vin. THE STAFF AND THE SACRIFICE. 143 



they seek exemption from being their distressed brother's 

 keeper, and freedom to carry on their own selfish busi- 

 ness or pleasure unmolested. They send their servant, 

 as the prophet sent Gehazi, to heal some clamant evil 

 by the aid of their staff; by the help of something that 

 is useful to them, but not indispensable ; something that 

 belongs to them, but is not a part of themselves ; some- 

 thing that they can spare without inconvenience. The 

 staff that they use represents their money, their help, 

 whatever shape it assumes; and their Gehazi is the 

 missionary or minister, the society or collector, whom 

 they use in distributing their help. Thus they them- 

 selves never come into contact with the evil they seek 

 to redress; they never see the objects of their charity; 

 they have no personal interest in them, no sympathy of 

 heart and soul with them as brothers and sisters sharing 

 the same human nature. And acting in this impersonal 

 way, having our good deeds done for us by proxies and 

 substitutes; subjecting ourselves to no real sacrifice, no 

 pain or trouble or inconvenience; sending our alms by the 

 hands of a servant who may turn out to be as covetous, 

 hard and careless of the interests of those for whom he 

 acts and to whom he administers help as Gehazi; doing 

 the work only for the sake of the reputation, or the sub- 

 stantial loaves and fishes connected with it we need 

 not wonder that so many of our efforts to remove the 

 evil of the world should be so unsuccessful. Its dead, 

 cold form remains pulseless and motionless under the 

 pitying heavens. There is no answering thrill of life, 

 no voice to. break the awful stillness. Instead of mak- 



