The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-13
A Five Minute Sermon to Chill
dren.
BY REV. JAMES HASTE.

BY REV. JAMES HASTE.
BE ye angry, and sin not. '-Eph iv: 90.
How glad am q fancy some of you
will say, how glad l am that the text
does not read, "Thou shalt not get an
cry" that the Bible nowhere says that
" all anger is sinful" for where is the
man, or woman, or child who never was
angry, or babe who never showed be-
fore it was twelve months old some
bad temper, either in the way of sulking,
or screaming, or kicking ?
Yes, young friends, the Bible is wise
and Just book, because it came from a
wise and Just God. 1t does not forbid
all anger, because it knows we could no
more live without getting angry some
times, than we could live without smiling
and laughing sometimes.
We have feelings in our heart and
muscles III our face for laughing, and we
have feelings in our heart and muscles
in our face to express anger. Though in
itself laughter is not wrong thing, yet
we may commit sin by laughing-as e. g.,
when we laugh at cripples and poor
people, or at the Bible, or make fun in
church or at funeral so of anger.
There is an anger that God does con-
denim, and an anger that God does not
condemn; therefore, He says in the text,
4" Be ye angry and sin not. :"
You ask, then, perhaps, for some ex-
amples of persons being angry and yet
not SHINING thereby. and you hope to be
able to do likewise.
Well, l will give you two or three.
AS the Rev. Dr. Spencer was walking
down the street one day, one of the mem
bers of his congregation met him in a
very excited state. His lips were set
tight his grey eyes flashed ike fire, and
his whole body seemed ready for action.
How are you to-day ?" said Dr.
Spencer, as he came up. The man stared
like one rust walked from dream, and
he said in sharp, ringing voice, A." am
mad" And then pausing for moment,
he said in deep, earnest tone, Back there
I saw some furniture and goods thrown
out on thestreet, and poor widow stand
ing beside them. She could not pay her
month rent; the landlord turned her
out, and one of her children is going to
die. And that landlord is a member of
our church to Id her to take her things
back again. And am now going to see
that cruel man about it, :"
This man was angry, but sinned not.
The wrong done that poor widow was
enough to make any man s blood boil, and
he was bound to be angry.
The other instance have to tell you
about of is One who never committed sin in
His life, either by being angry or in any
other way, and yet He was angry again
and again. His name you all know, l
am sure.
In your Sabbath School lesson for the
last of January, you remember it is
stated that Jesus entered into the syna-
gogue on the Sabbath-day There was
brought to Him a man with a withered
hand. There were also present some Of
His bitterest enemies, watching His
every word and act, that they might ac-
cuse Him before the court Jesus knew
all the while the thoughts of their heart
and He was much displeased and it is
added, When He had looked round
about on them with anger &. He
said unto the man, Stretch forth thine
hand MARK iii: 81.
In the second chapter Of Johns Cos
pei you read, too OF His going up to the
Passover, and finding IN the sacred ten
pie people buying and selling sheep and
oxen, and making money where God
should be worshipped. He was so an
cry at the sight that He whipped them
out Of the place and overthrow the ia
bles, money and all.
These cases show that it is a possible
thing to be angry and yet not sin.
But, you ask, what kind of anger is
sinful2
Well Cd, all anger is sinful which has
hatred in it, and revengeful feeling.
Christ hated sin, and still does, but the
sinner He pities and prays for.
Father, forgive them, they know not