What is charity? Does it consist solely in the giving of bread to the
hungry, clothes to the naked or succor to the distressed? "Though I
bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to
be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity
suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not
itself, is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in
iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all
things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."
(I. Cor. xiii:3-8.) If to say that one has charity to any considerable
extent requires the possession of all the foregoing characteristics,
then we may truthfully admit that there is a great charity famine now
prevailing throughout the world.
It is not difficult to find people who will impart of their substance
to feed the poor; but too frequently many who do so will look with
scorn upon those who differ from them in matters of religion, politics
or other subjects. Modern history records many instances where people
noted for their hospitality have shown intense hatred and bitterness
toward some who have come into their midst preaching doctrines which
were in conflict with the theories they and their fathers had espoused.
In many cases mobs have been headed by ministers of religion, who have
instigated and participated in shedding the innocent blood of their
fellow beings for no other reason than their hatred of a religion
different from their own. Indeed, few if any in modern Christendom
can be said to exemplify in their lives all the traits attributed to
charity in the quotation from the sayings of the apostle Paul. Who
"suffers long" without a murmur, especially if the suffering comes by
oppression from an outward foe, and in return for evil? Who are kind to
those who wrong them? Where is he who "envieth not" the possessions of
his neighbor, or the honors and emoluments of office enjoyed by others?
Who, under the wave of prosperity, in the lap of luxury, or dwelling
in popular favor, "vaunteth not" himself, "is not puffed up" or "doth
not behave himself unseemly?" Who "seeketh not" his own, "but rather"
prefers his brother before himself? Who is not "easily provoked,"
and therefore does not retaliate against those who may give offense?
Who "thinks not evil" of those who go contrary to his views, but the
motives of whose hearts he knows nothing about?
How many persons there are who have not become acquainted with our
people, yet who, through the circulation of scurrilous reports, have
imbibed deep-seated prejudice against the Latter-day Saints, and having
become acquainted with them, have rejoiced to find them a better people
than such preconceived ideas had led them to the belief that they
were? In missionary experience, the Elders frequently have found many
professing Christians exasperated when confronted with proof that the
Saints were a God-fearing, virtuous, temperate, honest and industrious
people. Such professors "rejoice in iniquity," and "love darkness
rather than light, because their deeds are evil." They do not rejoice
in truth, but rather "have pleasure in unrighteousness." Few there are,
even among the Saints, who fully and becomingly "bear all things" and
prove themselves the true type of the Savior of mankind, who preferred
ever to suffer wrong than to do wrong.
Do we "believe all things" and "hope for all things" which have been
predicted by the prophets since the world began?
Who in the world is looking for angels to visit the earth in the last
days, for the restoration of the ancient Gospel in its primitive beauty
and power? Who is looking for the restoration of the Jews to Palestine?
Who looks for a people to build a temple where the Savior shall
suddenly come, and who looks for Elijah to appear before that great
and terrible day of the Lord's coming, when the wicked shall become as
stubble, and be consumed by the judgments of God? If these events have
not occurred or are not transpiring, they must do so, or the words of
the prophets will fail, the Scriptures be proved fallacious, and our
hope is vain. And he who believes not these things has not charity. If
he had, he would be patient to hear, anxious to learn, and the Lord
would lead all such to the light. Charity should be sought after and
cultivated by the Saints above all other people. Our professions are
greater. If our deportment contradicts our teachings, our ignorance is
more apparent, or our hypocrisy is more pronounced.
It is stated in the Book of Mormon that "Charity is the pure love of
God." By this plain yet comprehensive definition, we learn that unless
the love of God dwells in our hearts we have not charity. This love
for the salvation of mankind induces the true servants of the Lord to
travel to the ends of the earth, without the shadow or hope of earthly
reward, to preach the Gospel to the world. Not only that; with all the
self-denial of home and its comforts which such a mission implies, we
also esteem all the good which others have, not asking them to forsake
one truth they now possess, but inviting them to receive more truth,
pointing them to a greater light, and leaving them perfectly free from
undue persuasion to receive the message or reject it as they may choose.
The Prophet Joseph instructed the Twelve and the Elders, in preaching
the Gospel, not to tear down the tenets of other men's faith, but
in the spirit of meekness explain the Gospel and bear testimony to
its divinity, leaving all mankind absolutely the keeper of their own
consciences, to do as they please and meet the responsibility of
their own acts at the bar of eternal justice. Neither should it be
forgotten that much of the labor of mankind, without a knowledge of
the Gospel, in many respects has been directed by a divine Providence
to ameliorate the condition of mankind. "There is a spirit in man,
and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." The
achievements of the reformation by Luther and others, the inventions
of the printing press, of electrical machinery, the locomotive and the
steamboat, the discovery of America, the revolution, the rounding,
establishment and perpetuity of our civil government in the United
States, all were events preparing the way for the restoration of the
Gospel and the final establishment of the kingdom of God in these last
days.
A striking instance of divine purpose in the labors of men outside the
true church is pointed out in a revelation given in December, 1830, to
Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon. The Lord said: "Behold, verily,
verily, I say unto my servant Sidney, I have looked upon thee and thy
works. I have heard thy prayers and prepared thee for a greater work.
Behold, thou wast sent forth, even as John, to prepare the way before
me, and before Elijah, which should come, and thou knewest it not. Thou
didst baptize by water unto repentance, but they received not the Holy
Ghost. But now I give unto thee a commandment, that thou shalt baptize
by water, and they shall receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of
the hands, even as the apostles of old." (Doctrine and Covenants, sec.
xxxv, 3-6.)
The revelation given December, 1830, from which the above is quoted,
was upon the occasion of the first visit of Sidney Rigdon and Edward
Partridge to the prophet Joseph Smith. The labors of Sidney Rigdon,
referred to in the quotation, must have alluded to his ministry in the
Campbellite church, for he had been in the Church of Christ only about
six weeks when this revelation was given, having embraced the Gospel
at the hands of Parley P. Pratt and fellow missionaries near Kirtland,
Ohio, late in October or early in November, 1830.
As is well understood, the followers of Alexander Campbell preach
faith, repentance and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
These views Sidney Rigdon espoused as being better than what he already
had, and when the true Gospel, in its fullness, with authority from God
to administer the ordinances thereof, found him, he gladly obeyed the
same. In about three weeks from the time Brother Pratt and co-laborers
entered Kirtland, 127 persons were baptized. Subsequently the numbers
were augmented to about 1,000 souls. In the providences of the Lord,
Kirtland soon became the gathering place of the Saints, the facilities
there being greatly enhanced by so many people embracing the Gospel and
thus making a foothold for the prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints who
should follow him from the East. There the Kirtland Temple was built.
There the Savior, Moses, Elijah, Elias and other ancient worthies
appeared to the prophet. There the endowments were given, and the
Spirit from on high was poured out in the last days, as upon the day of
Pentecost.
All these subsequent events, of such a glorious character, show how
distinctly the Lord's hand was manifest in the mission and labors of
Sidney Rigdon before he embraced the Gospel. Such instances serve as
pointed lessons to the youth of Israel, teaching us to be broad and
generous in viewing the labors of those not of us, so that if the hand
of Providence is manifest we shall not be oblivious thereto, nor be
found in the ranks of those who have not charity.