,transcribed from the #ahfb ,william ,skeffington edition by ,david ,price4 8,,bear ,,ye ,,one ,,another',s ,,burdens40 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,plain ,,sermon ,,on ,,the ,,lancashire ,,distress4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,james ,,galloway ,,cowan1 ,,minister ,,of ,,archbishop ,,tenison',s ,,chapel1 ,,regent ,,street4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,william ,,skeffington1 #afc1 ,,piccadilly4 #ahfb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,by the same ,author4 ,just published1 cloth1 #es41 by post1 #es4 #d;d4 ,,plain ,,sermons4 ,third ,series4 ,containing a ,course for ,advent1 for ,lent2 also ,epiphany1 ,easter1 and ,miscellaneous ,sermons4 99 99 99 99 99 ,also1 just out1 price #a;d41 ,,for ,,distribution1 or #fs4 per #ajj1 ,a ,,few ,,words ,,to ,,all ,,on ,,the ,,present ,,distress ,,of ,,our ,,brethren ,,in ,,lancashire4 ,,ii4 ,cor41 viii1 #ad4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,plain ,,sermon4 ,,galatians1 vi41 #b4 8,bear ye one another's burdens1 and so fulfil the law of ,,christ40 ,there are certain burdens which every man must bear for himself1 which none can bear for him4 ,such are the burdens brought upon him by sin--fear1 remorse1 punishment4 ,such again are the burdens of responsibility which belong to his gifts and opportunities from ,,god4 ,of these it is not the ,divine will that he should be relieved by others4 ,rightly is he made to eat the fruit of his own wilful doings2 rightly is he accountable to ,,god for all that has been lent to him1 for all that he has been commanded to do4 ,it is true indeed that the co-operation or opposition of other men may1 in some measure1 affect the bearing of these burdens2 but still mainly1 if not entirely1 is it a question between him and his ,,god--with which a stranger intermeddleth not--what he shall suffer1 what reckoning shall be made with him3 8,the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father20 8,every man shall receive his own reward according to his own work20 8,every one of us shall give an account of himself to ,,god40 ,these burdens may be considered appropriate and peculiar to the individual or class of individuals upon whom they are laid3 so that you may anticipate1 almost with certainty1 the judgment which imposes them2 may observe without wonder or questioning who have to bear them2 may trace back the effect to its cause1 the duty to its obligation1 and justify and approve the law of their imposition4 ,but there are other burdens which seem to light 8hap-hazard0 upon their bearers1 incurred by no special misconduct1 corresponding with no particular powers and opportunities4 ,there is no reason that can be discerned why these men should have them1 and those be free from them4 ,nay1 there seems every reason why it should be otherwise3 the back is weak upon which the heavy weight is laid2 the understanding is simple which has perplexities to unravel2 the life is upright which has been afflicted2 the hand is willing which has no work to do4 ,these are the burdens1 the 8heavy things10 the grievances of which the text speaks1 burdens from beneath which the bearers may naturally cry1 8,why am ,i thus80 burdens the beholding whereof from afar should prompt the humble1 adoring exclamation1 8,why am ,i not thus80 ,the last part of the text answers both classes of inquirers4 ,it is1 that opportunity may be afforded for fulfilling 8the law of ,,christ10 the rule which ,he set ,himself1 that in ,his earthly course ,he should minister to others1 bearing their infirmities1 taking on ,himself their burdens1 supplying their wants1 binding up their wounds1 healing their sicknesses1 and leaving us an example that we should follow his steps2 the new commandment that we should love one another as ,he has loved us1 the exercise of that sympathy1 for the working of which ,he made of ,himself and ,christians one body1 binding them to mutual help and dependence1 that 8whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it1 or one member be honoured all the members rejoice with it40 ,no man ever came into this world1 certainly none was ever incorporated in the ,christian ,church with license or power to live to himself or by himself4 ,,christ has constituted us all in ,him members one of another4 ,faculties and gifts ,he has bestowed on some1 which cannot be used but in communicating to others2 needs ,he