Criminal Reformation

Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” — Hebrews xii. 12, 13.

I UNDERSTAND the passage to mean, “It is better to reform the erring than to extinguish them.” There are two methods by which the road may be cleared of the lame — either by turning them out of the way or by healing their lameness. The first is the drastic method. It would purify the air by killing those who are diseased; it would starve the leper and the Magdalene. The second is the method of Christ; it would lift up the hands that hang down and reanimate the feeble knees. The first was the world’s method — the Roman’s method. It said of every unpromising tree, “Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground!” But the second said, “Wait till I have digged round about it; pause till I have tried the effect of a better environment! I would rather have it healed than killed,”

Lord of love and beauty, I thank Thee that Thou hast sacrificed the beauty to the love. I thank Thee that Thou hast suffered the barren fig tree to cumber the beauty of the ground; it is a breach of art, but it is a triumph of love. There are many things whose absence would make Thy world more fair. There are tares sown among the wheat, and they mar the glory of Thy field. “Wilt Thou that we go and gather them up?” cry a thousand voices. If it depended on us there would not be one spared. The tares offend our sense of beauty; in the interest of art we would sweep them away. But with Thee there is a deeper interest than art; it is love. Men cry, “Put out the lame from the company of the runners; they spoil the picture!” Thou sayest, “Gather them in still more!” Thou surroundest the imperfect with the pure that they may inhale their purity. Thou settest a spiritual child in the midst of the spiritually strong. Thou placest a possessed soul at the foot of the Transfiguration Mount. Thou sufferest an outcast woman to touch Thee with her tears. All the briars of Thy garden are laid beside the roses. Thou wouldst have beauty to commune with deformity. Thou bringest Judas himself to the farewell feast of love on the chance that he may catch the glow. I bless Thee that Thou hast put art below love. I bless Thee that the symmetry has been sacrificed to the sympathy. I bless Thee that in Thy temple the lame man stands beside the gate of beauty; it mars the prospect to the eye, but it opens up a prospect to the heart.