[November 18th, 1877.]
The apostle makes a special application of the principle here stated, to the conduct of the strong in reference to the weak. Taken by itself, it is the injunction of the comprehensive duty of courtesy. The etymology and frequent usage of that word would confine it to what is outward, i.e., to polished manners. Court, courtier, and courtesy are nearly allied. Court, palace of a king; courtier, one who frequents a court; courtesy, the style of manners becoming a court. But the word has a higher meaning. The word court means also the art of pleasing, to pay court; to court is to endeavor to please; courtesy is the desire and effort to please arising from a good motive and directed to a right end. This is precisely what the apostle enjoins. The sycophant and flatterer desires to please but not for edification. He acts for a selfish motive, and for a selfish object. A courteous man endeavors to please for a good motive and for a good object. Every Christian, so far as his Christianity moulds his character and controls his character, is courteous.
The sum of Christian wisdom is to be Christ-like. We are not to please ourselves, even as Christ pleased not himself.
Nothing can exceed the courtesy of Christ and his condescension, kindness, and tenderness towards the humble, the poor, the suffering, and the penitent. “Woman, hath no man condemned thee?” etc. Many of the earlier Christians wished to expunge that paragraph. But no purer, brighter ray shines upon the earthly life of our Lord than that which fell upon him when he uttered those words.
Courtesy has a negative side. It is manifested by avoiding to give pain. 1. By impressing others with their inferiority, of their position, of their knowledge, their talents, their force in argument, or their liberality. The strong among the Corinthians despised the narrowness and weakness of their scrupulous brethren. 2. By in any way hurting their feelings.
The positive or affirmative of this virtue, is the endeavor to please, to heal wounded feelings, to inspire confidence and affection.
This is the way to do good; whatever alienates the people from a teacher tends to alienate them from what he teaches, and on the contrary. Example of Paul. Be infused with the spirit of the gospel. Do to others what you would have them do to you.
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