has created1 and burdens imposed1 for the relief of which men must look to their brethren4 ,hence the richly endowed are to hold their possessions in common1 and to distribute them liberally according as every man has need2 hence the burden of the suffering and oppressed is to be borne by the free4 8,here take of my good things10 we are to say to the needy1 8for ,i hold them as a steward for thee4 ,here1 give me of thy evil things1 for they are laid upon thee that ,i may take them off or bear them with thee40 ,this1 brethren1 is the law of ,,christ1 a law to be observed as holy duty1 as blessed privilege1 in the full measure of the demand1 or at least of the ability to meet it1 in the spirit of love4 ,we may not refuse when there is a cry for help1 and we have it to bestow2 we may not plead another's liability to exempt ourselves4 ,we may not give just what we will1 when more is wanted1 and we possess more1 or can get it4 ,we may not excuse ourselves from further care1 where our utmost effort has failed to remove the oppressing load2 we have then to add taking to our giving1 to go under the burden and help to bear it4 ,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 brethren1 the distressed operatives of ,lancashire4 ,you know their case4 ,the blockade of the ,american harbours has intercepted the large supply of cotton which till lately was regularly received from thence4 ,consequently1 the mill-owners have either suspended work and closed their mills1 or have reduced the number of 8hands0 to a small fraction of that usually employed4 ,thousands and thousands of able1 active1 industrious men and women are thus1 with their families1 deprived of the means of subsistence4 ,theirs is not the case1 remember1 of men who will not work1 and who1 therefore1 according to the ,apostolic rule1 may justly be left to bear their own burden3 8,if any man will not work1 neither shall he eat40 ,they want to work4 ,they are compelled to be idle2 the door of the factory is shut against them1 and were they qualified for other kind of work1 it could not be found for them4 ,what1 then1 is to be done for them8 ,and1 who are to do it8 ,there has been much talk1 as you probably know1 about the backwardness of the mill-owners generally to sustain the hands which built up their fortunes4 ,an increased rate1 or a loan upon the rates1 has been suggested4 ,the intervention of ,government has been invoked4 ,but while men are disputing about the agency which ought to remove the burden1 it is lying sore upon those beneath it--it is crushing them to death6 ,it is true that 8private charity0 has done something2 according to the world's standard1 has done much4 ,but1 after all1 the present emergency has been mocked rather than met1 and day by day the crowd of sufferers is increasing1 and the growing severity of the season is intensifying their suffering4 ,surely1 here is a demand for the operation of the law of ,,christ4 ,whoso seeth his brother in such need1 and shutteth up his compassion from him1 how dwelleth the love of ,,god in him8 ,if ,,christ1 by and by1 will reject with indignation those who have left the least of his brethren unfed1 unclad1 unvisited1 how will ,he treat those who have neglected these sufferers8 ,for1 assuredly1 they are not the 8least0 of ,his brethren4 ,it is no vicious or imprudent course that has brought them to this pass4 ,it is the deliberate policy of our nation which has forced upon them1 all helpless1 their grievous burden4 ,it is what we have done in self-love which has made them miserable6 ,and how nobly1 how heroically1 how religiously1 are they bending to the burden6 ,there is no bitter outcry against the blockaders1 no intemperate act or speech against the mill-owners1 no riotous agitation for national intervention1 no lawless depredation1 and desperate helping of themselves1 no clamour for relief1 no greedy grasping of what is offered4 ,their very failings lean to virtue's side4 ,they have struggled to be independent4 ,they have drawn from the savings' bank the little fruits of their prudence and frugality3 8one by one they have parted with their few luxuries1 their half-dozen books1 and their musical instrument1 whatever it was2 then the old clock ceased its familiar ticking2 then1 lingeringly left behind1 the old family ,bible1 with its little family record1 and its many associations with the past2 and then their very clothing and bedding40 ,while