Continually, there are ideals and commands urged upon us to do what we think we cannot do, and become what seems to us impossible. We weary under exhortations and become dull to ever-changing fiery preachments against us for not supporting campaigns which are of the nature of war against persons. Mortal mind is a great divider of brother from brother; it proposes to have nation against nation, class against class, every man suspicious of his neighbor and hostile to him. Without suspicions some newspapers couldn't live; and what would society do for interest if there were no inventing of scandals whereby to continue the feeling of superiority of some in prestige and assume the inferiority of others in property or character!
Among the religious, suspicion seems to have its place also. In medieval times if the privileged leaders of a powerful church were informed of someone showing lack of respect for their authority, it was easy enough to make charges of heresy, and arouse fear of the alleged heretic so that people would consent to the judgment that he be made to expire in flame. But persecutors never got rid of troublesome truth by negative judgment, putting men to death. Truth prevails kindly, healingly; and it requires that we shall judge ourselves.
The Christian method of condemning sin is to save the sinner from it. Jesus could say to one in error, "Go, and sin no more." Sinners were preparing to stone to death one like themselves, but he changed their hatred to self-judgment and they dropped the stones.
