And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
God asked where Abel was not because He did not know, but to give the murderer time to reflect and opportunity to confess before judgment. Cain answered with a lying claim of ignorance, joining falsehood to refusal of his duty as elder brother to protect Abel, rejecting the design that all are one family to love and care for with unselfish interest. The answer to his question is yes, every person and every believer is his brother's keeper. That keeping is required by the law of love to neighbor as self, meaning to watch over a brother's welfare, inquire into his wants with kindly sympathy, protect rather than destroy, and lead him to God. To deny it is the spirit of selfish indifference that makes self supreme, passes need and oppression unheeded, and destroys love between brethren, while the converted live humbly and thoughtfully for others' happiness and salvation.
Story and Setting
The question belongs to the history of Cain and Abel, whose opposite characters are revealed in Cain's rebellion and resentment set against Abel's meek submission, and whose lives show a testing of whether they would obey what God required. The whole fourth chapter of Genesis forms its setting, recording Abel as a keeper of sheep and Cain as a tiller of the ground, and tracing a departure from plain divine commands that filled the world with transgression and sin until destruction followed. The confrontation came after Cain murdered Abel from jealousy, because Abel's lamb offering was consumed by fire from heaven while Cain's offering of fruit without a lamb was rejected. That rejection exposed disobedience to the required offering of a slain lamb mingled with blood, which prefigured the shed blood of the Lamb of God for a lost world. Abel justified God's plan and maintained that God is just, while Cain followed his own understanding and will, would not receive counsel, justified his own course, spoke many things against Abel and against the Lord but nothing against himself, and was angry not with himself but with Abel and the Lord when fire did not kindle his offering.
He talked with Abel his brother and then slew him, and this neglect of the required offering led directly to his brother's death and brought the second curse upon the earth. The law Abel obeyed in that offering and life is the same law Satan refused to obey and Adam transgressed, and his holy life testified that keeping God's law is possible and answered Satan's claim that it cannot be kept. Cain rose up against Abel in the field and killed him while talking with him, acting in opposition to God and putting all the blame on Abel and on God. God, who established the system of sacrifices and offerings, saw the whole killing as heavenly Watcher and Witness.
The murder is the first example of the enmity declared between the serpent and the seed of the woman, between Satan and his subjects and Christ and His followers. Cain stands for those who refuse to obey God, who support falsehood in opposition to truth and range themselves on the side of the prince of darkness, while Abel stands for those who steadfastly adhere to God's commands and, rooted and grounded in the truth, stand shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart in defense of the law of Jehovah. Through sin Satan gained control of the human race, but Christ enables men to cast off his yoke, and whenever through faith in the Lamb of God a soul renounces the service of sin Satan's wrath is kindled, so that those who have yielded themselves to do Satan's will try to oppress God's servants. When Cain, moved by the spirit of the wicked one, saw that he could not control Abel he was so enraged that he destroyed his life.
Abel's death marks the beginning of persecution in human history and the first persecution recorded after the fall, in Cain's persecution of Abel. It stands at the head of a line of persecution against bearers of God's message that runs through to the last persecution in prophecy against those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast, so that indulging even in the slightest degree the spirit of persecution against those bearing God's message repeats that un-Christlike course and brings woe. Wherever any stand in vindication of the righteousness of the law of God the same spirit is manifested against them, the spirit that through all ages has set up the stake and kindled the burning pile for the disciples of Christ. Those cruelties are instigated by Satan and his hosts because they cannot force the follower of Jesus to submit to their control, and it is the rage of a vanquished foe, for every martyr of Jesus dies a conqueror. The history warns to the close of earth's history against placing own judgment against God's, choosing own way and will and honoring own imaginations, for own will followed blends with Satan's will until the tempter takes possession of the mind and masters and controls mind and judgment.
God Confronts Cain
God soon called the murderer to answer for his crime, after giving him time to reflect. He asked where Abel was in order to give opportunity to confess sin before judgment came.
The question meant no lack of knowledge on His part. He already knew the sin, being acquainted with every act and even the thoughts of the heart.
The asking exposed the murder. It declared that Abel's blood cried to Him from the ground. Upon that exposure came the charge of bloodguilt and the curse of the ground against Cain, even a second cursing of the earth from the earth that had opened to receive Abel's blood, so that it would no longer yield its strength to him.
Cain Denies Guilt
Cain answered that he did not know where his brother was, and that was a guilty lie and an evasive falsehood meant to hide his guilt. He knew where Abel was, but he used deception to conceal what he had done, following the example of Satan as liar and murderer. When asked, he lied to God Himself, denying knowledge he plainly possessed.
