p. 91 | The Faults of Others by J. O. Corliss

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 14, 1876

The Faults of Others.

By J. O. Corliss

Too often, men pass judgment upon the actions of their fellow-men without stopping to consider the probabilities in their own cases. Had they been placed under similar circumstances, no doubt they, too, would have been deceived, and would have fallen under the same temptation. Perhaps in the past they have been in the same peculiar position; and because of the forbearance and love manifested toward them by others they have been restored.

It would be well for all who have ability to see the faults of others and expatiate upon them, to read often, consider well, and try to act upon, the language of the apostle: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Gal. 6:1. All men are liable to err, and at such times need pity and help from those who have had similar experiences. Paul assures us that the reason why Jesus is so pitiful and full of tender mercy, and is so well able to succor the tempted, is because he himself has suffered through temptation, yet without sin. Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:15.

We are not always capable of deciding how faulty others are, because we may not know the motives that actuate them; therefore, it is better to consider ourselves before we consent to pass judgment, and leave them to the power of the tempter. We clip from the Shenandoah Valley the following upon this point:—

“Until we can read the heart of another without doubt, and know all the circumstances of his life, all the many links in the chain of accident that has surrounded him, we should not blame him too much or be too wrathful with him. What he has done may be ill, but we cannot tell why he did it or how he may have repented the doing. A moment of strong feeling, an hour of wrath, may turn the feet upon the downward road so hard to retrace. We see one lying at the foot of a precipice, but we do not know how he fell over;—what cruel hand smote him,—what lie betrayed him—nor how he clung vainly to the brink, seeking in vain some helping hand.”

“Pity the fallen wretch, and heal his wound if you can. I believe that, of all the people who need pity, foremost stand those who have done evil deeds. The good find consolation in their own consciences for any sorrows; but the wicked who, doubtless, set out in life meaning to be as good as the best—who sometimes seem to have been the victims of demons bound on their eternal destruction—must be very wretched. Moreover, they must often be amazed as they look back, and remember how once they hoped to be great and honorable and true, and of good report! What boy or girl has not some such aspiration?”

“When a soldier goes to war, and instead of returning crowned with laurels and triumphant, is brought back crippled and maimed, how we pity him; how tenderly we hold him in our thoughts; and I suppose that often in the battle of life one who meant to be a Christian in the fullest sense of the word meets enemies against whom he does bitter battle before they maim his soul and cripple all his good intentions.”

“Pity the wicked, and not for their sakes only, but for your own; for in a certain sort of righteous hate for evil-doers the heart may grow very hard; and to keep it soft and tender until it ceases to beat should be our prayer. And though we may be better than many, dare we be Pharisaical enough to doubt that the angels daily and hourly find cause to pity us for our many faults and failings, and that without forgiveness there were little hope for any, here or hereafter?”

Then, as we hope for forgiveness here after, let us imitate our Saviour; and when we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” we may feel the assurance that God will deal gently and leniently with us, even as we have done by our fellow-men.

J. O. CORLISS.