Feeling And Principle

I will clearly show the distiiiction between the benevolence of Principie and Feeling, to resort to an allegorical illustration. Let us suppose then, that one evehing,Feeling and Princi])le were walking in a road upon the outskirts of a country town. They had been to attend an evening service in a school house, half a mile from their homes. It was a cold winter evening, and as they passed by the door of a small cabin, and with boarded windows and broken roof, they saw a chile sitting at the door, weeping, and sobbing bitterly. Feeling looked anxious and concerned. "What's the matter, my little fellow?" said Principie, with a pleasant countenance. The boy sobbed on. "What a house," said Feeling, "for human beings to live in. But I do not think anything serious is the matter. Let us go on." uWhat is the matter, my boy1?" saic Principie again, kindly. "Can you teil us what is the matter?" "My father is sick," said the boy, "and I don't know what is the matter with him." "Hark," said Feeling. They listened, and heard the sounds of moaning and muttering within the house. "Let us go on," said Feeling, puiling upon Principíeos arm, "and we will sene somebody to seewhat is the matter." "We had better go and see ourselvcs," said Principie lo her coinpanion. Feeling shrunk back from theproposal and Principie hersèif, with female timidity, paused a moment, from an undefined sense of dan ge r. "There can be no real danger, thought f?he,besides, if there is, my S'avior exposeci himself to danger in doi-ng good. Why should not I? Savior," she whispered, !!aid and guide me." "Where is your mother, my boy?" said slie. "She is in there," said the boy, "trying tó take care of him." "Oh come," said Feeling, "let us go, Here my boy, here is some money for you to carry to your mother." Saying thisj she tossed down some change by his side. The boy was wiping his eyes and did not notice it. He looked up anxiously into Principle's face and said, "I wish you would go and see my mother."Principie advanced toward the door, and Feeling, afraid to síay out, or to go home alone, followed. They walked in. Lying upon a bed of straw, and covered with miserable and tattered blankets was á sick man; moaning and muttering and snatching at the bed clothes with his fingers.. He was evidently not sane.' His.wife was sitting on the end of a 5.ench by the chiümey corner, with her elbowa on her knees and her face upon her hands. As her visitors qntered. she [ooked up to thom, tlie very picture of wrctchedness and despair. Principie was glad, but Feeling was sorry they had come. Feeling began to talk to somesmall children, who were shivering over the embers PppP the hearth, and Principie accosted the . mother. They both learned =?oon, the true state of the case. It was a asc of common cause. Feeling was ovcrwhelined with painful ernotion at witncssng, such 'sufferiñg. Principie, began to think what could be done to relieve it, and to prevent its return. "Let us give her some money to spend and buy some-wood and some bread, whispered Feeling, "and go away; I cannot bear to síay." "She wants kind words and sympathy. morethan food and fuel for present relief," said Principie, "let us sit with her a little while.'5 The poor sufferer was cheered and encouraged by th'eiF. prcsence. A little hope broke in. Her strength revived under the inïiuence of a cordial more powerful than any medicated beverage; and when, after a half an hour, they went away promising future relief, the spirits and strength of the wretched wife and mother had been a little restored. She hail smoothed her husband's wretched couch, and quieted her crying children, and shut her doors,. and was preparing to enjoy the relief when it should come. In a word, she had been revived from the stupor of despair. As they walked away, Feeling sald it was a most heartrending scène, and that she should not Yorget it as long as she Iivéd. Principie said nothing, but guided their way to a house where they found one wliom they could cmploy to carry food and fuel to tho cabin, and take care of the sick man, while the wifc anc her children should sleep. They then re turned home. Feeling retired to rest shudderinglest the terrible scène shoulc haunt her in her dreatns, and saying that she would not witness such a scène again, for all the world. Principie kneeleu down at her beduide with a mind at peace She commended the sufferers to God's care, and prayed that the Savior woulc give her every dtty some such work to do for him. Such, in á very simple case, is the dif ference between Feeling and Principie The one obeys God. Tiie other obeys her own impulses, and relieves misery be cause she cannot bear to see it. As a consequence ofthis difference in the ver nature of their benevolence, many results follow in i'espect to the character of their