To that false claim of ignorance he joined a refusal of responsibility for his brother. As the elder brother it belonged to him to care for Abel and to protect him from evil, yet he rejected that duty. His selfish denial of duty for his younger brother exposed guilt and hatred and selfishness. It rejected the design that human beings are one family who must respect and love one another with pure unselfish interest in one another's welfare.
Such falsehood to conceal guilt showed he had gone so far in sin that he had lost the sense of God's continual presence and greatness and omniscience. Sin had led him to lose a sense of God's presence and knowledge, even while God knew his every act and even the thoughts of his heart. Yet he knew the enormity of the murder he had done and of the lie he uttered to hide it, and still he remained rebellious and would not confess before judgment.
Judgment After Murder
Because of the sin the earth was cursed a second time from the earth that had opened to receive Abel's blood, so that the ground would no longer yield its strength to Cain. The murder brought both bloodguilt and the curse of the ground against him. He became a fugitive and vagabond wanderer on the earth. Abel's death was the first death witnessed in Adam's family and it deepened Adam's grief and remorse over his own transgression.
Cain was guilty of murder and falsehood and deserved the sentence of death for his crimes. In mercy God did not execute the first murderer but spared his life and granted him time and opportunity for repentance. Cain refused, and lived only to harden his heart, rebel against divine authority, follow Satan, tempt others, and become the head of a line of bold abandoned sinners. His example and demoralizing teaching corrupted his descendants with violence until it called for destruction by the flood.
Sparing Cain demonstrated to the universe what permitting sin to go unpunished produces. The history proves that long life is not a blessing to the sinner and that great forbearance does not repress wickedness, for the longer men lived the more corrupt and bold and defiant and abandoned they became. The sentence of death upon the fallen race for transgressing God's law is therefore both just and merciful, cutting short a career of unbridled iniquity and freeing the world from hardened rebels as a blessing rather than a curse. As guardian as well as sovereign God cuts off those determined upon rebellion so they will not lead others to ruin, to punish the few in order to save the many. Had the rebels at Sinai been spared as Cain was spared, evils would have followed even greater than resulted from sparing Cain and would have made the earth as corrupt as in the days of Noah.
Cain stands as the example of a murderer. If Abraham had slain Isaac he would have been looked upon as a murderer, a second Cain. Being regarded as a second Cain would have caused his teaching to be rejected and despised and would have destroyed his power to do good to his fellow men.
Keeper Duty Affirmed
To Cain's question the answer is yes: every person is his brother's keeper. Every professed Christian and every believer bears that responsibility for his fellow man in the work of God. Being a keeper means watching watchfully over a brother's welfare, taking an interest in him, and treating him with kindness and love. It is to be asked sincerely of oneself, and to be lived as God's co-worker in alleviating suffering and restoring fellow beings wherever human woe is met. It rejects pride and self-interest and an independent spirit, and draws together in humble, self-denying service and unity in an open-hearted, honest spirit.
That duty is revealed in the law of God contained in the ten commandments, which requires loving God supremely and loving one's neighbor as oneself. God is the common Father and all people are brethren, so those who cooperate with Him do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him, looking with compassion on people of every race as He looks on all the creatures He has made. Keeping therefore requires protecting a brother rather than destroying him and leading him to God rather than leading him away. Using self-interest to gain advantage even when it harms a neighbor violates that command. The nation owes in this a debt of love to the colored race, with restitution ordained for past wrong, and those who took no active part in enforcing enslavement are not relieved from making special efforts to remove as far as possible its sure results.
Keeping means inquiring into a brother's wants, feeling kindly sympathy and not coldly shutting up compassion, helping and favoring and loving him not in word merely but in deed and in action. It binds an erring, burdened brother to the heart with strong Christian cords, by the measure of loving one another as Jesus loved, even to giving life for a brother, because He died for each one. Those in whom Christ is formed will sacrifice for those around them, be the light of the world, and tell of Christ because they cannot hold their peace while many are going to ruin, and carrying truth in a right spirit can save many. For this world's goods and close, covetous dealing no brother must be left to stumble over selfishness to perdition, for that stumbling brother will be required at the keeper's hand.
Each is in great degree responsible for the souls around him, and no one lives to himself. As followers of Christ, those who know the truth are depositories of His truth and grace, held in trust to communicate to others, and if those duties are left undone the brother's blood will be required at their hand. Every act, thought, word, and talent of influence casts into human minds a harvest, either seeds of evil from impulsive movements that make a wrong impression and set in operation unintended results that cannot be gathered up again, or precious fruit bearing heaven's endorsement, so every talent must be guarded by studying and practicing the life and mind of Christ. Neglect and harshness, including sharp, uncourteous, unchristlike words from appointed watchers that push tried, weak, tempted and faltering souls into snares, crush hope and nearly kill a brother, betray souls as Judas betrayed the Saviour and will be brought into strict settlement and judgment. There guilt and innocence are measured according to privilege, circumstances, light and knowledge, and all must give account around the throne of God for blessings bestowed and for souls unsaved that might have been saved, laboring constantly in season and out of season even when those around are insensible to peril.
