WE MUST HAVE CHARITY by J. H. W.

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 24, 1881

"WE MUST HAVE CHARITY."

By J. H. W.

INDEED, we must. Without it our religion is vain, and we are nothing. But many are entirely deceived as to the nature of charity. It is not that sympathy which some are ever ready to extend to those in error. We have known some whose kindness of heart was never known to overflow until some one was proved guilty of a grievous wrong, and then they were ready to take him right into their hearts, and become his most valiant defenders against any action which the church might see fit to take.

The Father said unto the Son: "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity." For this he was anointed with the oil of gladness. We should ever cultivate the spirit of Christ; and if we do, we too, shall be haters of iniquity. And this is consistent with the exercise of true charity. Paul says of charity that it "Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth." 1 Cor. 13:6.

We have been associated with three ministers who, while preaching obedience to the commandments of God, were violating both the spirit and letter of the seventh commandment. We have no words to express our abhorrence of such hypocrisy; of such base immorality as this. It would seem that the most common honesty would lead them to renounce their position as teachers of righteousness, and come down from the "sacred desk" which their foul presence disgraced and contaminated. But sin ceases to be sinful in the eyes of the licentious. As Robert Burns said of this sin,—

"——it hardens a' within, And petrifies the feelin'."

This is shown by the fact that, in every case, instead of being humbled by their sin, they excuse and extenuate it. And, strange to say, their excuses are accepted by some, when they ought to increase our distrust of the criminal. When men, and especially ministers, commit this crime and then give "Scripture examples" to justify it, they place themselves beyond the reach of our confidence and sympathy. To thus pervert the word of God to justify their violations of the law of God, is an aggravation of their crime.

No one whose heart is not hardened and whose mind is not blinded would ever cite the case of David to excuse their own adulteries. David was exceedingly penitent, and continually confessed his sin. "My sin is ever before me," said he. But notwithstanding his penitence and confessions, the Lord said the sword should never depart from his house, because he had given the enemies of the Lord great occasion to blaspheme. And they have made ample use of the occasion.

It is strange indeed that those who have taught the word of God to others have never taught themselves. Rom. 2:21, 22. Strange that they do not understand that David's case is set forth in the Scriptures as a warning, and not as an example to follow. Was Peter's blasphemy put on record that we may follow his example? We can hardly believe that they who thus abuse the word of God to uphold sin are sincere in their action. Their purpose is to deceive; selfishness is the controlling motive with them.

"Be not deceived." They who love righteousness and hate iniquity, and have a proper regard for the honor of God and his truth, will not be deceived by any such attempts to justify sin at the expense of God's sacred truth. We are in perilous times. Jesus says that in the last days it will be as it was in the day when Lot went out of Sodom. When we look at the prevalence of "free-lovism," and at the wide-spread reception of the teachings of modern Spiritualism, we are inclined to think that the history of Sodom will be repeated in the last days. There is danger before us. They who accept excuses for gross immoralities, and let their sympathies run toward such crimes, are opening the way for Satan to triumph, and they need not wonder if their own hearts are made to bleed because of his wicked workings. They who teach obedience to "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus"

should be a most exemplary people, avoiding even the appearance of evil. It will be time to extend sympathy to the perpetrators of gross crimes in high places when they show penitence and a spirit of confession. It is safe to turn a deaf ear to excuses and self-justifications, and the honor of the cause of God demands that we do so. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption." Gal. 6:7, 8.

J. H. W.