Sympathy by GEO. WRIGHT.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 12, 1859

Sympathy.

By GEO. WRIGHT.

YES! the joys of Christian fellowship and sympathy are sweet!

"When streaming eyes together flow, For human guilt and human woe, When ardent prayers together rise Like mingling flames in sacrifice."

How beautifully this divine principle is brought out by our blessed Lord in the parable of the good Samaritan. In view of the noble lesson here taught, my soul cries out, Lord, give me a practical sympathy like this. All in a greater or less degree possess this principle in their breast. Hard indeed must be that heart that cannot be melted at some time in view of the misery that surrounds us. But when the love of God takes possession of the soul, then it is that this glorious principle shines out clear. The apostle James tells us, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

When the Spirit of the Lord takes full possession of the soul, we are ready at all times to rejoice with those that do rejoice, and weep with those that weep, to bear each other's burdens, enquire into each other's wants, and consider one another. On this point the poet says in that beautiful hymn in our collection,

"We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear; And often for each other flows, The sympathizing tear."

Jesus, the man of sorrows, wept with Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus. He could sympathize with the bereaved sisters. He is now ascended up on high to be our Advocate, and could the vail be taken away and we see the anxiety depicted on his countenance for his struggling, waiting people, it would melt every heart. Christ is our Head. All who are truly the children of God, are the body. If the body suffers, the head must suffer. We can see thus how it is that he can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. This is clearly set forth in 1 Cor. xii, 26, 27. "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

I have reason to bless the Lord to-day for the light of his divine truth which is being shed on my pathway, and my prayer is that I may prove worthy of a place among his remnant people. Give me to feel that my ways please him who upholds all things by his almighty power, and the kind greetings and confidence of those of "like precious faith," and I ask no more. I trust my sympathies, my life, my all are engaged in this glorious warfare.

Beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, let us copy more and more after the meek and lowly Saviour, strive to walk in the humble path marked out in the blessed word, earnestly strive to enter in at the strait gate. May our motto ever be, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Lord grant that our hearts may continue to beat in sympathy for his glorious truth till he shall come. It will be enough when we hear his voice saying, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And what are the conditions of this abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me." Here the body of Christ is beautifully brought to view, and the intimate relation God's people sustain to their living Head—Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Lord help us to carry out those heavenly principles from a pure heart, for the assurance is that we shall soon be brought to that land where we shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. Amen.

GEO. WRIGHT.

Lapeer, Mich.