Denial is the spirit of selfish indifference and independence that refuses responsibility for another. It makes self the idol, spending on personal wants, feelings, taste and eye while God's cause and its poorly provided workers need support, and neglects duty to help others. It sees abuse and oppression and passes by unheeded, omitting little acts of sympathy, kindness, tender compassion and practical relief even to one's own disadvantage, gathering and pleasing self, dealing closely and covetously in a way God despises. Such omission destroys the love that should exist between brethren, denies professed faith, and in a position of power would oppress directly. These seemingly small omissions embody Satan's spirit, character and works, bruise the soul of brother and friend, affect God's plan and cause suffering, and are weighed in the balances of the Sanctuary. The truly converted person never lives that way but is kind, humble and thoughtful of others' happiness, loving his neighbor as himself and doing right because it is right, with eye fixed on Jesus and hope in heaven. He keeps straight on without seeking display or human praise, reflects light from heaven, holds forth the Word of life, walks, talks and works as Christ did, bears precious fruit in home, neighborhood and church, builds character for eternity, and with entire, wholehearted consecration intensely desires to bring others from darkness of error into the marvelous light of righteousness.
As long as that selfish, self-indulgent spirit of Cain that declines to be a laborer together with God prevails in the church, God cannot give the great outpouring of His Spirit without measure that lightens the whole earth with His glory.
Keeper Duty Lived
To be a keeper toward an erring brother is to refuse to leave him unwarned, for the answer to the defiant question is yes, every professed Christian is his brother's keeper. Wrong is often not willful rebellion but spiritual blindness, deception and delusion, so the erring one is not to be treated as an enemy but cherished with kindness and love. He has been bought with a price by the gift of the only begotten Son that believers should not perish but have everlasting life, and the soul who accepts that sacrifice for himself is pledged to special care for his brother who errs. That care works patiently and wisely for those in danger, valuing their souls as those for whom Christ gave His life, rescuing them from Satan's snare and leading them to understand the word and trust in Christ. It admonishes kindly, prays with and for the tempted and straying, gives practical help, and will not leave them to struggle alone.
The same denial is repeated by appointed watchers for souls who look on perishing neighbors and refuse care. By sharp, uncourteous, unchristlike words they push tried, weak, tempted and faltering souls into snares, crush the last spark of hope from the heart, and nearly kill a brother, then scorn them and claim foresight of their failure. Such dealing betrays souls into the enemy's hands as Judas betrayed the Saviour, and all neglect and harshness will be brought into judgment in a strict settlement. Instead every soul needing temporal or spiritual help is neighbor and brother, to be cared for in Christlike tenderness with patience and long forbearance that builds Christian character.
In neighborhood mission the keeper accepts personal responsibility for souls he might help save and makes every possible effort to share truth and bring the life-giving message, knowing neglect while people perish in ignorance and sin brings guilt before God. He does not leave the work to ministers but with wisdom, caution and love labors himself for the salvation of neighbors and friends. With exemplary life and shining light he exerts a holy gathering influence, converses, urges the importance of truth, and refuses distant coldness that fails to lay hold of the cross. He seeks opportunity to warn and help family members and neighbors who do not know truth, rather than acting as though he has no responsibility for their souls. He cares for neighbors in need, especially those struggling in spirit, with sympathy and practical support, living a separate pure example that enlightens others to glorify God and rescues from spiritual ruin instead of withholding effort.
Those at ease feeling no burden must gain a burden until they feel responsibility, carrying souls in distant fields on the heart, supplying money and workers, and giving the warning so hearts are convicted and converted. With selfishness melted and sympathies uncongealed, the heart goes out to the perishing nigh and afar off in home and foreign work, going forth to help a neighbor see truth and serve God acceptably. Such keeping aids others in forming a Christlike character, works in Christ's lines to change the condition of the poor and distressed, and lets pure religion shine as a bright light. It melts barriers of race and caste and removes obstacles barring others from truth as it is in Jesus, going into highways and byways to help sufferers and acting as faithful shepherds going into the wilderness to seek and save the lost and lead back perishing sheep and lambs.
