The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 137

evil dny for a man when he becomes callous even to those wickcdnesscs which will never affect him personally; for this is distinctly contrary to the feeling which moved the Saviour to effect the world's redemption. As his disciples, we must never be gooci- naturedly easy about sin ; we must not put on an air of worldly indifference ; we must not attempt to hush feeling to rest, as if men were committed by a resistless fate to do "all these abominations" (Jer. vii. 10). The presence and prevalence of sin should stir within us strong moral indignation. 2. Indignatwn tending to pity. Anger should be swallowed up in grief. Indignation against wrong-doing, whether it affects ourselves or not, must not make us forget the deepest commiseration for the wrong- doer. Instead of this, too often, proud of our own virtue, we stand on our small moral pedestal, and look with scorn on those below it. Respected and honoured ourselves, with our robes to outward appearance unstained, we gather them about us, and sweep past some fallen brother or sister, and say, ' 1 Come not near unto me; for I am holier than thou I" The evil effects of this are manifold. We may drive others into deeper sin, because despair takes the place of hope in them'; and we weaken ourselves in the service of our Lord, We can never benefit one whom we despise, or over whose fall we secretly exult; for nothing but love can so grasp the sinner as to lift him out of the horrible pit. Nor is it enough that we are indignant and angry with sin, so that as passionate parents or denunciatory preachers we administer hasty reproof or indiscrimi- nate punishment. Our faults will never conquer the faults of others. \Ve must seek to deal with others as our Lord did. He loved the sinner, even when he hated the sin. His "gentleness hath made us great." II. INCULCATION OF THE DUTIES HERE SUGGESTED. Let us point out a few considera- tions which may help us to cultivate the temper of mind we have discussed. 1. Rememb~ what sin is and what sin has done. It caused the loss of Para.disc; it brought about the sickness and sorrows we suffer; it made our work hard and unpro- ductive; it created discord between man and his fellow, between man and his God ; it seemed so woeful in itself and its results, to him who knows all things, that the Sou of God gave himself as a sacrifice to save us from its power; it is so stupendous in its nature and awful in its issues that it is not a subject for selfish irritation, but one respecting which pity should blend with indignation. He who has done you a wanton wrong has injured himself far more than he c:in injure you. Therefore, beware of 11eevish anger and sinful revenge, remembering the words of the Master, "Blessed are the meek, ... the merciful, ... the peacemakers, ... the persecuted for righteousness' sake." 2. Reflect on what sin might have done for you. How far character and reputation are affected by circumstances we cannot tell. But if we all have the same passions and evil propensities, our moral victory or defeat may depend largely on the degree of temp- tation which is permitted to assail us. We cherish a vindictive feelin~ against one who has offended his country's laws, but possibly our own criminality might have been as great but for the good providence of God. Certain classes of sin are so harshly ar;u indiscriminately condemned that she who commits them is only left to plunge more deeply into sin and misery. But perhaps temptations were great, and home defences were few and frail, and the first wrong step was taken ignorantly, and then there seemed no going back. The story- of the weeping penitent at our Saviour's feet is a rebuke to the want of pitifulness sb.own too often by the Christian Church. 3. See tlia nobility of the feeling here portrayed. To look with scorn, or with indifference, or with pleasure ou sin, indicates a very low state of moral feeling. To burst forth with indignation against it is higher, but it is a sign of the youth of one's virtue, the manhood of which is seen in Jesus Christ. Forbearance and gentleness are among the higher Christian graces. \Vo expect them of the cultured nation rather than of a savage horde, of a mature man than of a half-disciplined child. "He who ruleth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." To control angry feeling within ourselves is t.he best means of helping us to control the evil deeds of others in our home and in the world.-A. R. Ver. 5 (latter part).-',. Stretch forth thy hand I" There was no kind of pain which Jesus could D.ot relieve, no kind of grief he could not assuage. '!'hose who were regarded as unclean were welcomed, and those whom none could cure he healed. Like the heavenly Father, of whom he was "the express Image," he was "kind to the  THE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. MARK. [on, nL 1-35.