CitAr, VII]
DUTY OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
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to them ; for this is the law and the prophets.” * “ As we havetherefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especiallyunto them who are of the household of faith.” f Again, “ I sayunto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do goodto them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully useyou and persecute you ; that ye may be the children of yourFather which is in heaven ; for he maketh his sun to rise on theevil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on theunjust. For if ye love them” (only) “which love you, whatreward have ye ? Do not even the publicans the same ? Andif ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ?Do not even the publicans so ? Be ye therefore perfect ” (inyour good-will), “even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”fMoreover, the parable of the good Samaritan teaches us, thatwe are to make ourselves useful to all men without distinction, ascircumstances may require, and occasion may be presented. Jpropose to review some of the ways by which we may exerciseand make manifest this expansive good-will; and, to this end,convenience and clearness will be consulted, by distributing whatI have to say into several distinct sections.
SECTION I.
ASSISTANCE GIVEN IN THE WAY OF ADVICE.
Men may render one another much mutual aid by advice, goodcounsel, encouragement, &c., given in a spirit of sympathy andfriendship. We have only to look into the records of biographyto be convinced, that much good may be done in this way, to theyoung, the ignorant, the retiring, and the inexperienced. Asships at sea without a helm are driven in whatever way the windsand currents may chance to waft them, so the course of suchpersons is generally unsettled, and is often turned in a particulardirection by a single observation, let fall by an individual of supe-rior talents, experience, and influence. General remarks of thiskind, however, are accustomed to make but a slight impression,
Matt. vii. 12.
t Gal. vi. 10.
t Matt. v. 44 - 48.