"Be of the same mind one towards another. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate." Romans xii:12.
Even a man, who is in many things unprincipled, if he is at the same
time wealthy, takes a station in the higher circles of life, where the
poor, but honest man, would not be admitted. This course of conduct is
not only practised by what are called men of the world, but by
professors of religion of about all denominations, by both preachers
and people.
The middling, and the poor class, seeing no encouragement, or even
possibility, of rising so as to associate with those, who move in the
higher circles of life, by any virtuous conduct they may pursue, and
sensible that wealth alone possesses the charm to give them virtue and
notice in the world, they are thus driven to various, dishonorable
means to obtain it. Multitudes are driven to the crimes of
counterfeiting, theft, and even robbery and piracy. They commence
their wretched course, with the intention to abandon it, as soon as a
competent fortune is obtained. Other thousands are driven to gambling;
and even those, who are called respectable, take every possible
advantage in trade and bargaining. Their pursuits are various, but
their object is one and the same--viz: to gain wealth, so that they
may obtain a high standing and influence in society. Thousands thus
driven into crime, are detected, lose their reputation, and abandon
themselves to intemperance. Their evil example has a pernicious
influence on the morals of those children and youth, who may, by
various circumstances, be placed in their society, and thus the
pestilence, in all its frightful horrors, gathers force and spreads.
There are thousands of virtuous persons, whom poverty excludes from
the higher ranks of life, who are doomed to seek the converse of
those, who are in a measure corrupted, and, by associating with them
on public occasions, often in taverns and alehouses, are soon involved
in habits of dissipation and obscenity. Man is a social being, loves
society, and, rather than spend his life in solitude, will seek the
converse of the vicious.
If we would obey the injunction of the text--"Mind not high things,
but condescend to men of low estate," these evils would be in a great
measure removed. If we, as a community, would strip away the fancied
reputation, which wealth attaches to the human character, and,
independent of property, place every man on an equal footing,
according to their moral and mental worth, and let their power and
influence in society, be according to their conduct, it would give a
noble tone to public feeling and moral grandeur.
By the "_high things_," mentioned in our text, we are to understand
that vain popularity which one man wishes to enjoy above another, in a
religious or political sense. It is one of the ruling passions of the
day, in which we live, to be considered of high standing among our
fellow creatures, and to possess a larger share of influence over the
minds and opinions of men, than those whom we consider our rivals.
Those, who possess this desire, and at the same time feel a haughty
spirit towards those, whom they consider in the humble walks of life,
are certainly not the men, who are entitled to our esteem, nor are
they to be looked up to, as examples of magnanimity. So far from
possessing true greatness of soul, or being entitled to veneration,
they are certainly below those whom they affect to despise. A truly
great and good man has no desire to dazzle, but to be useful in the
world. He sees the miseries under which thousands groan, and desires
to relieve them, but with no wish to be considered great for
discharging those duties of kindness and humanity. But it is a
lamentable consideration, that too many, in performing those acts of
mercy, seek to stand on an eminence above the crowd they wish to
benefit, and proclaim their intentions to men through the loud
sounding trumpet of fame, but, at the same time, will not even stoop
to converse with the very beings they profess such a warm desire to
aid. Every thing must be done on a high scale, and in the manner they
dictate, otherwise they have no wish it should be done at all. It is a
matter of regret, that this spirit, so desirous of minding high
things, has been carried into the sanctuary--in fact, has been carried
to the solemn gates of death--yes, even into eternity.
We have witnessed what are commonly called "revivals of religion," in
which two or more denominations united, apparently, heart and hand.
They publicly declared, that as they saw their fellow creatures
exposed to the burning wrath of God in the future world, they had no
motive in view, but their conversion and escape from that awful doom--
that it was, to them, a matter of indifference with what church they
united themselves, provided, they would only repent and turn to God.
All this passed on well till the reformation ceased. The next thing,
to be determined, was, what doctrine do you believe, and what church
will you join? This was a trying point, and its settlement filled them
with animosity towards each other. And why? Because each desired the
honor of converting them to their faith, and of bringing them into
their church, or else, that they should not be converted at all.
