Humanity Not Christianity.
By Frank Hope
"THAT man has given more to the poor than any man in the town; now that's what I call being a noble Christian," is the remark that a friend made a few days ago. This is also a sample of the opinion of quite a large class of people; they hold that because a man is benevolent he must naturally be a Christian, but this does not necessarily follow. A man may love the poor, sympathize with those in distress, and in the fullness of his heart relieve the wants of the pauper, and yet not be a Christian. He gives for humanity's sake, while the Christian gives only for Christ's sake. Humanity must not be mistaken for Christianity. Many noted highwaymen have given largely to the poor, but of what they robbed from the rich. That they possessed humanity no one will doubt, but there was not a particle of Christianity about them. The virtue in humanity's gift lays in the amount given, but the test in the Christian's gift is in the amount that's left behind; and while humanity rejoices in having given so much, Christianity will weep because she has no more to give. The gift for humanity's sake is good, but to give for Christ's sake is better. The Pharisee who ostentatiously cast in of his abundance pales into insignificance before the poor widow who cast in her all. Says Christ, "For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always." Christ first, the poor afterward. Had Mary given the money to the poor she would have done well, but in that she gave it to Christ she did better. Had she given for humanity's sake, three hundred souls would each have had the temporal satisfaction of a pennyworth of bread, but in that she did it for Christ's sake, millions have been cheered and encouraged while reading of her devotion and the tenderness of Christ. This is all expressed by Paul, in a single sentence: "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor . . . and have not charity, I am nothing." To feed the poor is humanity, but charity is Christianity. Humanity is transitory and passes away. Christianity is eternal, and, like a river, is continually fed by countless tiny tributaries that, however small and powerless in themselves, all combine to form one golden current that flows into a far more exceeding and eternal sea of glory.