Nevada County picayune., 1890-04-23
RELIGIOUS COLUMN.
Fitted by GEO. A. GARDNER.
THE UNPARDONABLE SIN.

Wberefore I say unto yoa all manner of sin and baspherny shall be forgiyca unto me- hut tue blaspheIny against the holy ghost shalt not De TOT given men Aud whosoeyeT speaketn MoIu ! against the Son of Man it shall be i1rgiFeh nm but vhosoeyer sseaketh against the holy SHost, II hall not be forgiven him, neither m this Mvf5t p neither in the world to come-i Niath Ai'' ''' "-'
 A great deal has been said and written on this solemn and awful subject, and opinions Of learned men have differed as to the preclse nature of the sin against the Holy Ghost, against which our Savior ut- ltcrs the above fearful anathema. It becomes us, therefore, to approach the discussion of the question In spirit of honest and earnest inquiry, laying all prejudice and proposes sion aside, and endeavoring to ascer- tain the real meaning of our blessed Savior. A few preliminary remarks may help us to understand the bear ings of the subject better, and clear away some of the mystery Ill which it has been enveloped. Our first re- mark is, that no one who Is tortured with uneasiness lest he has committed thls sin, need give way longer to such apprehensions, for whoever has com mitted this sin will feel no further concern on the question of his saliva ton, as the Holy Spirit, by whose agency alone such concern is awak- ened, has forever taken his flight from such person, and he Is given over to hardness of heart and rep robacy of mind, to believe lie that he might be damned.
 Our next remark is, that the phrases, this world, and the world to come, probably had reference to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations- at least, such is the opinion of some learned commentators otherwise, they would seem to give counten- ance to the theory of post mortem probation. But what is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, or the unpardonable sin! In the case of the Jews to whom these ter rlble words were addressed 1t was undoubtedly the ascription to Beelze- bub the miracle by which our Savior cast out devils. Such a charge evinced a very unreasonable and malignant spirit-a spirit that was disposed to resist all evidence, and to trample under foot even the man4 ifest power and agency of the Hoy Spirit. Various kinds and degfees of evidence are employed to coHeince men of the truth; but ill all proba- bility the highest and strongest eYi- dence to convince the Jews that Christ was the true Messiah, the Savior of the world, was the miracle working power of the Holy Ghost, through whose agency wonderful works were wrought, especially the casting out of devils and the cure of demoniacs.
 If, therefore, a person rejected and spurned the witness of the Holy Spirit to the truth, he voluntarily shut his eyes against the truth, and thus put it out of the power of God to save hum in harmony with law and the dignity of his government. The reason why this specific sin is unpar- donabe lies not in any defect in Gods mercy or the plan of salvation, but in the inability of man after it's commission to repent and believe the Gospel. Law Is memorable, and is stern and pitiiess in it's demands. Under the laws of the new dispensa- tion, no one can return to God eN- cept by repentance and faith, and these avenues have been effectually closed by all who have committed the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. But the question naturally arises, can any one in this age of the world commit this fearful sin? It seems reasonable to sup pase that it may be done, and indeed there is not wanting evidence that it is being done by some to their eternal undoing.
 Whoever endorses the charge of the Jews, that the miracles of Christ were wrought by Beelzebub, or who- ever spurns and scoffs at the work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation ol sinners, is doubtless guilty of this sin. It is a solemn and affecting thought that one may cross the boundary line between hope and despair even in this world--may witl their own hands forever bar the gates of heaven against admittancc, and and incur the penalty of the second death, from which there is no hope of another resurrection.
 Reader, you may commit this aw' ful sin of blasphemy, this unpardon' able sin. and it behooves you to for. tify all the avenues of your sou against this great enemy of souls, lest he deceive you as he did Eve through his subtilty. Take unto you the whole panoply of God, that you may successfully withstand all the wiles of the wicked one, and that yoa may at last he crowned victor il the presence of God and the holy angels.