Christian Compassion and Christian Action 3/27/49
Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-46
Text: Matthew 25: 40; “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
This morning I will discuss Christian compassion and Christian action. From earliest Christian history, it is evident that there is an inseparable connection between the faith of a Christian and what he does. Each person who became one of Christ’s followers was not only changed in the content of his faith but was changed in the manner of his acts. Zacchaeus was turned from a “chisler” to a giver. Paul was turned from a first century Gestapo man to a preacher and promoter of Christian faith and action. The earliest Christians took up offerings among those who could give to help out those who had nothing.
Jesus advised his hearers not only to render to God the things that are God’s, but to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; in other words to perform one’s necessary civic duty.
I might as well remark right now that we have an election coming only nine days off. And every citizen of voting age not only may, but ought to participate in the democratic selection of civic leaders by his informed vote on that day. Democracy, with its emphasis on the dignity and worth of the individual person, his rights and his obligations, is basically a Christian concept. No conscientious Christian ought therefore to neglect the high privilege and solemn obligation of casting his vote on April 5th of this year, or on any other election day. And more than that, every citizen should be as well informed as may be on the qualification, character and intention of candidates, and upon the merits of issues to be decided by vote.
I am very firmly convinced that Christians of the variety to be found in this church ought to be particularly interested, for instance, in the effective conduct of public education. Most of us believe that it is superior to the education that can be provided by denominational, parochial programs, at least on the primary and secondary level, though we are conscious of the present inadequacy of education in the Christian religion. We who believe in public education ought to be particularly interested to see that able and qualified believers in public education should be elected to positions of leadership.
Personally, I am of the opinion that members of our city school board now seeking re-election this year are the kind of people to whom this policy-making work in our public education can well be entrusted. And I think the candidate from our community who seeks election for the post of State Superintendent of Public Instruction is exceptionally well qualified by training, experience, temperament and purpose for that office. Well, so much today for our Christian responsibility for Christian-motivated actions in civic affairs.
Now let me discuss for a while the other part of our theme for this morning: Christian compassion. Probably you were among those millions of listeners who heard the radio broadcast entitled “One Great Hour” over our local station, or on some other outlet of the major networks, last night from 9 to 10 o’clock. Of course it was a dramatic device for calling the attention of all America to the awful needs of people abroad in the wake of war’s destruction and disruption. We need such vivid reminders to make those needs real before our eyes.
Last night we heard a vivid presentation of how homeless children, deprived of home, family and friends by war, have become “wild kids,” living by their wits, trusting no one else; how in some places they had to be rounded up by force and detained like prisoners to prevent their plundering of peacetime homes and establishments after the close of hostilities; how it was the imaginative understanding of Christian leaders and small amounts of church-contributed funds that made possible the gradual restoration to attitudes and accomplishments of useful living of those homeless, penniless, even dangerous children who ought to have a chance in Austria, Italy, France.
We heard of the privations and immense difficulties through which millions of Chinese have had to go, some of which they must still endure in order to struggle back to a semblance of peace-time living. The awful effects of fantastic inflation; of disease where medicine and care are out of reach; of food barely enough to sustain life or even not enough to sustain life. We were reminded that such suffering goes on in China, Burma, India, Pakistan, Korea.
We saw, in vivid imagination, how a “Displaced Person” got that way, how slender is the thread of hope for many displaced families, what there is that can be done for some of these human beings of Latvia, Poland, Hungary. There were just three illustrations of the agony of body, mind and soul, through which hundreds of thousands of people -- fellow human beings who think and feel and hope much as we do -- have been going. And many of them are still going through those experiences.
The question arises naturally, “Isn’t the Marshall Plan, or European Recovery Program, taking care of most of the needs of these people?” To a gratifying degree, “yes” -- but only to a degree. The governmental program gives substantial aid to other governments for the restoration of the means of economic production and distribution. It is a kind of aid at the wholesale level which is extremely important. And I’m glad to live in a day when the American people are able and willing to give such aid as a nation. Was there ever before in history the record of a nation that has been able and willing to ship overseas, without hope or expectation of compensation, millions of dollars worth of machinery, industrial goods, iron and steel to meet human needs in alien lands? Of course the Marshall Plan rests on the hard-headed realization that in this 20th century no nation can live unto itself alone, that we all sink or swim together, that not even the wealthiest nation can prosper materially if large populations are destitute, hungry, and in need. The wisest, safest, and most rewarding national policy that can be followed today is a humanitarian policy.
There was a time between World War I and World War II when our own nation pursued a policy of isolation. That policy failed. Men like Francis Skayre are saying that it will also ultimately fail behind the iron curtain.