Toward the colored race the duty is a debt of love revealed in the law of the ten commandments to love God supremely and neighbor as self, requiring doing justly, loving mercy, and proving faith by actions. God has ordained restitution for past wrong, and those who took no active part in enforcing enslavement are not relieved but must make special efforts to remove as far as possible its sure result. The selfish refusal must no longer be held, but the gospel must be brought, means instituted to remove degradation, the oppressed sought, the fallen lifted, and help given to those needing assistance. Those proclaiming the last message must not neglect the Southern field as part of God's moral vineyard but labor there as earnestly as for white people, without studying consequences, leaving results with God, working with all God-given capability to redeem wasted time. To eat from abundance while leaving suffering people in the Southern regions starving for education and spiritual advantage is by actions to deny keepership, devouring by neglect those the Lord's by creation and redemption while those with much light and food lose appetite for the Bread of life that would be life and hope and salvation to others.
Rumsellers repeat the denial by refusing responsibility for those harmed by drink, and they are answered as Cain was, with suffering and lost lives held against them. They will be charged with wretchedness brought into homes of those weak in moral power who fall through temptation, and with the misery, suffering, hopelessness, woe and want of mothers and children left without food, clothing, shelter, hope and joy. Likewise men in high trust who license liquor violate the command to love neighbor as self, which requires protecting a brother rather than destroying him and leading him to God rather than away. By authorizing a known deadly evil that enslaves appetite, destroys reason, breeds cruelty and murder, maddens sane men, fills prisons and leaves families in poverty, they bring fellow men's blood upon their hands to answer before God's higher tribunal.
Selfish keepers make self the idol to which everything bows, gratifying feelings, taste and the eye with needless expense while God's cause needs that very means and its servants go poorly clothed and crippled for lack of it. To ask the question in that spirit is to gratify and sacrifice to self first, heed no warning, and evade the truth that each owes self-denial and sacrifice to supply a brother's need. It adds farm to farm and land to land and house to house under excuse of helping the cause, shackling with debt and hard labor to pay for property so little time remains to pray and serve and gain overcoming strength and no means remains to help when needed. It lays treasure on earth, loves truth in word but not in work, loves the world more and God's cause less as attraction to earth strengthens and to heaven weakens, with heart following treasure and example declaring this world home.
Wealthy professed keepers deny poor brethren by looking only to personal interest, refusing concern except to gain advantage at a neighbor's disadvantage, and parting with what is noble and Godlike for selfish ends, contrary to loving neighbor as self. Blinded by love of money they do not discern obligations to God and neighbor, dealing closely, overreaching, exacting to the last farthing from hard-laboring poor brethren, taking advantage of misfortune to add to wealth, and grinding the poor. They pride hard work and shrewdness as reason to hold on, refuse to feel a brother's woe and his claims on sympathy and liberality, heap a curse with wealth, lay stumbling blocks, cut off religious influence, and grieve brethren until prayers and testimonies disgust as hypocrisy, all faithfully recorded and known by the True Witness. The same refusal speaks in the heart when wealthy believers use usury and gain upon distressed brethren while they suffer for lack of means.
In business and charity keepers notice circumstances with justice, equality, compassion and love rather than selfish indifference, especially in deciding wages. They do not refuse orphaned children because care would inconvenience or bring no benefit, for that repeats the evasion of responsibility to save the needy. They give special personal labor to children and youth with Christ's tenderness, patience, long-suffering, kindness and love, instead of hasty unsympathizing judgment that places souls where Satan overcomes them through unfavorable surroundings. Those who house students carry the same interest as for their own children, providing home influence that protects from temptation and leads to Jesus, and must not use the question to evade that charge. They do not limit concern to their own family but bear burdens for young people in their care and those needing salvation, while those long in faith, including women, comfort the discouraged, encourage believers, pray with them in pure love, and make straight paths so the lame are healed rather than turned aside. Neglect that shoves souls off as incorrigible leaves many to die unprepared without Christ who would have become workers together with God, lost to the cause and to Christ, for which account must be given in judgment.
Daily words, actions, conduct, prayers and faithful service affect the purity, sincerity, zeal, consistency and piety of others, reflecting religious light through good works from heartfelt faith. One brother looks after another's interest to help not to hurt and destroy, refusing mere criticism, and if wrong exists goes directly to the wrongdoer to talk and pray with him. So lived, meetings let in bright sunshine from Jesus and become blessing through a life of love. No one lives to himself, every move in full sight of heaven casts a harvest of evil from impulsive impressions never intended and never gathered up again, or precious fruit bearing heaven's endorsement, so every talent of influence must be guarded by studying and practicing Christ's life and mind. Money is then not used for self but invested to help brethren and their enterprises onto vantage ground with encouragement to workers.
