Title: "Bear ye one another's burdens" - A Plain Sermon on the Lancashire Distress
Author: Cowan, James Galloway
Language: English
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Transcribed from the 1862 William Skeffington edition by David Price.



                     “BEAR YE ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS.”


                                * * * * *

                              A PLAIN SERMON

                                    ON

                         THE LANCASHIRE DISTRESS.

                                * * * * *

                                  BY THE

                        REV. JAMES GALLOWAY COWAN,

         MINISTER OF ARCHBISHOP TENISON’S CHAPEL, REGENT STREET.

                                * * * * *

                                 LONDON:

                  WILLIAM SKEFFINGTON, 163, PICCADILLY.

                                  1862.

                                * * * * *



_By the same Author_.


         _Just published_, _cloth_, 5_s._, _by post_, 5_s._ 4_d._

PLAIN SERMONS.  Third Series.  Containing a Course for Advent, for Lent;
also Epiphany, Easter, and Miscellaneous Sermons.

                                * * * * *

_Also_, _just out_, _price_ 1_d._, FOR DISTRIBUTION, _or_ 6_s._ _per_
100, A FEW WORDS TO ALL ON THE PRESENT DISTRESS OF OUR BRETHREN IN
LANCASHIRE.  II. Cor., viii, 14.

                                * * * * *



A PLAIN SERMON.


                              GALATIANS, vi., 2.

      “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of CHRIST.”

There are certain burdens which every man must bear for himself, which
none can bear for him.  Such are the burdens brought upon him by
sin—fear, remorse, punishment.  Such again are the burdens of
responsibility which belong to his gifts and opportunities from GOD.  Of
these it is not the Divine will that he should be relieved by others.
Rightly is he made to eat the fruit of his own wilful doings; rightly is
he accountable to GOD for all that has been lent to him, for all that he
has been commanded to do.  It is true indeed that the co-operation or
opposition of other men may, in some measure, affect the bearing of these
burdens; but still mainly, if not entirely, is it a question between
_him_ and his GOD—with which a stranger intermeddleth not—what he shall
suffer, what reckoning shall be made with him: “The son shall not bear
the iniquity of the father;” “Every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own work;” “Every one of us shall give an account of
_himself to_ GOD.”

These burdens may be considered _appropriate_ and _peculiar_ to the
individual or class of individuals upon whom they are laid: so that you
may anticipate, almost with certainty, the judgment which imposes them;
may observe without wonder or questioning who have to bear them; may
trace back the effect to its cause, the duty to its obligation, and
justify and approve the law of their imposition.

But there are other burdens which seem to light “hap-hazard” upon their
bearers, incurred by no special misconduct, corresponding with no
particular powers and opportunities.  There is no reason that can be
discerned why _these_ men should have them, and _those_ be free from
them.  Nay, there seems every reason why it should be otherwise: the back
is weak upon which the heavy weight is laid; the understanding is simple
which has perplexities to unravel; the life is upright which has been
afflicted; the hand is willing which has no work to do.  These are the
burdens, the “heavy things,” the _grievances_ of which the text speaks,
burdens from beneath which the bearers may naturally cry, “Why am I
thus?” burdens the beholding whereof from afar should prompt the humble,
adoring exclamation, “Why am I _not_ thus?”

The last part of the text answers both classes of inquirers.  It is, that
opportunity may be afforded for fulfilling “the law of CHRIST,” the rule
which He set Himself, that in His earthly course He should minister to
others, bearing their infirmities, taking on Himself their burdens,
supplying their wants, binding up their wounds, healing their sicknesses,
and leaving us an example that we should follow his steps; the new
commandment that we should love one another as He has loved us, the
exercise of that sympathy, for the working of which He made of Himself
and Christians one body, binding them to mutual help and dependence, that
“whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it, or one member
be honoured all the members rejoice with it.”

No man ever came into this world, certainly none was ever incorporated in
the Christian Church with license or power to live to himself or by
himself.  CHRIST has constituted us all in Him members one of another.
Faculties and gifts He has bestowed on some, which cannot be used but in
communicating to others; needs He has created, and burdens imposed, for
the relief of which men must look to their brethren.  Hence the richly
endowed are to hold their possessions in common, and to distribute them
liberally according as every man has need; hence the burden of the
suffering and oppressed is to be borne by the free.  “Here take of my
good things,” we are to say to the needy, “for I hold them as a steward
for thee.  Here, give me of thy evil things, for they are laid upon thee
that I may take them off or bear them with thee.”  This, brethren, is the
law of CHRIST, a law to be observed as holy duty, as blessed privilege,
in the full measure of the demand, or at least of the ability to meet it,
in the spirit of love.

We may not refuse when there is a cry for help, and we have it to bestow;
we may not plead another’s liability to exempt ourselves.  We may not
give just what we will, when more is wanted, and we possess more, or can
get it.  We may not excuse ourselves from further care, where our utmost
effort has failed to remove the oppressing load; we have then to add
_taking_ to our _giving_, to go under the burden and help to bear it.

Let these general remarks suffice to introduce and recommend the special
appeal which I have to make to you to-day on behalf of your burdened
brethren, the distressed operatives of Lancashire.

