Duty to the Unfortunate
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blessings promised be theirs. If there are those in the church who
would cause the blind to stumble, they should be brought to justice;
for God has made us guardians of the blind, the afflicted, the widows,
and the fatherless. The stumbling block referred to in the word of God
does not mean a block of wood placed before the feet of the blind to
cause him to stumble, but it means much more than this. It means
any course that may be pursued to injure the influence of their blind
brother, to work against his interest, or to hinder his prosperity.
A brother who is blind and poor and diseased, and who is making
every exertion to help himself that he may not be dependent, should
be encouraged by his brethren in every way possible. But those who
profess to be his brethren, who have the use of all their faculties, who
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are not dependent, but who so far forget their duty to the blind as to
perplex and distress and hedge up his way, are doing a work which
will require repentance and restoration before God will accept their
prayers. And the church of God who have permitted their unfortunate
brother to be wronged will be guilty of sin until they do all in their
power to have the wrong righted.
All are doubtless familiar with Achan’s case. It is recorded in
sacred history for all generations, but more especially for those upon
whom the ends of the world are come. Joshua lay moaning upon his
face before God because the people were obliged to make a disgraceful
retreat before their enemies. The Lord bade Joshua arise: “Get thee
up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?” Have I humbled without
cause by removing My presence from thee? Does God forsake His
people without a cause? No; He tells Joshua that there is a work for
him to do before his prayer can be answered. “Israel hath sinned, and
they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them:
for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen,
and dissembled also.” He declares: “Neither will I be with you any
more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.”
Here in this example we have some idea of the responsibility
resting upon the church and the work that God requires them to do in
order to have His presence. It is a sin in any church not to search for
the cause of their darkness and of the afflictions which have been in the
midst of them. The church in-----cannot be a living, prosperous church
until they are more awake to the wrongs among them, which hinder the
blessing of God from coming upon them. The church should not suffer