Page:The Faith as Unfolded by Many Prophets.djvu/152

 body; if sin be a heavier woe than the loss of friends, or of health, or of riches, as Eber has justly declared; — then for whom should our tears be shed, to whom should our help be given so earnestly as to the guilty? Little indeed do they know of the ways of God who hate or injure the sinner!

Little indeed! replied Eber, for God loves all, and has pity on all. It is for man to fear and detest sin, to fly from it, and to guard from its infection all whom he can protect. But it is less cruel to suffer a man to be swept away by a flood when our hand could save him, than to leave a sinner unwarned. It is more merciful to reproach the blind and to mock the lame, than to point at the sinner with bitter scorn, and to laugh at his shame when we should rather weep for his woe.

This have I never done, said Aza; nor have I at any time intermeddled with any, be they holy or be they guilty. The will of God shall be done upon every man, and I wait to behold what it is, knowing that nought which I can do shall change it.

The will of God is wrought on man by the hands of man, said Eber, and therefore can no man be justified in refusing to act where