Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-07-31
To the Union and American.


To the Union and American.
That DIR. Hammer has yielded to tenn
tation, and committed great sin, we
fear is too true That the commission
did right in their prompt action and
condemnation we believe. That in
this sin, the cause of Christ has been
deeply injured, and all good people
mortified and greived we deeply feel
and deplore. But now what is orr duty
towards our erring brother2 This is
the question to be considered 1t
should be considered in the light of
the teachings. and example of Christ !;
with full knowledge of the weakness
of the flesh, and in the free exercise
of that charity which hopeth all
things" and with that love which
covereth up multitude of sins. To
crush the fallen is common develop
ment of human deprayity. There are
many, both in and out of the church
like the filthy buzzard as he passes
over thousand landscapes of beauty
and of flowers without the least inter
est, and then fixes his piercing eye on
the first rotting carcas which can be
found Such, everybody knows, are
not the best people, but people whose
characters are open to suspicion. No
one hated sin as did our Saviour, yet
no one was so ready to forgive. 1t was
the hyp )critical Pharisees whose holy
Indignation was aroused against the
woman, but ii was the pure and lovely
Jesus who spoke kindly and said, Go,
and sin no more They were far
more wicked than she, yet they were
the first to eondemn-He the first to
forgive | never knew DIR. Hammer,
nor do [ belong to the same church: |
am, however a minister Of the same
gospel which he has preached so long
and so we'll. | say this that may not
be suspected of Partially. From my
heart Sympathize with him. Allwho
know their own weakness will join me
in this sympathy. The door of repent
ance and pardon stands open to all
who desire to enter. Christ had no
better friend than that Mary. out of
whom he cast seven devils. Many Of
the best Bible saints were guilty of
great sirs. They saw their fjlly, re-
pented, God forgive, and they went on
in his service, died and went to Heaven.
So may our unfortunate brother so
may all the rest of US for We all have
sinned, if not as did he, in some way
equally as heinous in the sight of God.
Ours may be concealed from the eyes
Of man. his has been revealed; this is
the difference. Let him that is with
out sin cast the first stone" sin of one
kind or another, deep, dark, damning
sin. How much better is that man
who sells liquor for money. who goes
to the dance for pleasure? When God
forgives, we are bound to forgive, when
the proper evidence is presented. How
many OF the pure sex, in an hour Of
temptation and weakness, have fallen,
and for the want of sympathy, have
been pushed out into the whirlpool of
vice and are lost forever a little
sympathy, kind word, friendly
hand would have saved them. but no,
these We're not offered, and they were
lost, Such is the way of the world,
but 1t is notthe way of God. lie is
ever crying, Come back errine ones
come to my arms. / will forgive. |
will save. What a difference Who
is rightY They who show no mercy
have no right to expect any. but.
Blessed are the merciful for they shaft
obtain mercy" Suppose all that is
charged be true, what then? Are those
forty years of CONSIDERATION of talent.
life. service and usefulness worth moth,
ing? True characters 10 be determip.
ed By the life, not by an individual
act, Otherwise, what would, have be-
come Of Abraham, Lot, Moses, David.
Peter, John, Paul; these were bad
men and not to be trusted. But God
says they We're good men. When /
was younger than | am now ordered
some bad characters out Of my church.
| now believe ] did WRONG and hope
never to repeat it. | now feel that it