Charity (Whitehead) n. 171

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171. (XII.) Charity in Sailors. Sailors also become charities, if, while they perform their duty sincerely, justly, and faithfully, they look to the Lord and shun evils as sins. For when they shun evils as sins they shun the devil, for the devil is evil itself; and then they are accepted by the Lord, and the goods that they then do they do from the Lord. And they do good in no other way, continuously, than in the performance of their own work that is enjoined upon them, which is that of a seaman. That work is a good work, because it is a good of use; and to have love towards the neighbor, or charity, is nothing else than to do the good of use. And when they shun the devil and are accepted by the Lord they do not commit the evils described in the Decalogue; that is, they do not kill, they do not commit adultery, they do not steal, they do not bear false witness. For no one does these things who loves the neighbor. He does not love the neighbor who bears such hatred to him that he would kill him; he does not love the neighbor who would commit adultery with another's wife; he does not love the neighbor who would steal and rob him of his goods; he does not love the neighbor who would testify falsely against him and so on. These are the evils which those that look to the Lord especially shun. And then they have no fear of death, for if they die they die in the Lord, and go to heaven; and there all love each other as brothers and companions, and render mutual good services. And I exhort sailors also, as I have just done shipmasters, to go to the Lord and pray to Him; for there is no other God of heaven, earth, and sea.


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