A HOMILY

ON

The Limits of Forbearance.

SCHLEIERMACHER, VII.

(Continued from page 6.)

II. In this way let us also make a distinction in the forbearance which we are to show in our conduct towards

men.

Firstly Bear and endure everything from those in whom you must believe as good and excellent men; and they will certainly give you sufficient opportunity to exercise this virtue. With perfect harmony in the principles of a pious life, and in the knowledge of important truths, there may yet be a very wide diversity of opinions, plans, and modes of action. And thus every one will seek the same promotion of the good, which is our common aim, in his own way. Bear with this diversity, however great or unpleasant it may at times seem to be to you. The Lord has appointed it. Therefore it is meant to show itself, and in every way His will is to be done and His kingdom brought near. He who is not contented with this, who would bring all whom he esteems over to his own opinion upon every subject of importance to him, who soon sees danger, and would prevent, instruct, and im

VOL. XXXIV.

F

prove where things are not going on quite according to his mind, his love is yet entirely free from conceit and selfishness. And therefore, when one or another of the peculiarities of a good man offend you, bear it in love; lest when you want to do something in common with him the reverse should prove a source of baneful dissension. And if he should offend you seven times in the day and should come to you and say, I repent, then forgive him! Nay, forgive him, though you must hold yourself in readiness. to endure the same again. Your hope for his future must support you in this; your conviction that you also need similar indulgence from others must make it easy to you; and your joy that you are one with him in the inmost heart must make it pleasant to you. You cannot show cheerful toleration or tender forbearance enough towards those who are one with you in the Lord. And yet it is only too common for those who are indulgent in regard to actions that are manifestly wrong and sinful, to be inexorably severe in regard to men, the character of whose mind, however excellent, is not agreeable to them. This is to refuse obedience to the precept of our text precisely where its meaning is most obvious.

But if you would be just,-if the advantage you allow to better men is not to appear as partiality exercised at the expense of your love for men in general,-then bear and endure, secondly, the same from those also whom you cannot as yet regard from the same point of view. Men may render themselves unworthy of certain manifestations even of this general love; but personal dislike, faults which you would excuse if they were only committed against another, must never supply the pretext for refusing it to them. The inmost soul of every one who knows how to honour humanity, must revolt, whenever, without informing themselves of the mind and life of a man, people talk of a repugnance which they feel against him on ac

count of something unpleasant in his outward appearance or bearing in society. It is my own experience, that precisely those who have subsequently most compelled my love, have at first rather repelled than attracted me; and no doubt many a one, by yielding thoughtlessly to first impressions, robs himself of the best of blessings that can come to man, and injures himself while depriving another of that which is his due. But how often such a repugnance is allowed still freer play! How often it leads to a disadvantageous opinion of the man's inner being, and shows itself by a manifest disregard which is in the highest degree unjust! True, low sentiments and unbridled passions leave their traces in a man's outward conduct; but who may trust himself to distinguish these infallibly? Who may consider himself so perfect that nothing but precisely these would be repulsive to him? See how here too injustice is revealed by the conceit which lies at its foundation. Conceit cannot consist with the love with which we are to be animated. If we sacrifice to it our toleration, we sacrifice also justice.

On the other hand, I call upon you in the name of justice, thirdly, to tolerate nothing and to endure nothing whereby the good and perfect, the promotion of which is our highest vocation, is manifestly hindered-no opinion, no disposition, no action. Whether you shall contend with earnest severity or with sparing gentleness, with profound reasoning or piquant raillery, that be left to your conscience and discretion; but contend you must. What sort of love would it be, if, as much as in you lies, you were to leave men still in bondage to unreason, without even contributing the least for their deliverance ! Where should we be, if every one who was endowed with better insight had allowed himself such reserve in the past? By all means check the stream which threatens every edifice that reason and wisdom have laboriously

reared. Talk not of forbearance; it were unscrupulous in the holiest war we wage! Do not sacrifice the future to the past-innocent youth for the sake of honouring grey hairs which have not been found in the way of righteousness! Above all, never cease from battling by your conduct against prejudice and error. If, for the sake of sparing those whose thoughts and wishes might be against it, you are willing to live otherwise than according to your conviction-this is a very exceptional love! Moreover, tolerate not the frivolity which in a loose apologetic manner subtly refines respecting vice. This frivolity is only too common in society, and too much indulgence is accorded to it. Oh, smite it with all the weapons you have at your command! If, in this contest, here and there one must be abandoned to shame, to ridicule, to contempt, spare not; it is a well-deserved, self-chosen fate, and the most sacred treasure, whose defence is committed to us, is concerned in it. Tolerate no injustice, nor aught that is destitute of love, whether in relation to yourselves or others. I do not, of course, summon you to requite the evil which has been committed, but that which was intended. If you are not against the unjust man, you are for him; if you will not chastise him, you encourage him; if you are willing to treat him in a friendly and pleasant manner, as you treat the honest, you sing a lullaby to his conscience and share in his growing corruption. Our Heavenly Father sends rain upon the just and upon the unjust, and makes His sun to rise upon the evil and upon the good; I do not wish to prevent you from imitating Him in this. But complaisant and obliging treatment, proofs of esteem, desire for love and closer connection, this must be reserved for him who is worthy of your esteem and love.

Love and justice must strictly harmonize upon every art of their domain, if they are to be like the Divine

originals. It is only justice to the good and pious, when you look upon everything in relation to them with eyes of love that everywhere glisten with faith and hope; it is only love to those who are evil, when you exercise against the evil that is in them strict justice. I pray you, hold this expression of your sentiments to be no unimportant part of the “pound" entrusted to you. He who changes love, the highest gift to man,-into a weakness, for him at last nothing except this weakness remains; and he becomes incapable of true love and is on the way to a general indifference and coldness of heart. Apply all your wisdom in order to discern in every instance what love and justice require in regard to every one; and if it then seems to you that what you do in this way is very insignificant, then calm yourself with the thought that it is the right thing for the good of the world, and hope that you have a prospect, even in this direction, of being hereafter appointed over many things.

W. E. COLLER.

AVARICE, like every other evil passion, leads to moral pauperism. SOUL murders are the worst of murders; and parents are often the moral murderers of their offspring.

THE best commentary on Christianity, the most easily read and generally appreciated, is the life of its disciples.

IDEAS are the true reformers.

They sap the foundations of wrong, and build up the temples of right. True ideas are the seeds out of which all the wholesome institutions of a country grow, the fountains whence spring all its rivers of true liberty and life.

EVERY man'is a letter that has many readers, and often many students. What we write in the soul is seen through, our words, habits, spirits, bearing, as through a window. The members of our circle read us, angels read us, and the great God "understands our thoughts afar off."

SECULAR education is a contradiction in terms, it is as great a solecism as a sunless vegetation. Let parents look well to the minds of their children. The farmer who neglects the culture of his fields will soon have his acres overrun with thorns, and briars, and noxious weeds; and the parent who neglects the culture of his child, will soon discover evils far more hideous and disastrous.