The Beauties of Social Virtue (and others)

The Beauties of Social Virtue (and others)

A Christian should be very eminent for a right discharge of all their social duties. Christianity, so far from loosening the bands of society, adds to them incredible strength and firmness, by motives drawn from the eternal world. One part of the design of Christianity is to purify and strengthen the social principle, and carry it to its greatest elevation and perfection.

A good Christian - and yet a bad husband, father, brother, neighbor, or citizen - is an anomaly.

Professing Christians should excel all others in the beauties of social virtue. True religion should give additional tenderness to the marital relationship; greater love to the Christian parent; loving obedience to the Christian child; fresh kindness to the Christian employer, diligence to the Christian employee.

The world should look to the church with this conviction, "Well, if social virtue were driven from every other portion of society, it would find a sanctuary, and be cherished with care, among Christians." Then will Christianity have attained its highest recognition upon earth, when it shall be admitted by universal consent, that to say a man is a Christian, is an indisputable testimony to his excellence in all the relationships he bears to society.

~John Angell James~

(The End)
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Beware of the Dog!

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Eph. 4:2).

There are some people whose feelings are like dry straw - kindled into a blaze in a moment, by the least spark which has been purposely or accidentally thrown upon it. A word, or a look - is in some cases quite enough to be considered a very serious injury! It is a common thing for such people to excuse themselves on the ground that "their feelings are so delicate" - that they are offended by the least touch! This is a humiliating confession, for it is acknowledging that, instead of being like the oak of the forest, which laughs at the tempest, and is unmoved by the tread of the wild boar - they resemble the sensitive plant, a little squeamish shrub, which trembles before the breeze, and shrivels and contracts beneath the pressure of a tiny insect!

Delicate feelings! In plain English, this means that they are petulant, irritable and peevish! I would like to have a sign hung around the neck of such people - and it would be this, "Beware of the dog!"

We should never allow ourselves to be offended, until, at least, we are sure that offense was intended; and this is really not so often as we are apt to conclude. Had we but patience to wait, or humility to inquire, we would find that many hurtful things were done by mistake, which we are prone to attribute to design. How often do we violate that love which thinks no evil, and which imperatively demands of us to attribute a good motive to another's conduct - until a bad motive is proved!

Let us then deliberately determine, that, by God's grace, we fill not be easily offended. If such a resolution were generally made and kept, offenses would cease. Let us first ascertain whether offense was intended, before we allow the least emotion of anger to be indulged. And even then, when we have proved that the offense was committed on purpose, let us next ask ourselves whether it is necessary to notice it. What wise man will think it worth while, when an insect has stung him, to pursue it all day, in order to punish the aggressor?

~John Angell James~
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A Godly Ministry

We can do nothing without a godly ministry. Of all the curses which God ever pours from the vials of His wrath upon a nation which He intends to scourge, there is not one so fearful as giving them up to an unholy ministry!

I trust our churches will ever consider piety as the first and most essential qualification in their pastors, for which talents, genius, learning, and eloquence, would and could be no substitutes. It will be a dark and evil day when personal godliness shall be considered as secondary to any other quality in those who serve at the altar of God.

No ministry will be really effective, whatever may be its eloquence, which is not a ministry of strong faith, true spirituality, and deep earnestness.

~John Angell James~