Doing Good to All

William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army relayed a rather incredible story he heard in response to a question about how Christians should treat evil people. 

Booth said:

‘God sends His rain, and makes His sun to shine with almost equal benefit on the evil and on the good, seeking, no doubt, by the giving of these mercies to lead the transgressors to repentance. 

A rather remarkable story, I heard a good many years ago may serve as an illustration here.

Story of a Holy Wife

A gentleman, well-to-do in the world, having a large circle of friends, and spending his life in all manner of sin, had a christian wife. 

She was so patient and forbearing with him in his evil-doing that he was in the habit of boasting of it. 

One night, when engaged in a midnight party, he offered to wager a dozen bottles of wine that if he went home, late as it was, or rather early in the morning, and woke his wife up, and ordered a dinner, that she would rise, call the servants from their beds, and have the meal prepared, the whole being done, not only without complaining, but with kindness and humility. 

The bet was accepted by one of the gentlemen, and they all went to the house. The man did as he had said. The lady rose, the dinner was prepared, and, with a meek but pleasant countenance, she sat at the head of the table. 

This so surprised the gentleman who had accepted the wager, that he addressed her somewhat as follows: 

‘Madam, you surprise me. 

Your husband has behaved in such a rude manner, and we too have acted with him. He has woken you at this unreasonable hour, and compelled you to go through with what must have been an unpleasant task, and, although the whole business must have been most repulsive to your feelings, you have not uttered one word of complaint. 

Can you explain to us the reason for your patience?’ 

To this appeal the lady replied: ‘My husband is pursuing a course which can only have one end.

I have prayed for him, wept over him, and besought him to abandon his evil ways, but all in vain. He appears fully set on finishing his journey, which can only lead him to the world of woe. There, I know, he will have no more gladness. 

I love him, and have therefore resolved to do what I can to promote his comfort, and furnish him with innocent pleasures, while he is here, seeing that there will be nothing but regrets and misery for him in the next world.’ 

As she said this, she burst into tears, and the gentleman to whom she spoke, was so impressed that he went away, resolved from that hour to forsake his sins and serve the living God. 

Our Duty

It certainly is not our duty to punish every evildoer we meet, even if we had the power. But it is our duty to discharge such earthly obligations as are laid upon us with respect to them.

The consequences of their conduct must rest with themselves.’

(William Booth, Letters to Salvationists on Religion for Every Day, 1902)