Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-10-30
&radiug fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOrigiIIn
IS MAN 4 SINNER 7

ture and by practice, sinners. In language,
plain and strong, it is asserted that no man,
by nature, is upright and all men violate the
law of God in thought, word and deed. This
is grave charge, and should not be made,
unless it can be sustained by evidence clear
and convincing. 1t is, in the eyes of the law,
grave ofense to charge an individual with
falsehood, with theft, or with murder. The
individual who makes such charge against
his fellow citizen, is liable to prosecution, and
in the eventh fails to establish, by satisfactory
evidence, that his accusations are true, he is
liable to be punished.
When we say that man is a sinner, we
charge him with transgressing the laws of
God and man. The sinner is the individual
who fails to do his duty to God and his fel-
low.man. Hence, when we say that man is
sinner, we really say that man worships
other gods besides the living and true God,
and that he worships God by idols, and in a
way not appointed that he takes the name
of God in vain, and that he is a Sabbath
breaker. This is not all. When we say
that man is sinner, we declare that he does
not honor his parents; that he is murderer,
an adulterer, thief, liar and covetous.
This is, beyond all controversy, a serious
charge to bring against any single individ-
ual, much less against the whole human race.
Is it true? The whole race is interested in
the answer. The observation of the hu.
man family universally discloses the fact that
no man does right. All men are not equally
bad; but no individual has ever been found
who either did or desired to do his whole duty
to both God and man. We see men con-
stantly and habitually doing those things
which are wrong and neglecting to do those
things which are right. Every man sees all
those with whom he comes in contact, sim
ming.
There is another witness that testi6es to the
fact that we are sinners-we are all sinners.
We are conscious of the sad fact. We
feel it. We know it. No man on earth can,
with clear conscience, say that he has done
his whole duty. Every man is conscious that
he has sinned and come short Of the end for
which he was made in everything that he has
done. The Bible corroborates the evidence
given on this subject by our observation and
consciousness. In the Scriptures, the declar-
alton is often made that all men are sinners.
In the Bible, we are given detailed account
of the manner in which sin entered this world,
and how it passed from one man to the whole
race, as well as the dreadful consequences
which await the sinner. Three witnesses,
observation, consciousness and the Bible, tes-
tify that all men are sinners, and there is no
evidence that man is not sinner; hence, we
may safely conclude that the fact is estab-
lished.
We might, with propriety and profit, in
quire what penalty awaits the sinner. The
same witnesses that testify that man is q sim
ner, declare, in positive language, that the
wages of sin is Gods wrath and curse. God,
in his providential dealings with the human
family, has given us many and unmistakable
intimations that He will punish the trans
gressor of His law. The pain and suffering
to which we are all subject, indicates Gods
determination to pour out his vengeance upon
sinners. The earth brings forth thorns and
thistles, and in sorrow we spend our days.
Instinctively, all men fear God. We dread
him as the guilty culprit breads justice.
There is no man that does not fear him. The
man who blasphemes his holy name fears him.
The man who places the iron heel of tyranny
on the necks of his fellow-men, lives in con-
tinual dread of Gods avenging wrath. All
mankind fear and dread God Almighty.
Why is this? The only intelligent answer
that can be given, is that men fear God be-
cause they are conscious that He will punish
either in this life or in the next, the sinner.
The Scriptures positively declare that the soul
that snneth shall die. The wicked shall be
driven into hell with all the nations that for
get God. What shall we do to be saved from
the fearful doom that awaits us? Shall we
take the wings Of the morning and flee from
the presence of God2 Whittier shall we flee
from Gods avenging wrath? In despair the
soul shrieks "God is everywhere. His pres
ence fills immensity." The only way of es-
cape is that pointed out by Paul to the trem-
bling jailor. "Believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved" The final
destiny of the soul, not redeemed by the pre-
cous blood of the Lamb of God, is only
matter of time. At present it is doomed. 1fit
continue to reject Jesus, it will, in short
time, be beyond the reach of mercy. No Won
der the inspired Psalmist said: "Rivers of
water run down my eyes, because they keep
not thy law" Ps. 119: 1856.
Dreadful is the destruction which awaits
the Christ-reecting sinner. His hollow groans
and bitter wailings will fill the cavern of end
less despair. High above every other sound
will be heard the agonizing groan, 81 knew
my duty but did it not" To- every sinner
Jesus says, "Come unto me and be ye saved"
Is it not desperate folly to reject Christ?
SEEDS OF S1N.-There are weeds in al
most every soil. If you throw up the soil
from ten to twenty feet deep, there will be
found the seeds from which they grow: Now
those seeds cannot germinate until they are
put in convenient place; then let the sun
shine and the dews fall, and thus the weeds
begin to show themselves. There may be
many weeds in our nature, deep down, out of
sight, but should they be thrown up by some
chan ge of circumstances, we shall find in our
selves evils we never dreamed Of Oh! let
no man boast; let no man say, II should