God asked where Abel was not because He did not know, but to give the murderer time to reflect and opportunity to confess before judgment.
Cain answered with a lying claim of ignorance, joining falsehood to refusal of his duty as elder brother to protect Abel, rejecting the design that all are one family to love and care for with unselfish interest.
The answer to his question is yes, every person and every believer is his brother's keeper.
That keeping is required by the law of love to neighbor as self, meaning to watch over a brother's welfare, inquire into his wants with kindly sympathy, protect rather than destroy, and lead him to God.
To deny it is the spirit of selfish indifference that makes self supreme, passes need and oppression unheeded, and destroys love between brethren, while the converted live humbly and thoughtfully for others' happiness and salvation.
Story and Setting
The question belongs to the history of Cain and Abel, whose opposite characters are revealed in Cain's rebellion and resentment set against Abel's meek submission, and whose lives show a testing of whether they would obey what God required. The whole fourth chapter of Genesis forms its setting, recording Abel as a keeper of sheep and Cain as a tiller of the ground, and tracing a departure from plain divine commands that filled the world with transgression and sin until destruction followed. The confrontation came after Cain murdered Abel from jealousy, because Abel's lamb offering was consumed by fire from heaven while Cain's offering of fruit without a lamb was rejected. That rejection exposed disobedience to the required offering of a slain lamb mingled with blood, which prefigured the shed blood of the Lamb of God for a lost world. Abel justified God's plan and maintained that God is just, while Cain followed his own understanding and will, would not receive counsel, justified his own course, spoke many things against Abel and against the Lord but nothing against himself, and was angry not with himself but with Abel and the Lord when fire did not kindle his offering.
He talked with Abel his brother and then slew him, and this neglect of the required offering led directly to his brother's death and brought the second curse upon the earth. The law Abel obeyed in that offering and life is the same law Satan refused to obey and Adam transgressed, and his holy life testified that keeping God's law is possible and answered Satan's claim that it cannot be kept. Cain rose up against Abel in the field and killed him while talking with him, acting in opposition to God and putting all the blame on Abel and on God. God, who established the system of sacrifices and offerings, saw the whole killing as heavenly Watcher and Witness.
The murder is the first example of the enmity declared between the serpent and the seed of the woman, between Satan and his subjects and Christ and His followers. Cain stands for those who refuse to obey God, who support falsehood in opposition to truth and range themselves on the side of the prince of darkness, while Abel stands for those who steadfastly adhere to God's commands and, rooted and grounded in the truth, stand shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart in defense of the law of Jehovah. Through sin Satan gained control of the human race, but Christ enables men to cast off his yoke, and whenever through faith in the Lamb of God a soul renounces the service of sin Satan's wrath is kindled, so that those who have yielded themselves to do Satan's will try to oppress God's servants. When Cain, moved by the spirit of the wicked one, saw that he could not control Abel he was so enraged that he destroyed his life.
Abel's death marks the beginning of persecution in human history and the first persecution recorded after the fall, in Cain's persecution of Abel. It stands at the head of a line of persecution against bearers of God's message that runs through to the last persecution in prophecy against those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast, so that indulging even in the slightest degree the spirit of persecution against those bearing God's message repeats that un-Christlike course and brings woe. Wherever any stand in vindication of the righteousness of the law of God the same spirit is manifested against them, the spirit that through all ages has set up the stake and kindled the burning pile for the disciples of Christ. Those cruelties are instigated by Satan and his hosts because they cannot force the follower of Jesus to submit to their control, and it is the rage of a vanquished foe, for every martyr of Jesus dies a conqueror. The history warns to the close of earth's history against placing own judgment against God's, choosing own way and will and honoring own imaginations, for own will followed blends with Satan's will until the tempter takes possession of the mind and masters and controls mind and judgment.
God Confronts Cain
God soon called the murderer to answer for his crime, after giving him time to reflect. He asked where Abel was in order to give opportunity to confess sin before judgment came.
The question meant no lack of knowledge on His part. He already knew the sin, being acquainted with every act and even the thoughts of the heart.
The asking exposed the murder. It declared that Abel's blood cried to Him from the ground. Upon that exposure came the charge of bloodguilt and the curse of the ground against Cain, even a second cursing of the earth from the earth that had opened to receive Abel's blood, so that it would no longer yield its strength to him.
Cain Denies Guilt
Cain answered that he did not know where his brother was, and that was a guilty lie and an evasive falsehood meant to hide his guilt. He knew where Abel was, but he used deception to conceal what he had done, following the example of Satan as liar and murderer. When asked, he lied to God Himself, denying knowledge he plainly possessed.
