Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-30
SATAN'S FRANKS.
HOW SIN MASQUERADES IN MODERN
SOCIETY.
Dr. Talmage DiscourSes on Some Of the Every
Day Errors That are Wrapped Up in
Other Garbs-Seysral Patterns Of
ClOaks Word-Painted.
sp.cial r.llmnm b Me Reqisler.


as plauSibly aS when it talked to Christ
at the top Of the temple, it now ad-
dresses men. Could people look
upon sin as it always iS-an eXhalation
from the pit, the putrefaction OF in
finite capacities, the CHASTITY, loath-
some, God-Smitten monster that up
rooted Eden and killed Christ, and
would push the entire race into
darkness and pain-the Internal charm
would be broken. Before our first
parents tranSgreSSed, sin appeared TO
them the sweetness of fruit and the be-
coming as gods. To AbSalom it was the
pleasure of sitting upon Il throne. To
men now, sin is laughter, and permiS-
sion 10 luxurious qualification. Jesus
Christ in my text suggests a fact which
everybody ought TO know, and that IS
that sin, to hide its dcformity and
shame, is accustomed to wearing cloak,
and the Savior also sets forth the truth
that God can see straight through all
such wrappingS and thickneSSeS. ]
want now to speak of several kinds of
cloakS with which men expect to cover
up their iniQuitieS. for the fashion in
regard to these garments is constantly
changing, and every day bcholdS some
new style Of wearing them, and, if you
will tarry little while, | will show you
five or six of the patterns of cloakS.
\ CLOAK FOR SIN.
First. | remark that there are those,
who being honored with official power,
expect to make that 4 successful cloak
for their sin. There is Il SacredneSS in
Office. God Himself is king, and all who
hold authority in the world serve under
Him. That community has committed
monStrOuS wrong who has elevated to
this dignity persons unqualified either
by their ignorance or their immortality.
Nations who elevate 20 posts OF au-
thority those not qualified to fill them
will feel the reaction. Solomon eX-
pressed this thought when he said:
WOE unto thee, o land, when thy king
is a child and thy princes drink in the
morning" While positions of trust
may be diSgraced by the character OF
those who fiji them, believe God would
have us respectful to the Offices. though
We may have no admiration for their oc-
cupantS. Yet this dignity, which office
confcrS. can be no apology for the trans
grcssion. Ncbuchadnezzar, and Ahab.
and Hcrod. in the day of judgment.
must stand on the level with the herds
men that kept their ilockS, and the
fishermen of Galilee. Pope, and
king. and president, and governor,
must give an account to God, and be
Judged by the same law aS that which
Judges the beggar and the slave. Sin Is
all the murc obnoxious when it is impc-
rial and lordly. You cannot make pride,
or Injustice. or cruelty sacred by giving
il a throne. BclShazzar'S decanterS
could not keep the mysterious finger
from writing on the wall, Ahab'S sin
literally hurled him from the throne to
the dogs. The imperial veStmentS Of
wicked Jehoram could not keep Jehu'S
arrow from striking through his heart.
JezeberS Quccnly prctonSiOn could not
save her from being thrown over the
wall No barricade Of thrones can ar
rest Gods Justice in its uncrrng march.
No Splendor. or thickness of official
robes can be a sufficient cloak of sin.
Henry the Eighth. Louis the Fifteenth,
Catharinc OF Russia, Mary of England
did their crowns save them? No ruler
ever sat 50 high that the King of kings
was not above him. All victorS shall
bow before Him who on the white horse
gocth forth cOnQuering and to conquer.
ELEGANCE OF MANNERS
cannot successfully hide iniquity from
the eve of God. That model, gentle
manly apostle. Paul, writes to us: BE
courteous" That man can neither be
a respectable worldling nor consistent
Christian who lacks good manners. He
is shut ont from refined circles and he
certainly ought to be hindered from en-
tering the church. We can not over
look that I'm man which we would
hardly excuse in bear. One OF the
first effects of the grace OF God upon an
individual is to make him Il gentleman.
GruffnesS. awkwardness, implacability.
clanniShneSs. are fruits of the devil;
while gentlcneSS and meekncSS are
fruits of the Spirit. But while these
cXcellenceS of manner are so important,
they cannot hide any def0rmity of NOR
al character. How often it is that we
find attractiveneSS of person, Suavity OF
manners. gracefulncSS of conversation,
gallantry of behavior thrown ike
wreathS upon moral death. The now
erS that grow upon the Scorl1 oil
VeSuviuS do not make it any less
of volcano. The sepulchreS in Christ
time did not exhaust all the whitewaSh
Some Of the biggest ScoundrelS nave
been the most fascinating. If there are
anv depending on outward gracefulneSS,
and ottractiyepeSs of dcmcanOr with
any hope that because OF that God VIII
forgive the sin of their soul, let me as
sure them that the Divine justice cannot
be satisfied with smiles and elegant geS-
ticulation. Christ looks deeper than the
skin. and such a ragged cloak as the
one in which you are trying to cover
yourself will be no hiding in the day oil
His power. God will not in the ludg-
ment ask how gracefully you walked
nor how politely you bowed, nor how
Swectlv you smiled, nor how impress
Sivclv YOU geStured. The deeds done IN
the body will be the test, and not the
rules of Lord Chesterfield.
Again: Let me say that the mere pro-
feSSion of religion is but poor wrapping
of a naked soul. The Importance oi
making pUOllC pItlc>SIoh VI iN''o '
the heart be renewed cannot be eXag-
gerated. Christ positively and with the
Of the night before his cru
cifixion commanded it. But it IS the
result of Christian character, not the
cause of it. Our church certificate is
moor title TO heaven. We may have the
name and not the reality. There are
those who seem to throw themselves back
with complaceucy upon their public
confession Of Christ, although they give
no signs of renewal II Satan can in
duce a man to build on such rotten
foundation as that, he has accomplished
his object. We cannot imagine the alb
horrence with which God looks upon
such a procedure. What would be the
feelings Of shepherd If he saw wolf
in the same fold with his flOcks, howev-
er quiet he might seem to lie, or a gem
eral if among his troops he saw one
wearing the appointed uniform who'
really belonged to the OPP
posing host. Thus must the heavenly
Shepherd look upon those who
though they are not his sheep, have
climbed up some other way and thus