Though this has been done by some, yet it is no evidence, that all
will do this, or even approve it. There are those, who, we believe,
are actuated by nobler motives than in the cause of truth, and who are
not aspiring to stand high, nor striving "who shall be greatest." One
denomination has labored to assume the entire honor of reforming the
public morals--has labored to become incorporated by an act of
Legislature into an American Temperance Society, and were unwilling to
admit Universalists and Unitarians to co-operate with them in this
work of reform. This is but aspiring after high things, instead of
manifesting the meek and lowly spirit of Christ.
But we would more particularly remark that, it is this very course of
conduct of any man, or class of men exalting themselves above others
in account of their _wealth, or external circumstances_, that
discourages the poor, who are not only called, but treated as the
lower order of society, and drives thousands of them to the
intoxicating cup, as a relief from the mortifications of poverty, and
drives other thousands into crime, as the only means to obtain that
wealth by the omnipotence of which, they alone can rise to eminence,
respectability, and influence among men. Preachers of the gospel, as
well as others, give sanction by their conduct to these false notions
of respectability and greatness. They will seek the society, and court
the favor of the rich in preference to the poor, even though the
_latter_ may exceed the _former_ in integrity and moral worth. This,
we say, is the most powerful incentive to drive men into a state of
encouragement, intemperance and crime. It is a fearful precipice on
which we stand, as a religious community. Instead of estimating a
man's standing by his virtuous principles, it is too much estimated by
his dollars.
So did not Jesus Christ our great example. He mingled with the lowest
class of society. He associated with, and visited most among those he
wished to reform, so that his meek, mild and heavenly example might
exert a salutary influence upon their hearts, and cast a restraint
upon their conduct. He was a friend to publicans and sinners, and ate
and drank with them. He went among them, as a physician, to give them
life and health, to conduct them by encouragement and persuasion to
the paths of righteousness and peace. His presence was not needed
among those who were whole. He was of course seldom found in their
society. He did not desire to rank with the rich, self-righteous
pharisee. So ought those, who profess to be the servants of Christ, to
go among them, who are most in need of their aid. "The servant is not
above his Master." They ought, therefore, to condescend to men of low
estate, and visit the abodes of poverty and want.
But instead of this, they stand aloof, even from the respectable,
because they are poor, and instead of visiting those, who indulge in
dissipation and vice, and trying to lead them to the paths of virtue
and peace, are heaping upon them the most opprobrious epithets. By
esteeming the rich and associating with them, they practice a course
of conduct, which has rooted the impression deep in every mind, that
to be esteemed, and to rank with them in the social circle, they must
be rich. This has driven many a virtuous man into crime, many into bad
company, and finally into discouragement and intoxication. This no one
can deny. What, we ask, is the reason, that there is so large a
proportion of the middle and lower class of society, compared with the
rich, who indulge in _crimes and intemperance_? Why is it when
misfortune falls upon the rich, that they, so often, resort to the
intoxicating draught? The mystery can only be unriddled in the
stubborn fact, that wealth, more than virtue, gives a man a reputation
in the world, and this destructive vice involves thousands in ruin.
If every man were assured that, be he _rich or poor_, he could
associate with those who are wealthy and respected, and move in the
higher ranks of life, if he only maintained his integrity, and that he
would be esteemed in proportion to his moral virtues and mental
acquirements, every man would be induced to merit a good name; and
their good opinion would operate as a constant check upon his conduct.
Every man, by early attention to his deportment, can become
respectable, but every man cannot become wealthy.
