Vexed by the defeat of his plans, Ben-hadad, learning that Elisha was in Dothan, sent an army to make him captive. They surrounded the city in the night. In the morning, instead of assaulting the city, the whole host of Syria was smitten with blindness, in answer to a prayer sent up to heaven by the prophet. Elisha then went forth to the host, and said to them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek'." They followed him, and he led them into Samaria ; so that when their eyes were opened, they discovered that they were in the midst of their foes and at their mercy. When the king of Israel perceived that they were in his power, he inquired of the prophet, "My father, shall I smite them??" Now, unquestionably, the prophet might, by a single word, have slain the Syrians, deluged the streets of Samaria with their blood, and sent wailing and despair into Syria. But he uttered no such word. He answered the king, "Thou shalt not smite them: wouldst thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master"." The king obeyed the prophet-fed them, and sent them to their own country. The effect of this splendid exhibition of the law of kindness is given in the simple language of the historian: "So THE BANDS OF SYRIA CAME NO MORE INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL." They were so touched by generosity, so subdued by affection, that they could no more 1 2 Kings vi. 19. 2 2 Kings vi. 21. 4 2 Kings vi. 23. My appear in arms against Israel-they were enemies most effectually overcome; for the fire of love had melted their enmity. How very different this result from that which followed the harsh conduct of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, when he ascended the throne ! The congregation of Israel came to him and said, "Thy father made our yoke grievous; now, therefore, make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee'." After consulting with his young men, Rehoboam answered, father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions'." He might evidently have conciliated the people by kindness; but by pursuing a course of malignity, he introduced rebellion into his dominions; for ten of the tribes revolted against him, and formed a separate kingdom, which never again united with the rest of the Jews, but was frequently embroiled in war with them until the ten tribes were carried away into captivity. In this case, Rehoboam added evil to evil; and the consequence was discord, bloodshed, and anarchy. Elisha, on the contrary, met evil with good; and his enemies were changed into affectionate friends, who refused to lift the hand of opposition against him or his country. The contrast between the result of love and hate, is very obviously marked in these convincing instances. Hate and revenge as surely ended in bloodshed and war, as love and kindness rooted up every weed of animosity and gave birth to 1 Kings xii. 4. 21 Kings xii. 14. respect and affection. Rehoboam multiplied his enemies by harshness-Elisha gained many friends among the pagan Syrians by forbearance and goodness. The power of the law of kindness is beautifully exhibited in the events with which the apostle Peter was concerned at the betrayal of Christ. When Peter denied his Lord, and in his fear declared that he knew not the man, his bitter tears would never have flowed, nor his sorrow have been so pungent and complete, had not recollections of the kindness of his Lord taken possession of his feelings, powerfully contrasting his base ingratitude with that love which had instructed and blessed him. Peter bowed under it--he could not withstand the good with which his evil was met; and he mourned his defection with sincere repentance, and was ever after true to his Saviour, even unto death. After the venerable evangelist, John, had returned from his banishment to the isle of Patmos, he made it his duty to visit the various churches, to consult their prosperity and welfare. On one occasion he observed an intelligent looking man, who, after a time, became a member of one of the churches. But this man soon became corrupt and intemperate, through the influence of bad company, and at last fled to a band of robbers, of whom he was made captain. When John, to his great grief, heard these facts, he exposed himself in the haunts of the robbers, and when taken, said, "Lead me to your captain." When the bandit saw John, he fled; but the Apostle pursued him, saying, "My son, why fliest thou from thy father, unarmed and old?—fear not; as there yet remaineth hope of salvation believe me, Christ hath sent me." Before the kind entreaties of John, the robber trembled and wept, and finally returned to his Christian companions and became an exemplary man'. In these instances we discover the power of kindness; and they prove that it is more efficacious than revenge for if revenge had been exercised in regard to these persons, the results would have been entirely different from those which were brought about by the divine rule of overcoming evil with good. 1 Goodrich's Ecclesiastical History, pp. 68, 69. CHAPTER III. THE POWER OF KINDNESS. "The hand that wiped away the tears of want, Were his; and blessings follow'd him.” If we leave the Scriptures, and examine the records of history and experience, we find the most illustrious examples to exhibit the influence of the law of kindness in opening the fountain of goodness in the heart. These instances are not mere anecdotes, the stale outbreakings of fallacy, but they are facts whose truth is beyond doubt. And so little is the law of loving enemies practised, that it is our duty to pile fact upon fact, until demonstration shall become so open and powerful, that to depart from it shall be blind and wilful resistance of truth. For so sure as there is a God who rules in the universe; so sure as He has spoken to the world through the revelation of his will; so sure as Christ died for his foes, forgiving them the sin of his murder; so sure it is, that the law of kindness is the true governing principle between man and his fellows. The first illustration to be presented under this |