Duty to the Unfortunate
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itan represents a class who are true helpers with Christ and who are
imitating His example in doing good.
Those who have pity for the unfortunate, the blind, the lame, the
afflicted, the widows, the orphans, and the needy, Christ represents as
commandment keepers, who shall have eternal life. There is in-----a
great lack of personal religion and of a sense of individual obligation
to feel for others’ woes and to work with disinterested benevolence
for the prosperity of the unfortunate and afflicted. Some have no
experience in these duties. They have all their lives been like the
Levite and the priest, who passed by on the other side. There is a
work for the church to do, which, if left undone, will bring darkness
upon them. The church as a whole and individually should bring their
motives under faithful examination and compare their lives with the
life and teachings of the only correct Pattern. Christ regards all acts of
mercy, benevolence, and thoughtful consideration for the unfortunate,
the blind, the lame, the sick, the widow, and the orphan as done to
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Himself; and these works are preserved in the heavenly records and
will be rewarded. On the other hand, a record will be written in the
book against those who manifest the indifference of the priest and the
Levite to the unfortunate, and those who take any advantage of the
misfortunes of others and increase their affliction in order to selfishly
advantage themselves. God will surely repay every act of injustice
and every manifestation of careless indifference to and neglect of the
afflicted among us. Everyone will finally be rewarded as his works
have been.
I was shown in regard to Brother E that he has not been dealt justly
with by his brethren. Brethren F, G, and others pursued a course toward
him which was displeasing to God. Brother F had no special interest in
Brother E, only so far as he thought he could advantage himself through
him. I was shown that some looked upon Brother E as being penurious
and dishonest. God is displeased with this judgment. Brother E would
have had no trouble and would have had means to abundantly sustain
himself had it not been for the selfish course of his brethren who had
eyesight and property, and who worked against him by seeking to turn
his abilities to their own selfish interest. Those who take advantage of
the hard study of a blind man and seek to benefit themselves with his
inventions, commit robbery and are virtually commandment breakers.