The Forrest City times., 1890-07-05
TALIACE ON SIN.
Inc Nsr Piofsaion of Religion is Poor
 Wrapping for ths Sou.
Chareh Certificate is Heor Title to Heaven -eoms Of the Biyssst eeoundreis in the World Have Been the Most Fascinating.

-tome or the blygest ucounorele In the World Have Been the Nest Fascinating. | In his sermon ct Winfield, Kansas, last Sunday, Rev. T. Do Witt Talmagc dealt in charat tterist style With tho various garbs In which sin masqucradcs in modern %, icty, and, in stripping tho monster Of its disguiscs, he aimed not only 10 reveal it's dcformity to the world, but put his hearers on thclr guard against self-delusion. His | text John l5: 2a: ''But now they have no | cloak for their sin."
 Sin is always disguised Decked, and giossed, and perfumcd. and masked, 1t gains sdmittance in places from which It would otherwise be repelicd. As silently as when
 u giidcd into Eden and as plausibly as when it talked to Christ at the top of tho temple, it now addresses men. Could people look upon sin as it always is--an exhalatiou 1 from tho pit tho putrefaction of infinite capacities, tho ghastly, loathsomc, God smittcn monster that uprooted Eden and killed Christ, and would push the entire racc into darkness and pain-the internal charm would be broken. Before our nrst parents transgrcssed, sin appeared to them | she sweetness of fruit and the becoming as gods. To Absalom 1t was tho pleasure of citing upon throne- To mon now, sin Is | laughter, and permission to luxurious grat- l ifca:ion. Jesus Christ iu my tcxt iggests fact that everybody ought to know and that is that sin, to hidc It's deformity and | shamc, is accustomed to wearing . clo K, ani the Saviour also sets forth the truth | that God can seo straight through all such wraprings and thickncsses. want now to speak ot several kinds of cloaks with | which men expcc: to cover up thoir iniqui- tics, for tho fashion in regard to these gar ,nents is constantly chan ping, and every day bcholds some new style of wearing l them, and, if yoE will tarry little while, | will show you lvc or six of the patterns 1 of cloaks.
 First, remark that thcrc are those, who being honorsd with official power, expect to mslse that successful cloak for their | ain. There is a sacrcdncss In ofica God tiimsclf is king, and all who hold author ity Ill the world servo under Him. That community has committed . monstrous wrong who has elevated to this dignity persons unqualified either by their ignor- snce or tholr immortality. Nations who sicvaso to posts of authority thosa not qualified to fill them will fccl tho reaction. Solomon expressed this thought when hc said: .Wco unto thec Q land, whom thy king is child and thy princes drink in tho morning" While positions of trust may oe disgracod by the character of those who All them, believe God would havo us respectful to the oficcs, though wc may have no admiration for their occupants. fct this dignity, which oiiiec confcrs, can Do no apology for trans- sression. Ncbuchadnoxxar, ma Ahab, and sierod. in the day of judgment must stand on the level with tho hcrdsmcn that kcpt | thNlr Hnela n nd ho Asb ~ Natt Pope, snd king, and president, and goven. CT. must give m account to God. and bc | 'cdgcl by tho sumo law as that which iadges the beg tar and the slave. Sin is all the moro obnoxious when 1t Is imperial and iord.y You cannot mako pride or in justice. Or cruelty sacred by giving II throne. Bcishaxzar's decanters could not keep tho mysterious finger from writing on tho wall. Ahab's sin literally hurled him from the throne to tho dogs. The tnpclral vcstmcnts of wicked Jehoram could not kocp Jchus arrow from striking through hs heart Jcxcoel's quccnly pro. tension could not save hor from being thrown over tho wall. No barrioade of throncs can arrest Cod's Justice in i.s un- crring march. No splcndor. or thickness o. official robes can Dc n sufficient cloak of sln. Henry tho Eighth, Lotus tho Fifth. ieonth. Catherine Of Russia, Mary of Eng iand--did their crowns savc thcmi No euler ever sat 50 nigh that the King of kings was not aboya him. All vietors shall bow before Him who on tho whitc horse goeth forth ccnquoring and to con. qucr.
 Again; Elegance of manners oanno. ] successfully hide iniquty from tae oye Of God. That model. gcntlemaniy apostle. Paul, writes to us; ''l3c courtcouAn That man can neither bo respectable world. ling nor . consistent Christian who lacks good mannera He is shut out from refined circles. and he certainly ought to bc hin dercd from entering tho church. Wc can. not overlook that in . man which wo could hardly excuse in a boar. Ono of the frat effects Of tho grace of God upon an individual Is to mako him a gentleman Gruffncss. awkwardncss, Applicability commissioners, arc fruits of tho devil; while gcntlcness and meckness are fruits of tho Spirit But while these excollcnccs of manner are 90 important they cannot hide any dcformity of moral character. How often it is that we find attractiveneSs of person, suavity of manners, graceful. ness of conversation. Rallantrv of behavior tarown hke wrcaths upon moral death. , he flowers that grow upon tho soorim of
 
 tano. Tho sepulchrcs in Chriars time did not exhaust nil tho whitewash Somo of tho biggest scoundreis have been tho most fascinating If thcro arc any depending on outward graccfulncss, and attractive ness or demcanor with any hopo that because of that God will forgive tho sin Of their soul, let mo nasure them that tho divine justice cannot be satisfied with smiles and elegant gesticu- lation. Christ looks deeper than tho skip. and such ragged cloak as tho ono in which you are trying to cover yourself will bc 10 hiding in tho day of His power. God will not in tho judgment aak how gracefully you walked. nor how politely you bowed, nor how swcctly you smlsed, nor how i'm. p,csslvcly you gcstured. The deeds donc in tho body will Do tho test and not the rules of Lord Chesterfield.
 Again Let mo say that tho mere pro- fession of religion Is poor wrapping for soul. The importance Of making pub lic profession of religion # tho heart be renewed cannot bc exaggerated. Christ positively and with tho carnostnsss of tho night boforc his crucinxion commanded 1t But it is the rcsuit of chrtstian character. not tho cause of It. Our church certificate is poor title to heaven. We may have the namc md not tho reality. There arc those who sccm to throw thom. selves back with complacency upon their public confession of Christ although they givo no signs of renewal If Satan con induce man to build on such rotten foundation as that ho has accom- pushed his object. We cannot imagi no the abhorrencc with which God looks upon such procedure. What would be the feelings of . shepherd if he saw . wolf in tho samc fold with his flocks, however auiet he might seem to iie. or general t among his troops ko saw ono wearing tho appointed uniform who nevertheless really belonged to the opposing host Thus must tho heavenly Shepherd look upon thosa .~ltn thorivh h thav s.ta noe Ii~ snAAv. huwA