SENSITIVENESS by J. CLARKE.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 1, 1859

SENSITIVENESS.

By J. CLARKE.

1 Cor. xiv, 8. "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?"

There is no more excellent quality of mind than sensitiveness, when properly directed and controlled; for it is the very handmaid of discernment, and without it man would be indeed a torpid, senseless creature.

But when it gets control of the mind in any respect, when it wins the sway over the judgment, when the reason and will become subject to this quality, then the mind becomes like a house of confusion, where noisy servants control the passionate fickle master.

Sensitiveness, like the fancy or imagination, must be controlled, perfectly under subjection, or trouble ensues, trouble for the victim, and trouble for his associates.

A. is naturally stubborn, and set, and willful, and friends have so often told him of it, that he has become very sensitive on this point. You may tell him of any other fault but this—on this point he is sensitive: you might as well lance a cancer, as to hint to A. that he is stubborn. He will fly into a passion in a moment. You must paddle around and around, and when you go to him alone, as Jesus told you, with his fault, you must speak of something else. It is so obnoxious, you must call it firmness, or some other word, which very likely would not convey your meaning.

C. is a tattler, but he has so often been reminded of it by his relatives, that he has got to think them very unjust and slanderous. It is not so; he denies it; he is provoked to say it is slander—so he believes, and if you go to him, as Jesus told you, with his fault, you must not speak of the very fault itself; it would probe too deep. You must not do so; you must go round and round, and must call it "sociability," or "too great license," or "freedom," or some other term, soft and pleasant, which very likely would not convey your meaning.

Z. is fickle, and his friends from childhood up have reminded him betimes of it; but Z. takes no heed, does not believe it, gets into a passion if you apply that term to him, calls it vile slander. In short, Z. is so sensitive on this point that he would sooner lie down in hell than heed the reproof, and humble himself and reform.

Y. is dishonest in his dealings, has always been in some difficulty with monetary and commercial affairs, is pestered with mortgages, notes, sheriffs, constables, &c. His friends have long striven to show him his faults, but he can't bear that word "dishonest;" it cuts too deep. You must take a course of circumlocution around the sore; but when you unsheath the lance—take care; Y. is in a passion; he is sensitive on that point especially.

L. is passionate; so much so that he may be termed "ugly in his temper;" but so often have friend and foe reminded him of it, that he hates the very word. You must not go to him and tell him the very fault itself, but you must use some other word, as hasty, or harsh, which very probably would not fully convey your meaning.

G. is proud, and all the world see it (the world have sharp eyes for discovering faults in Christians); his friends see it, and mourn over it; pride makes him overbearing, and forward, and censorious; but G. thinks himself one of the meekest. You cannot provoke him more, or rather, try him more (for G. looks with contempt upon an angry person), than to tell him he is proud. He will not resent it, to be sure; for he is not resentful; but if you go to him, as Jesus has told you, and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, he will perhaps be deeply grieved that you should take up with the world in persecuting him. He is sensitive on this point.

H. is selfish; but O how he abominates a selfish person! Tell him he is selfish: you might as well enter upon difficulty at once; it is not so; indeed it is not! you have got on the "world's spectacles;" you do not see aright. H. protests; he is not selfish; has he not for many years supported his grand-child without asking any assistance from any one? and frequently are his doors open to strangers. True, he has a number of farms, but he may want them before he dies. It will not do to waste his estate by lessening his acres. He has money at interest, to be sure, but has he not come right down from 20 to 10 per cent., since coming into this message? H. glories in the message, for it has been such a comfort to him, and he gives five dollars at a time, sometimes; and although you protest that he is worth his tens of thousands, yet he argues that he has given pretty liberally, although his brother in the faith, with no house of his own, and a large family to support, has more than doubled his subscription. You must not tell H. that he is selfish; he is sensitive on this point. You must say he is close, or some other soft word. In short, you must not do as Jesus has told you, but you must do as the Devil tells you: you must speak smooth things to this people, sow pillows for their dear heads to repose calmly upon, until it is too late to do anything, and then you must take up the wail, Too late! too late! too late!!

Deeply would the enemy instill this into your heart. Keep back; don't speak out; it will make enemies; it will do no good; let your brother go on; by and by tell him; but you need only hint, lest you should offend him.

May God direct us in the true way, and to avoid extremes. But I ask in sincerity and candor, if when a brother sees a fault in a brother, and goes to him with it, can he avoid the true issue? Shall he cheat justice of her terms? Shall judgment droop before injustice? Shall lying lips defraud truth of her birthright? I say in the name of truth, Let us be bold, and never let us rob crime of its hideousness, nor attempt to clothe virtue and truth with the habiliments of vice. Let us be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves, remembering that he that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, are alike an abomination to the Lord. May God protect the right, and quench the wrong. J. CLARKE.