To that false claim of ignorance he joined a refusal of responsibility for his brother. As the elder brother it belonged to him to care for Abel and to protect him from evil, yet he rejected that duty. His selfish denial of duty for his younger brother exposed guilt and hatred and selfishness. It rejected the design that human beings are one family who must respect and love one another with pure unselfish interest in one another's welfare.
Such falsehood to conceal guilt showed he had gone so far in sin that he had lost the sense of God's continual presence and greatness and omniscience. Sin had led him to lose a sense of God's presence and knowledge, even while God knew his every act and even the thoughts of his heart. Yet he knew the enormity of the murder he had done and of the lie he uttered to hide it, and still he remained rebellious and would not confess before judgment.
Judgment After Murder
Because of the sin the earth was cursed a second time from the earth that had opened to receive Abel's blood, so that the ground would no longer yield its strength to Cain. The murder brought both bloodguilt and the curse of the ground against him. He became a fugitive and vagabond wanderer on the earth. Abel's death was the first death witnessed in Adam's family and it deepened Adam's grief and remorse over his own transgression.
Cain was guilty of murder and falsehood and deserved the sentence of death for his crimes. In mercy God did not execute the first murderer but spared his life and granted him time and opportunity for repentance. Cain refused, and lived only to harden his heart, rebel against divine authority, follow Satan, tempt others, and become the head of a line of bold abandoned sinners. His example and demoralizing teaching corrupted his descendants with violence until it called for destruction by the flood.
Sparing Cain demonstrated to the universe what permitting sin to go unpunished produces. The history proves that long life is not a blessing to the sinner and that great forbearance does not repress wickedness, for the longer men lived the more corrupt and bold and defiant and abandoned they became. The sentence of death upon the fallen race for transgressing God's law is therefore both just and merciful, cutting short a career of unbridled iniquity and freeing the world from hardened rebels as a blessing rather than a curse. As guardian as well as sovereign God cuts off those determined upon rebellion so they will not lead others to ruin, to punish the few in order to save the many. Had the rebels at Sinai been spared as Cain was spared, evils would have followed even greater than resulted from sparing Cain and would have made the earth as corrupt as in the days of Noah.
Cain stands as the example of a murderer. If Abraham had slain Isaac he would have been looked upon as a murderer, a second Cain. Being regarded as a second Cain would have caused his teaching to be rejected and despised and would have destroyed his power to do good to his fellow men.
Keeper Duty Affirmed
To Cain's question the answer is yes: every person is his brother's keeper. Every professed Christian and every believer bears that responsibility for his fellow man in the work of God. Being a keeper means watching watchfully over a brother's welfare, taking an interest in him, and treating him with kindness and love. It is to be asked sincerely of oneself, and to be lived as God's co-worker in alleviating suffering and restoring fellow beings wherever human woe is met. It rejects pride and self-interest and an independent spirit, and draws together in humble, self-denying service and unity in an open-hearted, honest spirit.
That duty is revealed in the law of God contained in the ten commandments, which requires loving God supremely and loving one's neighbor as oneself. God is the common Father and all people are brethren, so those who cooperate with Him do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him, looking with compassion on people of every race as He looks on all the creatures He has made. Keeping therefore requires protecting a brother rather than destroying him and leading him to God rather than leading him away. Using self-interest to gain advantage even when it harms a neighbor violates that command. The nation owes in this a debt of love to the colored race, with restitution ordained for past wrong, and those who took no active part in enforcing enslavement are not relieved from making special efforts to remove as far as possible its sure results.
Keeping means inquiring into a brother's wants, feeling kindly sympathy and not coldly shutting up compassion, helping and favoring and loving him not in word merely but in deed and in action. It binds an erring, burdened brother to the heart with strong Christian cords, by the measure of loving one another as Jesus loved, even to giving life for a brother, because He died for each one. Those in whom Christ is formed will sacrifice for those around them, be the light of the world, and tell of Christ because they cannot hold their peace while many are going to ruin, and carrying truth in a right spirit can save many. For this world's goods and close, covetous dealing no brother must be left to stumble over selfishness to perdition, for that stumbling brother will be required at the keeper's hand.
Each is in great degree responsible for the souls around him, and no one lives to himself. As followers of Christ, those who know the truth are depositories of His truth and grace, held in trust to communicate to others, and if those duties are left undone the brother's blood will be required at their hand. Every act, thought, word, and talent of influence casts into human minds a harvest, either seeds of evil from impulsive movements that make a wrong impression and set in operation unintended results that cannot be gathered up again, or precious fruit bearing heaven's endorsement, so every talent must be guarded by studying and practicing the life and mind of Christ. Neglect and harshness, including sharp, uncourteous, unchristlike words from appointed watchers that push tried, weak, tempted and faltering souls into snares, crush hope and nearly kill a brother, betray souls as Judas betrayed the Saviour and will be brought into strict settlement and judgment. There guilt and innocence are measured according to privilege, circumstances, light and knowledge, and all must give account around the throne of God for blessings bestowed and for souls unsaved that might have been saved, laboring constantly in season and out of season even when those around are insensible to peril.
