WITHOUT PARTIALITY

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 8, 1858

WITHOUT PARTIALITY.

Partiality is the order of this world, but the wisdom that is from above is without partiality. Christians should be like their Lord, with whom there is no respect of persons. They should be impartial among themselves, and impartial towards the world.

Impartiality does not consist in esteeming the good and the bad alike; but in esteeming all in accordance with their true character, without respect of persons in regard to wealth, popularity, numbers, profession, or any external circumstance.

It has been a custom among the different sects professing christianity, for the older, more popular, and more corrupt, to treat with contempt and ridicule the younger, humbler and purer sects—purer while little and persecuted—and to sneer them down by giving them some nickname, such, for example, as Methodist Christ-ian, Campbellite, &c. But as each taunted and slandered sect becomes of age, and takes rank with the older and more popular sects, they seem to forget the treatment they have received in their infancy, and join in a crusade against every rising sect, opposing with the greatest zeal such as have Bible truths which come in contact with their creeds.

But we, brethren in the present truth, must look upon sects with impartiality. Nothing should be said or done to create a prejudice against any, or to favor any already existing. On the other hand no respect should be paid to any on account of their standing with a more popular sect. It is our business to seek for the jewels of the Lord, wherever they may be scattered, and to treat all sects alike in a kind and courteous manner.

Let us take an example or two. Here is a moral well-disposed man, but he is called a Universalist. His creed, we know, is wrong, like all other creeds of human origin. There are a great many wicked men that profess that creed, and so we can say of the other creeds. Shall we not treat him with all the courtesy with which we treat others of equal morality professing a different creed? Perhaps he may have been driven into his present position by the popular errors of natural immortality and endless torments. Shall we despise him while we esteem the other?

And here is a poor deluded Spiritualist, caught in the snare of Satan's last deception, and in the broad road to destruction. But perhaps he is innocent and ignorant of the great transgressions into which Spiritualism is leading its followers. Perhaps he has been charmed into this delusion with the pleasing idea of holding converse with the loved and the lost. And having the foundation of Spiritualism laid in all his early religious training, in the doctrine of the consciousness of departed spirits, he is well prepared to take another step in “progression,” and this has made him a Spiritualist.

Now shall we contemn this person, while we treat those popular sectaries, who hold fast the foundation of Spiritualism in all their creeds, with respect and courtesy? Nay verily. But we will treat them all of every sect with christian courtesy—all whose moral character entitles them to a respectable standing among men. Some have been recovered from this snare of the enemy by turning their attention to Bible truth; and others may be. And certainly it can do no harm to treat the most wicked with kindness and forbearance.

Now if I have written these few lines “without partiality,” it will not be denied that, in this respect, I have done well. If otherwise, I hope by the grace of God to do better in the future for it is my earnest desire to “do nothing by partiality.” R. F. C.