The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-16
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN EIyINE's SUN
.- DAY SERMON.
Subject: "Cloaks for SIM

Subject: "Cloaks for SIM
TEXT: But no,o they havs no cloak for
their SIN" John xv., %.
Sin Is always disguised. Decked and
CLOSED and perfumed and masked it gains
admittance into places from which it would
otherwise be repelled. As silently as when
it glided into Eden, and as plausbly as when
it talked to Christ at the top of the temple,
it nov, addresses men. Could people look
upon sin as it always is-an exhalation from
the pit, the putrefaction Of infinite capaci-
5 she Eat aprosd Eden eea ead sTaa fa
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 throne To men
now sin is laughter and permission to lu1ur-
ious qualification. Jesus Christ in my text
suggests fact which everybody ought to
know, and that is that sin, to hide Its de-
formity and shame, Is accustomed to wear
ing cloak; and the Saviour 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 iniqui-
ties, for the fashion in regard to these gar
ments is constantly changing, and every day
beholds some new style Of wearing them, and
If you will tarry little while I will show
you five or six Of the patterns Of cloaks.
First, remark that there are those who,
being honored with official power, expect to
make that successful cloak for their sin.
There is q 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 10 this dignity persons unqualified
either by their ignorance or their immoral
ity. Nations who elevate to posts Of author.
ity those not qualified to fill them will feel
the reaction. Solomon expressed this
land, when thy King is O child and thy
Princes drink in the morning." While
positions Of trust may be disgraced by
the character of those who fill them, I
believe God would have US respectful to the
offices, though we may have no admiration
for their occupants. Yet this dignity which
Office confers can be no apology for trans.
erosion. Nebuchadnezzar and Ahab and
Herod in the day Of judgment must stand on
the level with tho herdsmen that kept their
locks 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
md the slave. Sih is all the more obnoxious
yhen it is imperial and lordly. You cannot
make pride or injustice or cruelty sacred by
giving it O throne. Belshazzars decanters
could not keep the mysterious finger from
writing on the wall. Ahab's sin literally
buried him from the throne to the dogs.
The imperial vestments Of wicked Jehoram
4 -l.,,t- fx-&t, fv.1ly inn
through his heart. JezebePs queenly pre-
tension could not save her from being
thrown over the wall. No barricade Of
throne can arrest Gods justice in its un-
erring march. No splendor or thickness
of official robes can be sufficient cloak OF
sin. Henry Will, Louis XIV, Catharine Of
Russia, Mary of England-did their crowns
save them? No ruler ever sat so high That
tho King of Kings was not above him. All
victors shall bow before Him who on the
white horse goeth forth conquering and to
conquer.
Again, elegance of manners cannot sue
cessfully hide iniquity from the eye Of God.
That model, gentlemanly apostle, Paul,
writes to US: "Be courteous" That man
can neither he respectable wording nor
consistent Christian who lacks good
manners. He is shut out from refined cir
cles, and he certainly ought to be hindered
from entering the church. Wo cannot over
look that in a man which we could
hardly excuse in bear. One OF the hr3t
effects Of tho grace Of God upon an indi-
vidual is to make him q gentleman. Gruf-
ness, awkwardncss, implacability, clanish-
ness are fruits of the devil, while gentle
ness and meekness ore fruits of the Spirit.
But while these excellcnces Of manner
are so important they cannot hide any
deformity OF moral character. How often
is it that We find attractiveness OF person,
suavity Of manners, gracefulness OF
conversation, gallantry Of behavior
thrown like wreaths upon moral death.
The flowers that grow upon the scorie OF
Vcsuvlus do not mako it any less OF vo!-
cano. The sepulchers in Christs time did
not exhaust all the whitewash. Souo OF the
biggest scoundrels have been the most fas-
cinating. II there are any depending on out
ward gracefuIness and attractiveness OF de-
meanor, with any hope that because OF that
God will forgive the sin of their soul, let me
assure them that the divine justice cannot
be satisfied with smiles and elegant gesticula-
ton. Christ looks deeper than the skin, and
such ragged cloak as THO one in WHICH you
are trying to cover yourself will be no hiding
in the day Of His power. God will not In the
Judgment ask how gracefully you walked,
noe how politely you bowed, nor how sweetly
y
gestured. The deeds done in the body Will
b. the test, aud not the rules Of Lord Ches-
t. field
Again, let me say that the mere profession
of religion is but a poor wrapping OF naked
soul. The Importance Of making public
profession of religion if the heart be re-
newed cannot be exaggerated. Christ posi-
lively and with the earpestnas5 Of the night
before His crucifxion commanded it. But 1t
is the result Of Christian character, not the
cause Of it. Our church certificate is poor
title to heaven. We may have the name and
not the reality. There are those who seem
to throw themselves back with complacency
upon their public confession OF Christ a..
though they give no signs Of renewal II I
Satan can induce man to build on such
rotten foundation as that he has accom-
p.ished his object. We cannot imagine the
abhorrence with which God looks upon such
procedure. What would be the feelings OF
O snepnerd II ha saw wolf in the
same fold with his fockS however
quiet he might seem to lie, or gen
eral If among his troops he saw one
wearing the appointed uniform who never
theless really belonged to the opposing host?
Thus must the heavenly shepherd look upon
those who, though they are not His sheep,
have climbed up some other way, and thus
must the Lord Of hosts look upon those who
pretend to be soldiers of the cross while they
are His armed enemies. If any Of you find
yourself deficient in the great tests Of Chris
tian character, do not I beg Of you, look
upon your profession Of religion as anything
consoiatory. If you have taken your pres
cnt position from a view that you have
of Christ and your need Of Him, rejoice with
joy unspeakable and full Of glory and clap
your hands for gladness; but if you find
yourself with nothing but the name Of life,
while dead in trespassss and sins arouse be-
fore the door is shut. That gilde1 profes.
'ion-the world may not be able to seq
through it, but in tue day OF divine reckon
inr Il will ha found that Won haYa no cloak