Denial is the spirit of selfish indifference and independence that refuses responsibility for another. It makes self the idol, spending on personal wants, feelings, taste and eye while God's cause and its poorly provided workers need support, and neglects duty to help others. It sees abuse and oppression and passes by unheeded, omitting little acts of sympathy, kindness, tender compassion and practical relief even to one's own disadvantage, gathering and pleasing self, dealing closely and covetously in a way God despises. Such omission destroys the love that should exist between brethren, denies professed faith, and in a position of power would oppress directly. These seemingly small omissions embody Satan's spirit, character and works, bruise the soul of brother and friend, affect God's plan and cause suffering, and are weighed in the balances of the Sanctuary. The truly converted person never lives that way but is kind, humble and thoughtful of others' happiness, loving his neighbor as himself and doing right because it is right, with eye fixed on Jesus and hope in heaven. He keeps straight on without seeking display or human praise, reflects light from heaven, holds forth the Word of life, walks, talks and works as Christ did, bears precious fruit in home, neighborhood and church, builds character for eternity, and with entire, wholehearted consecration intensely desires to bring others from darkness of error into the marvelous light of righteousness.
As long as that selfish, self-indulgent spirit of Cain that declines to be a laborer together with God prevails in the church, God cannot give the great outpouring of His Spirit without measure that lightens the whole earth with His glory.
Keeper Duty Lived
To be a keeper toward an erring brother is to refuse to leave him unwarned, for the answer to the defiant question is yes, every professed Christian is his brother's keeper. Wrong is often not willful rebellion but spiritual blindness, deception and delusion, so the erring one is not to be treated as an enemy but cherished with kindness and love. He has been bought with a price by the gift of the only begotten Son that believers should not perish but have everlasting life, and the soul who accepts that sacrifice for himself is pledged to special care for his brother who errs. That care works patiently and wisely for those in danger, valuing their souls as those for whom Christ gave His life, rescuing them from Satan's snare and leading them to understand the word and trust in Christ. It admonishes kindly, prays with and for the tempted and straying, gives practical help, and will not leave them to struggle alone.
The same denial is repeated by appointed watchers for souls who look on perishing neighbors and refuse care. By sharp, uncourteous, unchristlike words they push tried, weak, tempted and faltering souls into snares, crush the last spark of hope from the heart, and nearly kill a brother, then scorn them and claim foresight of their failure. Such dealing betrays souls into the enemy's hands as Judas betrayed the Saviour, and all neglect and harshness will be brought into judgment in a strict settlement. Instead every soul needing temporal or spiritual help is neighbor and brother, to be cared for in Christlike tenderness with patience and long forbearance that builds Christian character.
In neighborhood mission the keeper accepts personal responsibility for souls he might help save and makes every possible effort to share truth and bring the life-giving message, knowing neglect while people perish in ignorance and sin brings guilt before God. He does not leave the work to ministers but with wisdom, caution and love labors himself for the salvation of neighbors and friends. With exemplary life and shining light he exerts a holy gathering influence, converses, urges the importance of truth, and refuses distant coldness that fails to lay hold of the cross. He seeks opportunity to warn and help family members and neighbors who do not know truth, rather than acting as though he has no responsibility for their souls. He cares for neighbors in need, especially those struggling in spirit, with sympathy and practical support, living a separate pure example that enlightens others to glorify God and rescues from spiritual ruin instead of withholding effort.
Those at ease feeling no burden must gain a burden until they feel responsibility, carrying souls in distant fields on the heart, supplying money and workers, and giving the warning so hearts are convicted and converted. With selfishness melted and sympathies uncongealed, the heart goes out to the perishing nigh and afar off in home and foreign work, going forth to help a neighbor see truth and serve God acceptably. Such keeping aids others in forming a Christlike character, works in Christ's lines to change the condition of the poor and distressed, and lets pure religion shine as a bright light. It melts barriers of race and caste and removes obstacles barring others from truth as it is in Jesus, going into highways and byways to help sufferers and acting as faithful shepherds going into the wilderness to seek and save the lost and lead back perishing sheep and lambs.
