Chapter 46—Duty to the Unfortunate
I have been shown some things in reference to our duty to the
unfortunate which I feel it my duty to write at this time.
I saw that it is in the providence of God that widows and orphans,
the blind, the deaf, the lame, and persons afflicted in a variety of ways,
have been placed in close Christian relationship to His church; it is to
prove His people and develop their true character. Angels of God are
watching to see how we treat these persons who need our sympathy,
love, and disinterested benevolence. This is God’s test of our character.
If we have the true religion of the Bible we shall feel that a debt of
love, kindness, and interest is due to Christ in behalf of His brethren;
and we can do no less than to show our gratitude for His immeasurable
love to us while we were sinners unworthy of His grace, by having
a deep interest and unselfish love for those who are our brethren and
who are less fortunate than ourselves.
The two great principles of the law of God are supreme love to
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God and unselfish love to our neighbor. The first four commandments
and the last six hang upon, or grow out of, these two principles. Christ
explained to the lawyer who his neighbor was in the illustration of the
man who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and who fell among
thieves and was robbed and beaten and left half dead. The priest and
the Levite saw this man suffering, but their hearts did not respond to
his wants. They avoided him by passing by on the other side. The
Samaritan came that way, and when he saw the stranger’s need of help
he did not question whether he was a relative or was of his country
or creed; but he went to work to help the sufferer because there was
work which needed to be done. He relieved him as best he could, put
him upon his own beast, and carried him to an inn and made provision
for his wants at his own expense. This Samaritan, said Christ, was
neighbor to him who fell among thieves. The Levite and the priest
represent a class in the church who manifest an indifference to the very
ones who need their sympathy and help. This class, notwithstanding
their position in the church, are commandment breakers. The Samar-
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