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Article BENEVOLENCE: ITS EEWAED AND SGUECE. ← Page 3 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Benevolence: Its Eewaed And Sguece.
could not , humanly speaking , expect to meet with any notice or recompense . ¦; . ' / Ebedmelech might have remained in the quiet possession of his own enjoyments in the king ' s palace arid not have troubled himself with the fate of the prophet . But no ; the knowledge that one human being Was miserable without cause was sufficient to rouse Ms generous mind into virtuous action , and to induce him , without solicitation or co-operation ^ to
make an effort to rescue the prophet . Brethren , this example is worthy the imitation of us all ; it is particularly adapted to the men tion . Selfishness , I fear , is so common among all classes of religionists that many shrewd , observing men of the World doubt—and not , perhaps , without some reason—the existence of disinterested sympathy in the wants and woes of others ; and in reality the fact is too patent that numbers who make no small pretensions to godliness seem to employ religion as a
cloak to hide a selfish and grasping disposition . If you take a thoughtful survey of society generally you cannot help seeing the utter indifference with which men regard the misfortunes arid miseries of their fiellowcreatures . How many your minds can recall to remembrance who possess every enjoyment this life can aJbrd , but who take no interest in the promotion ^ of others' prosperity or well-being . You will see some men in the possession of immense wealth , who seldom assist their fellow men , unless
they can by so doing assist themselves ; and yet these are men who profess to worship the great God of universal love . There was once a great and benevolent man , whose name is held dear by all Masons , who thus spake : " Whoso hath this world ' s good , and seeth his brother have need , and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him , how dwelletli the love of God in him ? My little children , let us not love in word , neither in tongue , but in deed and in truth . ' Let all selfish men reflect that they have
no right thus to live to themselves—that God , their Master and Judge , imperatively forbids heartless conduct—that the necessity is laid upon all who have wealth to seek out and succour the miserable and destitute , Indeed , men should be taught to pursue a career of benevolence on a plan—not to wait till their ears are dinned with some affecting recital of distress , and only perform a good action when their feelings are touchingly appealed to
—not to be humane by fits and starts—not to give merely when excited by religious services or pious tea-meetings . I have often thought that it speaks volumes for Freemasonry , that it instructs its votaries to pursue at all times a benevolent course and to lay themselves out systematically to perform deeds of mercy and love ; and nothing , my brethren , can be more Godlike than to forego one's convenience to seek out objects deservingsuccour , and to busy ourselves in the great and holy undertaking of
relieving the distresses of our fellow-creatures . This was the principle on which Ebedmelech acted ; for when he found Jeremiah in the dungeon , unsolicited , and without the slightest mercenary motive , he went unto the king and implored help for the prophet . But I want you , my brethren , to see the fortitude which animated Ebedmelech in his conduct toward Jeremiah . The prophet was surrounded on every side with numerous and powerful enemies . The people generally disliked his faithfulness , the princes of the people preferred the charge
which led to his unjust imprisonment , while the king , to say the least , seems to have been quite indifferent to his hard fate . Ebedmelech , however , was persuaded that the princes had done wrong to Jeremiah , and , strong in the conviction of the prophet ' s innocence ; , he made his way to the king , as he sat at the gate of justice , and laid the injured man ' s case before him . Brethren , you must notice this point , because the true-hearted man who makes up his mind to pursue a benevolent course must be pre-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Benevolence: Its Eewaed And Sguece.
could not , humanly speaking , expect to meet with any notice or recompense . ¦; . ' / Ebedmelech might have remained in the quiet possession of his own enjoyments in the king ' s palace arid not have troubled himself with the fate of the prophet . But no ; the knowledge that one human being Was miserable without cause was sufficient to rouse Ms generous mind into virtuous action , and to induce him , without solicitation or co-operation ^ to
make an effort to rescue the prophet . Brethren , this example is worthy the imitation of us all ; it is particularly adapted to the men tion . Selfishness , I fear , is so common among all classes of religionists that many shrewd , observing men of the World doubt—and not , perhaps , without some reason—the existence of disinterested sympathy in the wants and woes of others ; and in reality the fact is too patent that numbers who make no small pretensions to godliness seem to employ religion as a
cloak to hide a selfish and grasping disposition . If you take a thoughtful survey of society generally you cannot help seeing the utter indifference with which men regard the misfortunes arid miseries of their fiellowcreatures . How many your minds can recall to remembrance who possess every enjoyment this life can aJbrd , but who take no interest in the promotion ^ of others' prosperity or well-being . You will see some men in the possession of immense wealth , who seldom assist their fellow men , unless
they can by so doing assist themselves ; and yet these are men who profess to worship the great God of universal love . There was once a great and benevolent man , whose name is held dear by all Masons , who thus spake : " Whoso hath this world ' s good , and seeth his brother have need , and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him , how dwelletli the love of God in him ? My little children , let us not love in word , neither in tongue , but in deed and in truth . ' Let all selfish men reflect that they have
no right thus to live to themselves—that God , their Master and Judge , imperatively forbids heartless conduct—that the necessity is laid upon all who have wealth to seek out and succour the miserable and destitute , Indeed , men should be taught to pursue a career of benevolence on a plan—not to wait till their ears are dinned with some affecting recital of distress , and only perform a good action when their feelings are touchingly appealed to
—not to be humane by fits and starts—not to give merely when excited by religious services or pious tea-meetings . I have often thought that it speaks volumes for Freemasonry , that it instructs its votaries to pursue at all times a benevolent course and to lay themselves out systematically to perform deeds of mercy and love ; and nothing , my brethren , can be more Godlike than to forego one's convenience to seek out objects deservingsuccour , and to busy ourselves in the great and holy undertaking of
relieving the distresses of our fellow-creatures . This was the principle on which Ebedmelech acted ; for when he found Jeremiah in the dungeon , unsolicited , and without the slightest mercenary motive , he went unto the king and implored help for the prophet . But I want you , my brethren , to see the fortitude which animated Ebedmelech in his conduct toward Jeremiah . The prophet was surrounded on every side with numerous and powerful enemies . The people generally disliked his faithfulness , the princes of the people preferred the charge
which led to his unjust imprisonment , while the king , to say the least , seems to have been quite indifferent to his hard fate . Ebedmelech , however , was persuaded that the princes had done wrong to Jeremiah , and , strong in the conviction of the prophet ' s innocence ; , he made his way to the king , as he sat at the gate of justice , and laid the injured man ' s case before him . Brethren , you must notice this point , because the true-hearted man who makes up his mind to pursue a benevolent course must be pre-