You know their case.  The blockade of the American harbours has
intercepted the large supply of cotton which till lately was regularly
received from thence.  Consequently, the mill-owners have either
suspended work and closed their mills, or have reduced the number of
“hands” to a small fraction of that usually employed.  Thousands and
thousands of able, active, industrious men and women are thus, with their
families, deprived of the means of subsistence.  Theirs is not the case,
remember, of men who _will_ not work, and who, therefore, according to
the Apostolic rule, may justly be left to bear their own burden: “If any
man will not work, neither shall he eat.”  They want to work.  They are
compelled to be idle; the door of the factory is shut against them, and
were they qualified for other kind of work, it could not be found for
them.  What, then, is to be done for them?  And, who are to do it?  There
has been much talk, as you probably know, about the backwardness of the
mill-owners generally to sustain the hands which built up their fortunes.
An increased rate, or a loan upon the rates, has been suggested.  The
intervention of Government has been invoked.  But while men are disputing
about the agency which ought to remove the burden, it is lying sore upon
those beneath it—it is crushing them to death!  It is true that “private
charity” has done something; according to the world’s standard, has done
_much_.  But, after all, the _present_ emergency has been mocked rather
than met, and day by day the crowd of sufferers is increasing, and the
growing severity of the season is intensifying their suffering.  Surely,
here is a demand for the operation of the law of CHRIST.  Whoso seeth his
brother in _such_ need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of GOD in him?  If CHRIST, by and by, will reject with
indignation those who have left the _least_ of his brethren unfed,
unclad, unvisited, how will He treat those who have neglected these
sufferers?  For, assuredly, _they_ are not the “least” of His brethren.
It is no vicious or imprudent course that has brought them to this pass.
It is the deliberate policy of our nation which has forced upon them, all
helpless, their grievous burden.  It is what _we_ have done in self-love
which has made _them_ miserable!  And how nobly, how heroically, how
religiously, are they bending to the burden!  There is no bitter outcry
against the blockaders, no intemperate act or speech against the
mill-owners, no riotous agitation for national intervention, no lawless
depredation, and desperate helping of themselves, no clamour for relief,
no greedy grasping of what is offered.  Their very failings lean to
virtue’s side.  They have struggled to be independent.  They have drawn
from the savings’ bank the little fruits of their prudence and frugality:
“one by one they have parted with their few luxuries, their half-dozen
books, and their musical instrument, whatever it was; then the old clock
ceased its familiar ticking; then, lingeringly left behind, the old
family Bible, with its little family record, and its many associations
with the past; and then their very clothing and bedding.”  While they
could help themselves, they would not ask, they would not _have_, help
from others, and even now, when all is gone, the spirit of independence,
the abhorrence of pauperism, the desire to bear their own burden, will
hardly let them receive, on much persuasion and entreaty, the miserable
pittance which is called “relief.”

My brethren, shall such men with their wives and little ones be hungry
and naked, and lie on bare boards, and shiver, and starve, and die, while
we have aught of money, food, or raiment that we can send them?

I should do you much wrong, if I feared that you would not respond to
such an appeal, if I did not feel confident that you would make now the
very largest offering you can, and go home with the burning resolution to
repeat it and surpass it if possible.  Your hearts must be touched, your
hands must be ready.  You would not be _human_, much less _Christian_,
were it otherwise.

But, brethren, zeal and love often burn themselves out without affecting
much around them, for want of direction and management.

Let me, therefore, offer you a few practical suggestions whereby you may
be helped to sustain and make productive the feelings now aroused.

Regard, then, the offering which you make to-day as the pledge that you
will give again and quickly, and at once set about redeeming the pledge.
Resolve to waste nothing, to spend nothing on amusement, on luxuries, on
what is not absolutely necessary, till the hungry are all fed, and the
naked all clothed.  Infuse the same spirit into your household and all
that approach it.  Be a mouth to plead for those who will not ask for
themselves.  Let no one meet you and part from you without being stirred
to respond to this most imperative call.  Hold out a ready and eager hand
to receive what he will give, and what you receive be prompt to hand on.

When you have scraped all that you can by direct means, look about for
by-ways.  Part with everything that you can do without; ask your friend
for the _cost_ of his proffered hospitality (be sure he will generally
give you more); calculate what you have saved by “good” bargains, and
hand on the gains.

These directions may seem trivial and the fruits which may spring from
their observance insignificant.  But remember, brethren, that where a
loaf of bread may keep a fellow Christian from starvation, there cannot
really be anything trivial and insignificant.

Besides, it is not merely the actual support for the body, but the moral
influence of manifested sympathy which has to be considered.  We have
read how a kind word has lighted up a careworn countenance and drawn
forth the utterance, “It does us good to feel that we are cared for.”
Who knows what the message of brotherly interest told by our smallest
offerings, blest by GOD, may effect?  How it may arouse from despondency,
how it may calm the troubled breast, how it may cheer the last sad hours,
and prompt the wretched soul to bless GOD and us ere it depart!

And this recalls to us another truth, that if we cannot remove the
burden, we may help to bear it.  Let us make this our concern.  After all
that we can do, there will, alas! probably remain very much unrelieved.
If we cannot take it off, let us bear it up.  If we cannot wipe away our
brother’s tears, let us weep with him.  If he must go forth bearing the
cross even unto death, let us bear it with him, like Joseph of Arimathea,
and give him the precious peace of knowing that he is not alone.  At the
worst this shall keep his soul alive while the body is perishing; it
shall make him walk calmly in the valley of the shadow of death; it shall
bear good fruit in eternity, if not in time.

One other brief suggestion on this head.  Such an interest and effort as
I have urged upon you must, if you are Christians, not only stretch forth
your desires to your brother Christian, but raise up your hearts to GOD.
Bear his burdens into the presence of the GOD that heareth prayer.  Tell
out his wants, breathe your aspirations for him before the throne of
grace.  The prayer shall be heard and answered.  It shall return into
your own bosom; it shall enlist mighty intercession for you; if it does
not keep alive here, it shall save from death there.  It shall people
heaven with expectants for your coming; with those who, when you fail,
shall joy to receive you into everlasting habitations.

                                * * * * *

              F. Shoberl, Printer, 37, Dean Street, Soho, W.





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