Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-31
GOOD FRIDAY.
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR AT ST. PAULS
CHURCH LAST NIGHT.
/" The Dying Thief" - Death-Bed
Repentance = The Services
Last Evening.

occupied seats reserved for it each side of
the central aisle, and directly in front of
the chancel. Rev. DR.. Won Herrlich. the
Rector of st. Pauls, officiated in the sery-
ices. Professor H. c. Eastman acted as
leader, and six male voices supported the
choir of twenty boys. Mrs. Pinkham pre-
sided at the organ and had the assistance of
acornetist in accomplishments to the hymns
Instead of the offertory sentences, Messrs.
Lovdal and E. B. Carroll sang a duet.
The order of Evening Prayer was followed,
and the sermon was preached by the rector.
He stated that it had been his intention to
remark upon the institution of the order of
Knights Templar when the G mmandery
attended service, but as the visit came upon
the closing hours of Good Friday, the ser
mon would be confined to thoughts relat-
ing to that day.
The reverend speaker took his text from
the Gospel of st. Luke xiii, 80, the subject
being 1.-The Dying Thief" Mr. Herrlich
stated that we had no authority for think
ing this dying malefactor hardened sin
ner. The word thief did not necessarily
mean thief as we now apply it. 1t was
often used. In general sense and meaning
the word g You theft is often used even
now to indicate a general wrong-doer
This man might have been in the condi-
lion i'll which Christ found him, not SO
much on account of evil as because of con-
ditions and circumstances, from being de-
ceived and misguided, and therefore the
whole subject gives no encouragement to
those who think it is not of supreme i'm
portance when we are saved so long as we
are saved.
DIR. Herrlich dwelt upon the Jewish ex-
pectation of a coming Messiah that the
world, both Jewish and Pagan, was in a
state of expectation. Both type and pre-
diction pointed their unerring fingers at
the manger cradle. John the Baptist had
been described by the prophet Malachi,
and the wise men, of whom Herod in
quired concerning the birthplace of
Jesus, at once said. "In Bethlehem of
Judea, for thus it is written by the
prophets So clear had the time and
manner of Christs coming been made
that many false Messiahs had arisen, among
whom were Judas, Theudas and host of
others. Gamalial speaks of them before
the Council. Among those pretenders may
have been Barabbas, mentioned in this
same chapter. His name-"Son of the
Father seems to indicate this. He was,
undoubtedly, one of the false Messiahs ar
rested for stirring up revolt and trying to
make himself the center of prophecy, and
that the sin or evil of these two malefactors
was participation in that same revolt or Sc
dition. The words of the one, "seeing
that thou art in the same condemnation"
would seem to imply this. However this
may be, both seemed to have a thorough
knowledge of Jesus, but in one it was a
knowledge which betokened hope and ex-
pectation in the other, a knowledge which
| cd ha rH nd oxrtl On Iar ~, a.
of the cross of Christ may have hung
deluded seeker after truth, on the other a
hardened criminal If they were equally
sinful why should Christ select one instead
of the other?
God is no respecter of persons un-
less there is an inherent reason for it
God uses no catch ways in His dealings
with US. They are, must be, based upon
the moral and spiritual capacities and con-
ditions of our moral natures. 1t was
sublime act of faith which sprang from
truth-aspiring, responsive nature. We
have no light on the lives of these two dy-
ing malefactors (evil-doers-sedition-
lowing even false Messiah was considered
evil revolt against civil authority, but
from the circumstances may we not infer
that as all pretended Messiahs were fol-
lowed by those OF good and evil motives
some because deceived, others to ieer and
plumber?
This one who finally looked to and ac-
cepted Christ, may have been brought up
in devout Jewish household. He may
have been one of those who honestly
looked for coming Messiah. He NAV
have joined the crowd that followed Bar
abbas and was apprehended, cast into
prison and condemned to die as an insur-
rectionist-a mere victim OF conditions
| and his honest delusion. The inscription
above the head of Jesus, "T This is the King
of the Jews" furnishes a commentary on
| the words of one of them, "seeing thou art
in the same condemnation-we are all
three condemned as disturbers of the Ro-
| man peace and power"
The preacher here presented vivid, re-
alistic picture of the crucitiixon, the earth
quake and the darkness, the words and
death of Christ on Calvary. 1t was during
this terrible scene of material nature SYM
pathtizing with the dying Master that the
full truth that the promised Christ was dy-
ing on the cross beside him flashed over his
soul and bathed him in its uplifting glory,
and he cries out in radiant faith, Lord.
remember me when thou CONTEST into thy
kingdom" Only an instant of darkness.
only tremor and start, and the narrow
boundary is passed and his soul realizes the
words of Christ" This day shalt thou be
Win me IN Harau1Se.
Were these words, these actions, this
faith, the manifestations of hardness or
goodness and tenderness The difference
between these two men was q matter of
soul and character. The words of this
man were not the words of a hardened
criminal, but deluded seeker after truth,
who had been looking in the wrong d.
rection. 1t was not matter of Divine
preference, but of those inner qualities
| of soul and heart which existed in the
one, but were dead or lacking in the
nature of the other. The speaker
said: Religion is a thing which we
live and grow into, and not a thing to be
sprung into in q moment. The resolution
may be made in a moment, but the growth,
the development, comes afterwards. We
may be converted-con ver;ere-turned
from evil but what we are to become will
be determined afterwards. We do not get
religion-we live and develop into it, No
grea. saint is the product of an hour. any
more than the hardest sinner is the result
of day or a moment. Resolutions, de-
examinations, are only the pivots upon
which we turn to start living and growing
in right or spiritual directions.
God never sets a limit when the soul
will be beyond holy influences, but man
does. NV spirit will not always strive
| with man." If the vessel is burning and
we refuse to enter the life-boat, are we not
already doomed to perish by refusing the
| only way of safety2 The tree may be cut
and hacked, yet its life not destroyed, but
strike beyond its core and it will shrink
! and wither. We may touch the fire and
feel the burn, but the wound will heal
again. But there are cuts and burns of
soul-life and character which wither and
destroy every element of good-when
prayers and sermons, solemn warnings and
spiritual influences fall upon the deadened
soul like water upon the withered branches.
Whatever else the faith and salvation of
the dying malefactor teaches. it certainly
gives no promise that the work of years or
months can be done in a moment or that
the sinner may here find encouragement
for death-bed repentance.
TONIGHT, Z. w. Melvin, 525 street, will
open bis new installment store. A fine and
select stock of rugs, lace curtains, clocks.
etc., will be presented to the inspection of
all visitors. The manner of selling the
goods is on the installment plan. easy
weekly and monthly payments.
MAGNIFICENT flowers, feathers and bon
\ - III