Did the rich esteem the poor, and admit them into their social circle
_solely_ on the ground of moral worth, there would be but little
danger of these poor ever forfeiting their standing, by plunging into
the floods of intemperance and crime. And did they reject from their
circle the rich, who were vicious until reformed--in fine, did they
only strip away from wealth its fancied charm, to make them either
respectable, or influential, did they confine it to its due limits, as
being only necessary to satisfy our animal wants, and did they with
one consent declare that an improved mind and virtuous worth should be
the only criterion by which men should take their stations in social
life, intemperance and crime would soon cease. Men would then be as
much engaged in striving to merit a fair reputation, as they are how
in striving to obtain wealth. It is, therefore, the conduct of the
great by falsely attaching character and influence to wealth, that is
driving their fellow creatures into crimes to obtain it, and other
thousands into discouragement and intemperance. From this charge
preachers are not exempt. They too respect, and visit the rich more
than the poor, and thus indirectly lend their influence to drive them
from virtuous life to a course of dissipation and crime. And when once
they get them there, then they wish to devise some _great means_ to
bring them back to the paths of sobriety and virtue. Do they endeavor
to effect this, by ceasing to mind high things, and by condescending
to men of low estate? No--but instead of going among them, and taking
this unhappy class of our fellow creatures by the hand, and leading
them by encouragement and persuasion to the paths of temperance and
reformation, they have, in substance, said, "stand by thyself, I am
holier than thou." They have minded high things, by placing themselves
on an elevation above them, and made them out to be worse than
murderers, thieves and robbers, by ascribing all the crimes, that are
committed, to the use of rum! This has discouraged and exasperated
many, and made them feel that reformation would be of no avail to
raise them to be the associates of those, who appeared so anxious to
reform them. Their language has, in substance, been--you must reform,
give us the credit, but must stand where you are in the lower circles
of life, obey our exhortations, and look up to us as your benefactors,
but you cannot expect to rank with us, because you have no cash to
introduce yourselves into our circles. And as all men desire society,
they have remained with their companions in iniquity.
For any class of society to take a station above others, and endeavor
to force men to abandon the cup by passing votes or enacting by-laws,
that no spirits shall be sold them, is but exciting their rage, and
causing the intemperate to drink the more out of revenge, and causing
those, that are already temperate, to increase the quantity as an act
of defiance. It is a fearful precipice on which we stand as a
religious community. Estimating a man's standing in society by his
immense wealth, or learned profession, rather than by his integrity
and virtue, is attended with the most dangerous circumstances, as we
have already noticed. Men cannot be reformed by force, nor by
declaiming what a low, mean, unworthy, degraded part of the human race
they are.
There is too much pride in our world. We ought to bear in mind that
death will soon lay our heads equally low in the dust, and "the worms
shall cover us!" O the folly of human pretensions to greatness! Let us
not mind high things, but condescend to men of low estate. By
preachers and people of all denominations obeying the exhortations of
our text, mankind would, in a great measure, be restrained from crime,
and certainly from being openly intemperate. If then, we sincerely
desire to reform them, and to hold a powerful check upon their
conduct, and prove ourselves the benefactors of our race, let us begin
the work, by adhering most scrupulously to our text, which exhorts us
to be of the same mind one towards another, to mind not high things,
but to condescend to men of low estate.
It is the duty of preachers, in particular, to be meek and lowly in
spirit--to be humble and watch over the moral maladies of mankind--to
break down the arrogant distinctions, which the fashions and riches of
the world have set up--to esteem men purely for their moral and
intellectual worth, independent of the gifts of fortune, and to visit
those, who are given to intemperance, and, by gentle persuasive
measures, endeavor to lead them to habits of sobriety. And when this
is effected, treat them according to that respect, which their virtues
merit. God is kind to the evil and to the unthankful, and ought we to
be unkind to them? Heaven forbid.
We have now set before you, what we conceive to be the _principal
cause_ leading to _intemperance, dishonesty, and crime_. True, there
may be some exceptions to this, but we are conscious, that it is the
conduct of those very men, who are declaiming against _intemperance
and crime_, that first drives their fellow creatures into those
deplorable haunts of vice. They do this _indirectly_, and perhaps
_innocently_. They do it by giving too much reputation and influence
to the wealthy class of the community, by paying too much homage and
respect to gold, and by withholding, from the virtuous poor, that
respect which their conduct merits. We cannot set this truth before
you in a more forcible light, than by relating, from memory, an
anecdote of Dr. Franklin, with which we will conclude. The rich
merchants and professional men in Philadelphia proposed to form
themselves into a social circle from which all _mechanics_ were to be
excluded. The paper, drawn up for the purpose, was presented to Dr.
Franklin for his signature. On examining its contents, he remarked
that he could not consent to unite his name inasmuch as by excluding
mechanics from their circle, they had excluded God Almighty, who was
the greatest mechanic in the universe!