The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-07-10
THE CARDS or SIN.
DR.. TALMAGE'S DISCOURSE AT WIN
FIELD, KANSAS.


DR.. Talmagc in his sermon at Win
field. Kansas, took for his text, John
1922: But now they have no cloak
for their sin.
Sin is always disguised. Dcckcd'
and CLOSED, and pcrrumcd, and
masked. it gains admittancc in places
from which It would othcrwis" be re
pcllcd. As silently as when ii glidcd
to Christ at the top of the temple, 1t
now addresses mon. Could people
look upon sin rs it always is--an OK
halation from the pit, the putrcfactiOn
of infinite capacities, the CHASTITY,
uprootcd Eden and killed Christ. and
would push the entire race into dark
ness and pain--thc internal charm
woulI be broken. Before our first
parents trangrcSscd, sin appeared to
them the sweetness of fruit anu the
becoming us gods. TO AbSalom il
was the pleasure of sitting upon Il
throne. TO men now, SIN is laughter.
and permission to luxurious gratl!ica-
ton. Jesus Christ III my text s'i%-
gcsts fact which everybody ought
to know, and that is that sin. to hldc
its lcformity and shame. is accuS-
toned to wearing Il cloak; and the
Saviour also sent forth the truth that
God can see straight through all such
wrappings and tlIickncssrS. [ want
now to speak OF several kind5 OF
cloaks with which men expect to
cover up their iniuuitlcs. for the fash
ion in regard to these garments is
constantly chanyinG, and every day
brholIS some new style OF wearing"
them, aud. if you will talry Il little
while, | will show YOU five or six Of
the patterns OF cloaks.
First, Iicln1ik that thrrc arc those,
who being honorcd with official pow
CT. expect 10 make ti'at Il successful
cloak for their sin. There is Il
sacrcilnrss in office" Gud Himself is
king. and i'll WHO hnlI authority in
the world serve under Him. That
community has committed Il mon
strouS wrong who has rlcvatcdtn this
dignity persons unqualified either by
their ignorance or their immortality.
Nations who elevate 10 posts of au-
thority those not qualified to fill
them will feel III" reaction. Solomon
expressed this Thought when he said:
"Woc unto thee, q land, when thy
king is Il child and thy princes drink
in the morning." Willie positions Of
trust may DC ,liSgraccd by the chur-
uctcr OF those WHO till them, | believe
(tOu WOuld nave us respectful to the
Offices, though we may hlvr no ad-
miration for their occupants. Nct
This dignity. which office cunI"r.>, can
be 40 apology for tran%yrrSsun
Ncbuchadnrxxar and Ahub, and
llcrod, in the day of Judgment. must
stand on the level with the hcrusmcn
that kept their tlockS, and the fisher
men OF Galilc". Pope, and king, and
president and governor, must give an
account to God, and be Judged by
the same law rs that which Judges
the bnGSar and the slave. SIN is all
the more U,MoXiouS when it is impc
rial and lorUly. Nou cannot make
pride, OF injustice. or cruelty sacred
by giving it II throne. BclahaZZar 5
dccantcrS could not keep the mySt"
rlouS finger from writing on the wall.
Ahab sin literally hurled him from
the throne to the dogs. The imperial
vcetmcnts Of wicked Jchoram could
not keep JchuS arrow from striking
through his heart. Jrzcb"ls uuccnly
prctcnsiou could not save her from
being thrown over the wall. No bar
rlcndc OF thrones can arrest GOd :
Justice in it, umrrring march. 80
SplcndOr. or thickness OF official robes
can be . sufficient cloak OF sin. Henry
the Eighth. Louis the Fifteenth.
Catherine OF Russia, Mary Of Eng
land-did their CROWNS save them!
No ruler ever sal 50 high that the
klnE OF kings was not above him. All
vlctOrS shall bow before Him who on
the horse gocth forth cOnuucring and
TO conquer.
Again. Elegance of manners can
not successfully hide miuuity from
the eye OF God. That model, gentle.
manly apostle, Paul. writes to us:
BE courteous. That man can
never bc Il respectable wording nor
Il consistent Christian who lacks good
manners. lie is shut out from re
fined circles, and he certainly ought
to be hindcrcd from entering the
church. We cannot overlook that in
Il man which We could hardly excuse
III Il bear. One of the first effects Of
the grace of God upon an individual
Is to make hlm Il Gcntlcman. Gnuil
ness, 0Wkw;sdncsS. mplacabilty,
cianmShncSS, arc fruits of the devil: |
while gcntlcncsS and mcckncSs are
fruits OF the spirit. But while these