They have misjudged him, and become the
subjects of unhappy feeling, and are no longer capable of doing either
him or his sermons justice.
And the longer the unhappy feeling is allowed to remain in their minds,
the stronger it will become, and the more mischievous will it prove.
After disabling or perverting their judgments with regard to their
pastor, it will be in danger of separating them from the Church; and
when once they get out of the Church into the outside world, no wonder
if they make shipwreck both of faith, and of a good conscience.
And so it is continually. Our views of men's characters, talents,
sentiments, are always more or less influenced by our feelings and
affections. If we like a man very much, we look on his views in the most
favorable light, and are glad to see anything like a reason for adopting
them ourselves. We give his words and deeds the most favorable
interpretation, and we rate his gifts and graces above their real value.
On the other hand, if we dislike a man,--if we are led to regard him as
an enemy, and to harbor feelings of resentment towards him, we look on
what he says and does with distrust; we suspect his motives; we
under-rate his talents, and are pleased to have an excuse for differing
from him in opinion.
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