they could help themselves1 they would not ask1 they would not have1 help from others1 and even now1 when all is gone1 the spirit of independence1 the abhorrence of pauperism1 the desire to bear their own burden1 will hardly let them receive1 on much persuasion and entreaty1 the miserable pittance which is called 8relief40 ,my brethren1 shall such men with their wives and little ones be hungry and naked1 and lie on bare boards1 and shiver1 and starve1 and die1 while we have aught of money1 food1 or raiment that we can send them8 ,i should do you much wrong1 if ,i feared that you would not respond to such an appeal1 if ,i did not feel confident that you would make now the very largest offering you can1 and go home with the burning resolution to repeat it and surpass it if possible4 ,your hearts must be touched1 your hands must be ready4 ,you would not be human1 much less ,christian1 were it otherwise4 ,but1 brethren1 zeal and love often burn themselves out without affecting much around them1 for want of direction and management4 ,let me1 therefore1 offer you a few practical suggestions whereby you may be helped to sustain and make productive the feelings now aroused4 ,regard1 then1 the offering which you make to-day as the pledge that you will give again and quickly1 and at once set about redeeming the pledge4 ,resolve to waste nothing1 to spend nothing on amusement1 on luxuries1 on what is not absolutely necessary1 till the hungry are all fed1 and the naked all clothed4 ,infuse the same spirit into your household and all that approach it4 ,be a mouth to plead for those who will not ask for themselves4 ,let no one meet you and part from you without being stirred to respond to this most imperative call4 ,hold out a ready and eager hand to receive what he will give1 and what you receive be prompt to hand on4 ,when you have scraped all that you can by direct means1 look about for by-ways4 ,part with everything that you can do without2 ask your friend for the cost of his proffered hospitality 7be sure he will generally give you more72 calculate what you have saved by 8good0 bargains1 and hand on the gains4 ,these directions may seem trivial and the fruits which may spring from their observance insignificant4 ,but remember1 brethren1 that where a loaf of bread may keep a fellow ,christian from starvation1 there cannot really be anything trivial and insignificant4 ,besides1 it is not merely the actual support for the body1 but the moral influence of manifested sympathy which has to be considered4 ,we have read how a kind word has lighted up a careworn countenance and drawn forth the utterance1 8,it does us good to feel that we are cared for40 ,who knows what the message of brotherly interest told by our smallest offerings1 blest by ,,god1 may effect8 ,how it may arouse from despondency1 how it may calm the troubled breast1 how it may cheer the last sad hours1 and prompt the wretched soul to bless ,,god and us ere it depart6 ,and this recalls to us another truth1 that if we cannot remove the burden1 we may help to bear it4 ,let us make this our concern4 ,after all that we can do1 there will1 alas6 probably remain very much unrelieved4 ,if we cannot take it off1 let us bear it up4 ,if we cannot wipe away our brother's tears1 let us weep with him4 ,if he must go forth bearing the cross even unto death1 let us bear it with him1 like ,joseph of ,arimathea1 and give him the precious peace of knowing that he is not alone4 ,at the worst this shall keep his soul alive while the body is perishing2 it shall make him walk calmly in the valley of the shadow of death2 it shall bear good fruit in eternity1 if not in time4 ,one other brief suggestion on this head4 ,such an interest and effort as ,i have urged upon you must1 if you are ,christians1 not only stretch forth your desires to your brother ,christian1 but raise up your hearts to ,,god4 ,bear his burdens into the presence of the ,,god that heareth prayer4 ,tell out his wants1 breathe your aspirations for him before the throne of grace4 ,the prayer shall be heard and answered4 ,it shall return into your own bosom2 it shall enlist mighty intercession for you2 if it does not keep alive here1 it shall save from death there4 ,it shall people heaven with expectants for your coming2 with those who1 when you fail1 shall joy to receive you into everlasting habitations4 99 99 99 99 99 ,f4 ,shoberl1 ,printer1 #cg1 ,dean ,street1 ,soho1 ,w4