Infants and Sick Folk

^’ Though we cajmot love their weaknesses, yet we must love the weak, a7td bear with their ijtfirtnities, 7iot breaking, the bruised reed. Infants must not be turyied out of the family because they cry, ajtd are unquiet and troubleso7ne; thotigh they be peevish a7id froward, yet we 77iust bear it with ge7itle7iess a7id patie7ice, as we do the froward7iess of the sick; if they revile we 77itist 7iot revile again, but 77iust seek ge7ttly to restore the77t, 7iotwithstandins: all their This patience is far too rare. We do not make allowances enough for our fellows, but sweepingly condemn those whom we ought to cheer with our sympathy. If we are out of temper ourselves, we plead the weather, or a headache, or our natural temperament, or aggravating circumstances; we are never at a loss for an excuse for ourselves, why should not the same ingenuity be used by our charity in inventing apologies and extenuations for others? It is a pity to carry on the trade of apology-making entirely for home consumption; let us supply others. True, they are very provoking, but if we suffered half as much as some of our irritable friends have to endure we should be even more aggravating. Think in many cases of their ignorance, their unfortunate bringing up, their poverty, their depression of spirit, and their home surroundings, and pity will come to the help of patience. We are tender to a man who has a gouty toe, cannot we extend the feeling to those who have an irritable soul.?

Our Lord will be angry with us if we are harsh to his little ones whom he loves; nor will he be pleased if we are unkind to his poor afflicted children with whom he would have us be doubly tender. We ourselves need from him ten times more consideration than we show to our brethren. For HIS sake we ought to be vastly more forbearing than we are. Think how patient HE has been to us, and let our hard-heartedness be confessed as no light sin.