We need not doubt that occasions still occur when even fantastic acts of generosity, such as this, are the things needed to make an impression on hardened or embittered or careless hearts. Every one knows Victor Hugo’s story of the bishop and the convict in Les Miserables, and no doubt it represents realities in life and experience.
On the whole, however, it is seldom that it would be right to let the thief have his own way. But it is always right to deal very mercifully with first offences and to take trouble to give the offenders a clear fresh chance. And even if the law is let to take its course with a criminal, yet kindness to him while he is suffering his sentence and after it—kindness which does not shrink from taking a great deal of trouble—can produce the same moral impression as a literal application of the divine proverb like King Edward’s.
“Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.”
What are we to say to the beggar, of whatever grade? Now, first of all, there are a great many cases where help is needed, and “asked for” therefore,whether by a spoken or an unspoken appeal, by people of whom we know the character and circumstances antecedently. Misfortunes happen to people who are such as can profitably be helped, that is, such as when they are helped in a temporary difficulty will be enabled to resume the normal course of a self-helping life: or such as will need permanent help indeed, as they are permanently incapacitated, but have the will and character to work. Or there are cases where help can be given to educate a young man or woman for the priesthood or some other honourable career. There are in fact no lack of cases in which we can with the greatest profit help individuals, and that largely and generously, to say nothing of innumerable societies and institutions which need and ask, but find few to give regularly and bountifully. This sort of regular generosity costs us much more than giving coppers to beggars or shillings to applicants by post.“Let thine alms sweat into thine hand, until thou knowest to whom thou shouldest give,” was the advice given in a very early Christian community.[61]
Next, let us take notice that we can “make inquiries.” People shrink from this because it takes trouble and implies methodical principles. But there is no equally secure means of sifting out cases of honest need from those of professional begging. The “professionals” will not come near a house where it is known that inquiries are made. And the fact that we take kindly trouble about them, should appeal to what is good in any man’s conscience.
But as to indiscriminate charity?It has been encouraged very often by the teachers of Christianity.[62] But if a tree is known by its fruits, the system is all condemned. It is in fact an indulgence of our feelings of compassion, with little trouble to ourselves, and at the expense of society. To give indeed to any beggar the plainest broken food may do noharm. But it is very seldom welcomed. Again we can do something to indicate friendly, kindly feeling towards an applicant, if we take pains. Perhaps, for instance, we can get a boy-beggar on to a training ship. At least, so far as we can, let us not resent taking trouble about people who have no “special claim” on us. And when our Christian judgement can approve it, let us not resent expense. Let our whole conduct make it evident that we welcome and do not resent claims either on our purse, or on our heart, or on our intelligence. But our intelligence must be brought to bear upon our charity as well as our heart. To illustrate how this is forgotten I will only repeat a story of the saintly William Law.He seems to have distributed as much as £2,500 a year, chiefly in doles to applicants who came into his back yard; he succeeded in getting rid of his money, and in demoralizing the neighbourhood.[63] But it is plainly not our Lord’s will that we should do manifest harm.
Indiscriminate charity is not enjoined, but a self-sacrificing generosity is. Andit would be well if every Christian who is wealthy or “comfortably-off” would, before passing on from this passage, kneel upon his knees as in God’s presence and ask himself if he is making a serious attempt to accept loyally the claim upon his time and money which his Lord makes on behalf of those who want.
THE TREATMENT OF ENEMIES
“Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same? Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
The exact expression, “Thou shalt hate thine enemy,” nowhere occurs in the Mosaic law; and there are, both in the law and elsewhere in the Old Testament, passages which come nearer to the Christian standard.[64] But on the whole we must accept Dr. Mozley’s conclusion:[65] “The whole precept as itstands undoubtedly represents, and is a summary of, the sense of the law”: nor can “the enemy” be regarded as meaning only the enemies of Israel. Thus many Christian consciences are distressed while psalms are being sung in our services which contain imprecations upon enemies, such as the 109th. Some modern critics assure us that these psalms express no individual feelings towards personal enemies, but the feeling of righteous Israel towards the enemies of the Lord. It may be doubted whether this is altogether the case. And even if it is so, the psalms still fall short of the Christian standard both of hope for the conversion of enemies and of love toward them in any case. No doubt, if we take the Righteous One who speaks in them to be Christ, we can find in them the divine principles of judgement; and so they are interpreted in the New Testament. Still in their mode of expression, and in the temper which they historically represent, they fall short of the Christian standard. And this ought not to surprise us. The whole Old Testament is on right lines of divine development: but it has not reached the goal, which isChrist. “It was said to them of old ... but I say unto you.”