Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-10-24
ELECTION TUESDAY, NOV. 5th.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LEssoNFoR OCTOBER TWENTY,sE sEyEN7r
SIN, FORGIVENESS AND PEACE-PsALM
XNXII, Ill.

n OTES. -BteSSed-In the original He
brew the word is plural showing that it il
the most perfect, the fullness of blessing
just as the word God is pluralin Hebrew
indicating the supremity of the Deity
Unto eOhOm the Lord imputeth qaOl
iniquity-Not the sin of another, but his
own guilt When l kept silence ms
bones 1Cd;red Old-while David was un
willing to acknowledge his sin his vig1l
of mind, soul and body became impair.
ed."My rOarings.-Like lion in ex
treme anguish, thus David in the extreme
anguish of final confession and prayer
was Frustrated -My naOiSttre.-The SAP
of his spiritual life was dried up.-TSe.
lGh. This expression belongs really in
brackets and italics just as the word cIo,
lus is EXPRESSED -under-the-E -EaFses- of q
hymn. Selah means probably that mu-
sical interlude or response will now be
in order by the band or chOir.-My
hiding plGce.-My safe cave of Adullam,
my City of Refuge. Whose Trainings
must be bit and bride to hold them IN
Any one who has ridden horses in Orien-
sion. For the most part they are so
vicious toward strangers that they not
only bite other animals but their riders.
A taut bride and a harsh bit is the only
way to govern those irresponsible horses
and mules.
INsTRUCTION-Civ Civilized law should
pronounce with unswerving promptness
and extreme penalty upon the sins of Da-
vid The decalogue indicates them in its
''nots," and society shudders at them and
their trail of taint. These are murder
and adultery.
1t is fact openly undisguised, in what
is called the lowest and acknowledged in
what is known as the highest society, that
adultery is winked at by those who would
recoil with persistent horror at the crime
of murder Whether this accounts for
the fact, that of all crimes, it appeals
most potently to the imagination and
generally can be conceded, or whether
it be an instinct of barbarism survived,
we cannot say. The sin of unchastity,
whatever its cause, is the most insidiOus
foe to American character and home. 1t
erodeS the fairest life and turks under the
most reverend exterior. This sin must
not be ignored through any false delica-
cy, but should be fought frankly and
wisely in the spirit and by the example
of Christ.
David's experience, as far as the effect
of sin is concerned, is our own. Indul-
gence in any sin weakens the vigor of
the body and impairs the strength of the
soul. Well may the murderer roar" in
the anguish of his remOrse. Well may
the adulterer feel the torment of an un-
confessed sin. The physiological effect of
tampering with the laws of Nature is
known to every student of disease and
heredity. The moral effect of profaning
the law of God is felt in proportion to
the virility of the conscience.
Repentance does not make a wrong
right. 1t assuageS the outward effect of
evil. 1t may even check it completely.
But the Office of repentance is to change
the character as spark of electricity can
resolve water into a new form.
''HOw do | know that God has forgiven
me?" is a very common wall. The doubt
as to the exact moment of Gods favor is
apotent excuse for continuing in wrong
doing. The moment that person starts
fright about face" and has a purpose,
broad and deep and sure as eternal life
itself, to lead the life of Christian honor,
then may he know, but not till then, that
his is forgiven.
But such a radical course of conduct
involves the most humiliating experience
that can come to a mans life, that of
thorough confession. Open confession,
nowadays, is considered an old-fashion-
ed bit of nonsense that is hardly respect
able. No doubt it has suffered much
abuse at the hands of religious actors.
Open sin is far more fashionable, and is
far more prominently practiced. Repent
ance involves the righting of ones past
life as much as possible. The sincere
and open acknowledgment of an open sin
followed by a true life does much to
check wickedness and impress the weak.
Nathan, by his brave and terrible
words "Thou art the man." startled Da-
vid to the realization of self. Never has
there been greater need than now, of
unfinching character to point out to peO-
pie their sin. The fear of the loss of po-
sition, either political, civil or ecclesias-
itical, has become a serious obstacle to
telling men the plain truth. American
manhood is infected by this national
cowardice. When Nathans abound in
every political convention, in the board
of aldermen and in the pulpit then we
shall not be ashamed of an occasional
open and sweeping confession.