386 DUTIES PECULIARLY CHRISTIAN. [Pakt VI.

as they are themselves exposed to a merciless retaliation throughthe same means, the use of which they have sanctioned by theirpractice.

It is to little purpose, that we live in a land where property isrendered secure by the authority of law, where civil freedom isestablished by the most perfect safeguards, and where equality oflegal rights is fully acknowledged, if we may not rely on thesociety in which we live to secure us, by its sense of justice andrectitude, in the undisturbed enjoyment of our reputation; atreasure infinitely more dear than our wealth, or even our civilfreedom, and which, as our great dramatic poet says, withoutenriching him who takes it away, makes us poor in a sense andin a degree in which we can otherwise never be poor. Andalthough we may well believe, that in the end, according to theDivine promise, that “ light will arise to the upright in darkness,”that “ the righteousness of the upright will deliver them,” that“ to him that soweth righteousness, shall be a sure reward,” andthat “ their righteousness shall eventually go forth as bright-ness,” * still the brightness of the most shining character may longbe obscured by the storms and mists of evil surmisings, misrep-resentations, and slander.

4. Christian charity requires not only a regard to the temporaland spiritual welfare, and to the characters of others, but also aconscientious respect for their feelings. In uncivilized countriesand among rude nations, irregular and precarious supplies of food,scantiness of clothing, and exposure to the inclemencies of thesun and of the storm, constitute the principal sources of suffer-ing. Accustomed from infancy to physical hardships of everyname and degree, all the more gentle emotions which dignify andadorn human nature, are extinguished in the stern and revengeful pas-sions which agitate the breasts of savages and barbarians; and thoserefined feelings and sensibilities, which give the principal charmto cultivated life, are unknown to them, and consequently under-valued by them. If they are relieved from the pains of hunger,thirst, and exposure, if the strength of their arm is acknowledged,and their patience under torture, and their courage in the hour of

Psalm cxii. 4; Prov. xi. 6,18 ; Isaiah lxii. 1.