Malice toward none, charity for all

By Hyon O’Brien

Once or twice a year we go see a carefully chosen film on the big screen in a cinema complex.

Most recently we saw the remarkable “Lincoln” directed by Stephen Spielberg. I viewed with intense interest the process through which the Thirteenth Amendment to the American Constitution was enacted.

This Amendment, which was ratified in 1865, was absolutely necessary to spell out clearly that the practice of slavery in any State in the Union was illegal. The Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln, which in 1863 declared the freedom of slaves in the Confederate States that were still in rebellion, could have been viewed as a temporary war measure by the commander-in-chief, so a constitutional amendment was essential to finally abolish slavery.

The film ends with the scene in which President Lincoln delivers his second inaugural speech on March 4, 1965. When I heard the words, “with malice toward none, with charity for all,” it was as if time stood still for me, as if these words were being engraved on my soul. That phrase has stayed with me and haunted me for days afterwards. So here I am again obeying my muse to tell you about it.

What is charity? A dictionary defines charity as a voluntary help or relief to the poor and to those who are in need. Another definition focuses on a kindly and lenient attitude towards others, and love of one’s fellow men.

Every year we see Christmas decorations being installed and carols being piped out wherever we go even before the Thanksgiving holiday is finished. We see mounds of gift displays in shops and department stores. Non-stop commercials and advertisements inundate us through all devices. I get many junk ads on my smart phone every single day announcing “must have” gift items.

I wonder what it would be like if all of us at Christmas were to examine what we do as gift givers and modify that by intentional charitable acts.

The other night we were in New York attending the annual benefit dinner for the Asian Women’s Christian Association. As we perused the activities set out in the dinner program, we were amazed by the range of charity work this organization has carried out for the past 32 years in the Asian community in the Northern New Jersey. They run a weekly workshop for American adoptive parents and their Korean-born adopted children, SAT courses for those who can’t afford such a luxury, as well as a Korean school and a senior service center. They even have hired some two hundred care-givers to look after elderly patients in their homes. All the people who founded and involved in the running of this charitable organization have given their time, energy and money on top of their caring hearts.

For the past fifteen years or so, Dr. Steve Linton, a descendant of American missionary families in Jeolla Province, has dedicated his life to helping North Korean tuberculosis patients. Twice a year he leads a team of his helpers to remote health clinics in North Korea to visit and encourage TB patients and monitor his program by checking the proper deliveries of medicine and medical equipment. In between visits, he spends all his spare time promoting, interpreting, and raising funds for this worthy charity work by speaking to groups in the US and Korea. We know his act of charity is not motivated by anything but his compassion for those sufferers. A pure act of Christian love.

I had an awesome time reading a book written in Korean by his brother, Dr. John Linton, who co-founded the Eugene Bell Foundation (named after their maternal great grandfather who came to Korea in 1895) with Dr. Steve Linton. From his account, we can follow the story of this remarkable missionary family’s work in Jeolla-do and realize the power of charity. In the book, “My Hometown, Jeolla-do, My Soul, a Korean,” Dr. John Linton devotes one chapter entirely to the life of Rev Sohn Yangwon (1902-1950).

Rev. Sohn’s ministry was to those who suffer from leprosy. His passion and love looking after untouchables rejected by society deeply moved those who were under his care. In 1948 during the Yeosu-Suncheon uprising, his two sons were shot by the leftist rebels. After mourning his sons, Rev. Sohn decided to forgive and love the killer of his beloved sons, Ahn Jaeseon. His pleading for this about-to-be executed Ahn resulted in his eventual release.

With the blessing of the authorities he adopted Jaeseon. Under his loving custody with no trace of malice or grudge, this killer Ahn Jae-seon changed his name to Sohn Jae-seon and later on became a pastor and followed in his big-hearted father’s footstep. What a triumphant story of love and charity!

I know not everyone can found an organization like AWCA or Eugene Bell Foundation, or embrace an enemy like Rev. Sohn, but all of us can do a small act of charity every day. When we maintain a loving and kindly attitude towards all and act accordingly with generosity of spirit, we can truly live the spirit of Christmas all year round. Pick up that phone to comfort the lonely, to speak to that sibling or parents you didn’t talk to for a while, write that letter of forgiveness to the person you were wronged by, and celebrate the season of giving with charitable heart. It is liberating, isn’t it?

Hyon O'Brien is a former reference librarian now living in the United States. She can be reached at hyonobrien@gmail.com.