Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Neglect of the Poor!

Nathan Samuelson, a Puritan pastor in England, was a great spokesman for Christ who devoted his life and ministry to the poor. He established a network of clinics, hospitals, and rescue missions that in later years served as the primary inspiration for William Booth in founding the Salvation Army. In a sermon that he reportedly preached more than three hundred times throughout England, he said, "Sodom was crushed in divine judgment. And why? Was it due to abomination heaped upon abomination such as those perpetuated against the guests of Lot? No, says Scripture. Was it due to wickedness in commerce, graft in governance, and sloth in manufacture? No, says Scripture. In Ezekiel 16:49, Scripture says: Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it. Be warned by Sodom's example. She was crushed in divine judgment simply and solely due to her selfish neglect of the deprived and depressed.”

Bringing in the Sheaves by George Grant

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