold. The murderer or thief, who lies awaiting his trial, you would be ashamed to assist with your sympathy, for you would thus be a partaker of his sins, and you would so be regarded. This being the case, in the common affairs of life, you must see that one must be chary of sympathy toward offenders, not only against civil law, but you must be careful lest you sympathize with offenders against moral law. The man who leaves the preacher’s stand to dally with harlots, or immodest women, is already beyond your sympathy; and if he would attempt to obtain it, you would disdain to comfort him. When an offender against the laws of decency finds fault with the court which awards him his penalty, and at the same time admits his guilt, and then shifts his ground and protests his innocence, and attempts to get your sympathy on these grounds, he only increases his guilt. Or he who denies his guilt, then admits and voluntarily confesses his guilt, and afterward protests his innocence, so stultifies himself as to forfeit even your respect. The principle of mercy must not be overstrained. We cannot sympathize with Satan in rebellion, nor can we go beyond reason in sympathy with offenders. To great sinners confessing their guilt, you may offer your sympathy; but when they shift their ground and plead innocence, you abandon their society. Had the prodigal son so proceeded, he would never have won the heart of his father, nor would he have worn the best robe, nor have partaken of the feast prepared. Let offenders beware of obtaining sympathizers, for in so doing, they not only greatly injure others, but they are in danger of rendering their own cases hopeless. You have no doubt noticed that in the church there are two classes of offenders, who, when dealt with, go away, one finding fault and endeavoring to get sympathy; the other leaving in sorrow and silence. The first of these classes seldom return to the fold, the last seldom fail to return. People, when they do wrong, often feel as if they were thought more guilty than they deserve. They do not consider that their offences generally give cause for such conclusions; and if our cotemporaries infer more than is proved, we cannot be surprised. Straight forward confessions are the only confessions the Bible indorses; and a mixing up of confession with protestations of innocence, so does violence to common sense that the common mind revolts at the thought. A denial of the crime we have repeatedly confessed, and which is proved against us, is an act so near idiocy or insanity that we only wish to think of something else as a relief to the pain we have within at so great an inconsistency. A good conscience, preserved inviolate, is a priceless treasure not to be parted with. It is beyond price inestimable; and a mind capable of right decision on all the points which present themselves, in ecclesiastical affairs must have a good conscience as a basis of action, a conscience enlightened by the word of God and quickened by the influences of the Holy Spirit. Never do we need divine discernment more than when we hear of offenses against the church, the manner of their execution and the discipline of the same, especially if the accused sets up a defense. But the course of parties accused and condemned on such occasions is of the greatest importance to themselves, as I have shown, and those who listen to the representations of the offending party are usually to blame for even giving an ear for one moment to the disaffected. Beware of false sympathy. This caused Satan’s fall and brought death into the world, and all our woe. Jos. Clarke.