The New York herald., 1871-02-27
THE NINETEENTH STREET PRESBYTERIAN
CHU2Cu.


Mans Excuses at tho Bar Of Henven-Ser~
mon by the Rev. DIR. Halt.
The sermon or the Rev. DR.. Hall yesterday morn.
ing was even unusually eloquent He showed also
the many nimsy excuses with which wilful sinners
try to stine and satisfy that
EVER INWARD PRoMPTER-coNsCIENCg.
After the usual prayers and psalms the doctor
took his text from Jeremiah-.'What wilt thou say
when he shall punish theer" These were portion
OF the words OF the prophet uttered just before the
humiliation and capture OF Jerusalem and the send
Ing into captivity OF her people. Jeremiah had pre-
dicred that account or the intolerabe and over
weenng PRIDE OF the pe~ple OF judah and Jerusalem
both those places ani people would be Inundated
and
BROUGHT DOWN TO THE DUST
Symbolloslly the prophet said that the people Of
Judah and Jerusalem were bound unto the Lord aa
girdle is bound unto man, VINO. finding IL 10 be
worthless ana rotten throws 1t from MN. 50 did
the Lord throw the people Of those places away
from MIN. The question Of the text-"What wilt
thou sayt'-is asked to show the natural tendency
OF men TO make excuses, to try and d loophole OF
escape where there IS none. Men always are anx-
lous 10 lay blame others rather than take 1t on
themselves. to wnom It properly belongs. how
men who are unsuccessful In their pursuits all eager
10 say, "Well, 1t is no fault or mine that cannot
ge. oa;' it is my friends who woud not assist me;
WHOLE WORLD Is AGAINST NE
Another win attribute his mlsfortunes to HIS bad
luck; Others, that they were never meant to be a
success. Tney never look into themselves nor try
to nnd the cause OF their disappointment with
they could This is only the worldly Pm phase s OF ta
Question; but let us now take the other side. winch
applies to the land beyond the Valley oil Deaths
suppose us to be Just now at
TIE BAR OF HEAVEN;
tho books OF Just ce are open the evidence against
Us Is overwhelming. what then shall we sayy AS
the criminal courts on earth are, Will tiat final
tribunal be, before which We must all piead-"What
not be now pronounced upon your" These
are the words that ring on the rear OF
such viii be the purport OF the question put
to every creature wac Will stand before the judg-
fore that throne, whose power, perhaps. you have
scoIed at and ridculed, what Will you have say,
my irlends7 Some Will plead ignorance, no doubt,
IGNORANCE IS NOT ALWAYS AN EXCUSE.
There are also many phases 0. It, There IS wlltu!
ana there Is lneXcusable ignorance. AS Saint Paul
gave them overt
have paid. You ask, naturally, Rhy has this
Il Is nexcusable, as he should kno IN better;
h,, ne mas mas mad opportunities me. enough: Then
the veW that S be ,aaen Of ns our IS rssora S
heaven. How can we attempt to plead ignorance,
having the record OF ~hrists life before us,
having all the Scriptures to guide us and the Path
OF lise clearly dennei for us-on, new paltry and
nnsy Will tnat plea bel The rather should we say,
"GOod Lord, be mercdul 10 ine, slnler.n Renlenl-
berlng all the kindness of God during long liie-
time, the memory OF which viii come up to us at
that moment with tenfold weight we dare not say
we knew not Of God "He that kuowelh his aaster'E
will ana doeth 1t not shall be beaten with many
stripes.n Such VIII be and Is case. Otners on
being asked what they have got say, will answer,
was 80 busy that
HAD NO TINE,
thinking, no doubt, that as II Is taken and given 80
often III this world as an excuse that 1t will also
pass current EN- in the next TO such WIN be answered,
"Seek first the kin giom or God.'' Some win say,
"Well, am no worse than may o.hers.n But how
do they know that they are not worse. and even II
there are more as bad they that Will
not save them. Each man must carry
his own burden. Some will say, az
could not help slnping; / was born In It3
had bad examples set me; but here conscience
steps In and says II warned you OF your evil ways;
you could have avoided them II yOu wished" Ii
by an absolute and physical impossibity there was
moth ng for persons TO do put TO sin, then indeed
they might and up before God aud say so; but we
all sin because we ike II, aud think that by supe-
Tior sagacity and ingenuity we wilt get out oil 1t at
well aware when we are dong wrong; consequently
we shall have to take the penalty. Some may think.
In the blasphenly OF their minds and console tnem-
selves by saying, "Well God has made and He Is
BOUND To CARRY ME THROUGH.
God In His wisdom SaW that this question would be
raised by mankind, and everywhere through the
Bible He has scattered Ills answers to the argu.
science, which would guide his actions IN good or
eyil As father Is compelled to renounce mis- SON
who goes to ruin wifully and wishes 10 be reclaimed
so God Will throw of men who deny Him ana walk
not In His ways-the paths OF virtue, honesty and
truth.