The new world order, about which we dream and for which we plan and struggle, can come into being only as it is built on a virile Christianity. We stand today at a parting of the ways. On the one hand, it is possible that the present cold war is only a historically brief interlude in the 50 or 100 years of war that can plunge the remnants of the earth’s people into a new Dark Ages of savagery until some new civilization might evolve. This is not only possible. It is probable if we Christians should be indifferent or apathetic. On the other hand, if we have the will to do so, there is time to gather our forces and make of Christian civilization the means of unprecedented and shining progress in the history of mankind.
I think the Marshall Plan is probably one expression of Christian interest. But it is inadequate. Its motive is partly self-interest in spite of its mass generosity. It is subject to some abuses. Though it looks big, its expenditure is still only about one third the amount we are spending for armament! And it doesn’t meet the immediate, personal needs of hundreds of thousands of individual people which we can help directly! It isn’t just that some people are hungry, in rags, without decent shelter, jobless, some of them nation-less. It’s that many of them are numbed by the shock of their loss, the cruelty they have experienced; that they are hopeless; that they are spiritually dying and helpless, unless they are reached by the arm of understanding and compassion. And when they are reached by that arm - the personnel, supplies, offers and messages chiefly of Christian people in the churches, here and elsewhere - it is abundantly demonstrated that hope and determination-to-be-useful, and constructive effort are restored to such people.
Times without number (as was illustrated in the incidents dramatized in last night’s program) the thing that is most noticeable about Christian aid sent abroad is that it has not just fed or clothed someone or put seeds or a tool in his hands. But the knowledge that people cared for him has put new spirit into him --- restored his soul! This happens over and over again in those individual notes of appreciation that come back after someone in Europe or Asia has received a package from someone here. Our church relief agencies have a multitude of letters sent in appreciation of the help sent through our regular church-approved channels to the unfortunates in the wake of War’s desolation.
Here is a Japanese Christian writing in stilted, “bookish” English to Christians of our country: “Dear American friends; I could not thank you enough for your kind gift of various food which you have sent to our babies and poor children. It arrived just a day before Christmas, so it gave an exceedingly great joy to us.”
Here is the account of a small congregation meeting in a barracks chapel at Dunkirk where the British troops faced grim annihilation early in the war, and were evacuated only by great heroism, skill and favorable weather. Some church in America sent that congregation an organ for their dismal church. No one could play it until a minister of another denomination was found who would walk 10 miles after his own service to play it for them. But the fact that it was used under such difficult conditions demonstrates how precious was their evidence to them that American Christians care what becomes of fellow Christians there.
Hundreds of pastors were killed in war air raids, scattered abroad, interned in camps. No one was in training during the war to take their places. What does it mean when someone gives a pastor a used French motorcycle so that he can care for more churches? Theological students have gathered for classes in the shells of their bombed out schools, without books enough, hardly and Bibles, too little paper and sometimes not even enough pencils to go around! What does it mean when American Christians supply those necessities? Just pencils, books, maybe a few desks? It means the hand of compassionate understanding! It means Christian fellowship! It means not only re-dedicated faith in God, but renewed faith in Christian brotherhood!
The Marshall Plan can’t do that! Even the combined giving of Christian church members can’t do all of it. But that which we can, and do, give is tangible evidence to others that we worship Christ not only in mystical devotion through a Lenten or Easter season, but that our faith is expressed in Christian action.
Today we bring an offering for the Christian World Mission, including overseas relief, of our own Congregational churches. It will be administered through our own regular church channels. It will be noted as applying on our regular church apportionment for benevolent giving. It will help to make sure that we meet that privileged obligation. It will take to unknown and unnumbered people our own expression of Christian concern and brotherly affection.
Millions of church people and many who seldom or never attend church otherwise, are doing the same thing today. People in St. John’s Episcopal Church of our city are doing the same thing today through their church; the members of the First English Lutheran Church are doing the same; each of the three Catholic parishes of this city are doing the same; other churches are bringing their offerings either today or at Easter, or perhaps have already done so. It is being done all over this nation in Protestant Churches of 20 or more denominations, in Catholic parishes of every order, in Orthodox churches and Jewish congregations. It is hoped that, after last night’s “One Great Hour,” there may be raised, as evidence of our brotherly compassion, a total of 10 million dollars in “One Great Day” among American churches!
Our denomination’s goal is $500,000 for the Relief and Reconstruction projects of our 1949 Christian World Mission. The time has now come for us, in our church, according as each one purposeth in his heart, to give our offering in the great common compassionate action.
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Delivered in Wisconsin Rapids, March 27, 1949.