Sympathy and Charity Toward Criminals

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 24, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 45.

Sympathy and Charity Toward Criminals

WHEN we talk against sympathizing with a criminal, some people will accuse us of a lack of charity. Such persons do not know the meaning either of sympathy or charity. We may pity a criminal condemned to death; we may pity him because of his fate, and because of his lawless disposition. But we may not sympathize with him, for that implies a fellow-feeling; it indicates that we are at heart a partaker of his crimes. Any feeling which leads one to try to save a criminal from just punishment, does not arise from charity. Such a feeling argues disregard for the law, but charity rejoices not in iniquity, but exalts law.