CHRISTIAN CHARITY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 20, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 38.

CHRISTIAN CHARITY.

1 Peter 4:8: "Charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

An eminent painter was requested by Alexander the Great to sketch his likeness. Alexander had a scar upon his brow, the result of a sword-thrust. For a time the artist was perplexed as to how he might make a good likeness of the king, and yet not show this deformity. He finally hit upon the expedient of having the monarch seated on his throne with his head slightly resting upon his hand, thus concealing the scar. When we sketch the characters of others, let us kindly lay our hands over their scars; and when others come to sketch us, perhaps they also will lay the hand of charity over our scars, for we have them, too. Thus shall each preserve and set forth the beauty of the other, and forget the deformity that more or less mars us all. Jesus Christ takes away our scars, and places His own beauty upon us. Let His Spirit actuate us.