Toward the colored race the duty is a debt of love revealed in the law of the ten commandments to love God supremely and neighbor as self, requiring doing justly, loving mercy, and proving faith by actions. God has ordained restitution for past wrong, and those who took no active part in enforcing enslavement are not relieved but must make special efforts to remove as far as possible its sure result. The selfish refusal must no longer be held, but the gospel must be brought, means instituted to remove degradation, the oppressed sought, the fallen lifted, and help given to those needing assistance. Those proclaiming the last message must not neglect the Southern field as part of God's moral vineyard but labor there as earnestly as for white people, without studying consequences, leaving results with God, working with all God-given capability to redeem wasted time. To eat from abundance while leaving suffering people in the Southern regions starving for education and spiritual advantage is by actions to deny keepership, devouring by neglect those the Lord's by creation and redemption while those with much light and food lose appetite for the Bread of life that would be life and hope and salvation to others.
Rumsellers repeat the denial by refusing responsibility for those harmed by drink, and they are answered as Cain was, with suffering and lost lives held against them. They will be charged with wretchedness brought into homes of those weak in moral power who fall through temptation, and with the misery, suffering, hopelessness, woe and want of mothers and children left without food, clothing, shelter, hope and joy. Likewise men in high trust who license liquor violate the command to love neighbor as self, which requires protecting a brother rather than destroying him and leading him to God rather than away. By authorizing a known deadly evil that enslaves appetite, destroys reason, breeds cruelty and murder, maddens sane men, fills prisons and leaves families in poverty, they bring fellow men's blood upon their hands to answer before God's higher tribunal.
Selfish keepers make self the idol to which everything bows, gratifying feelings, taste and the eye with needless expense while God's cause needs that very means and its servants go poorly clothed and crippled for lack of it. To ask the question in that spirit is to gratify and sacrifice to self first, heed no warning, and evade the truth that each owes self-denial and sacrifice to supply a brother's need. It adds farm to farm and land to land and house to house under excuse of helping the cause, shackling with debt and hard labor to pay for property so little time remains to pray and serve and gain overcoming strength and no means remains to help when needed. It lays treasure on earth, loves truth in word but not in work, loves the world more and God's cause less as attraction to earth strengthens and to heaven weakens, with heart following treasure and example declaring this world home.
Wealthy professed keepers deny poor brethren by looking only to personal interest, refusing concern except to gain advantage at a neighbor's disadvantage, and parting with what is noble and Godlike for selfish ends, contrary to loving neighbor as self. Blinded by love of money they do not discern obligations to God and neighbor, dealing closely, overreaching, exacting to the last farthing from hard-laboring poor brethren, taking advantage of misfortune to add to wealth, and grinding the poor. They pride hard work and shrewdness as reason to hold on, refuse to feel a brother's woe and his claims on sympathy and liberality, heap a curse with wealth, lay stumbling blocks, cut off religious influence, and grieve brethren until prayers and testimonies disgust as hypocrisy, all faithfully recorded and known by the True Witness. The same refusal speaks in the heart when wealthy believers use usury and gain upon distressed brethren while they suffer for lack of means.
In business and charity keepers notice circumstances with justice, equality, compassion and love rather than selfish indifference, especially in deciding wages. They do not refuse orphaned children because care would inconvenience or bring no benefit, for that repeats the evasion of responsibility to save the needy. They give special personal labor to children and youth with Christ's tenderness, patience, long-suffering, kindness and love, instead of hasty unsympathizing judgment that places souls where Satan overcomes them through unfavorable surroundings. Those who house students carry the same interest as for their own children, providing home influence that protects from temptation and leads to Jesus, and must not use the question to evade that charge. They do not limit concern to their own family but bear burdens for young people in their care and those needing salvation, while those long in faith, including women, comfort the discouraged, encourage believers, pray with them in pure love, and make straight paths so the lame are healed rather than turned aside. Neglect that shoves souls off as incorrigible leaves many to die unprepared without Christ who would have become workers together with God, lost to the cause and to Christ, for which account must be given in judgment.
Daily words, actions, conduct, prayers and faithful service affect the purity, sincerity, zeal, consistency and piety of others, reflecting religious light through good works from heartfelt faith. One brother looks after another's interest to help not to hurt and destroy, refusing mere criticism, and if wrong exists goes directly to the wrongdoer to talk and pray with him. So lived, meetings let in bright sunshine from Jesus and become blessing through a life of love. No one lives to himself, every move in full sight of heaven casts a harvest of evil from impulsive impressions never intended and never gathered up again, or precious fruit bearing heaven's endorsement, so every talent of influence must be guarded by studying and practicing Christ's life and mind. Money is then not used for self but invested to help brethren and their enterprises onto vantage ground with encouragement to workers.