The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-17
THE HALMAGE SERMON.
The Brooklyn Divine breaches on
"Cloaks for SIM"
The Various CARDS In Which Sin Mas.
querades In Modern Society.

TEXT: But now they hare no cloak for
their sim" John XIV, %.
Sin is always disguised. Decked and
CLOSED and perfumcd and masked it gains
admttance into places from which it would
otherwise be repelled. AS silently as when
itglidcd into Eden, and as plausibly as when
il talked 10 Christ at the top of the temple,
it now addresses men. Could people look
upon sin rs it always is-an exhalation from
the pit, the putrefaction of infinite capaci-
tics tho ghastly, loathsome, God smitten
monster that uprooted Eden and killed
Christ and would push the entiro
race into darkness and pain - the
Internal charm would he 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 n throne TIC men
now sin is laughter and permission TO lnxur-
ious qualification. Jesus Christ in my text
suggests a fact which everybody ought TO
know, and that is that sin, to hide its de-
formily and shame, is accustomed to wear
ing cloak and the Saviour also sets forth
the truth that God can see straight through
oil such wrappings and thicknesses. l 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
heholds some new style of wearing them, and
if you will tarry little while l will show
you five or six Of the patterns Of cioaks.
First remark that there arc those who,
being honcrcd with official power, expect to
make that q successful cloak for their sin.
There is sacredness in Office. God Himself
is King, and all who hold authority in tho
world serve under Him. That community
has committed u monstrous wrong who has
elevated 70 this dignity persons unqualified
either by their ignorance or their lmmoral-
ity. Nations who elevate to posts of author.
ity those not qualified to fill them will feel
the reaction. Solomon expressed this
thought when he said: woo unto thee, .
land, when thy King is a child and thy
Princes drink in the morning" While
positions Of trust may be disgraced by
tho character of those who fill them l
believe God would have us respectful to the
Offices Ghough wc may have no admiration
for their occupants. Yet this dignity which
Office conlers can be no apology for trans.
erosion. NcbuchadneZzar and Ahab and
Herod in the day of judgment must stand on
the level with the herdsmcn that kept their
flocks and the fishermen Of Galilec. Pope
and King and President and Governor must
give an account tc God and be judged by tho
and the slave. Sin is all the moro obnoxious
when it is imperial and lordly. You cannot
make pride or injustice or cruelty sacred by
Civing it q throne. Belshazzars decanterS
could not keep tho 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. Jezebels queenly pre-
tension coull not savo 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 VIII, Louis XIV, Catharine Of
savo them? No ruler ever sat SO high that
tho King of Kings was not above him. All
victors shall bow before Him who on tho
whito 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 Ee respectable worldling nor
O consistent Christian who lacks good
manners. He is shut out from refined cur
cles, and he certainly ought to be hlndered
from entering the church. We cannot over
look that in man which we could
hardly excuse in bear. One OF the i1rSt
effects of the grace of God upon an lndI-
vidual is to make him a gentleman. Gruif-
ness, ewkwardnesS, implacability, clanish-
ness aro fruits Of the devil, while gentle
ness and mceknesS are fruits Of the Spirit.
But whilo these excellences Of manner
arc so important they cannot hide any
t.eformity of moral character. How often
is it that We find attractlveness or person,
suavity of manners, gracefulness or
conversation, gallantry Of behavior
thrown liko wreaths upon moral death.
Tho flowers that grow upon The scorIa or
VeSuvlus do not make it any less OF vol
cano. The scpulchers in Christs tiLle did
not exhaust all the whitewash. Some of the
biggest scoundrels have been the most fas-
chatting If there are any depending Oh out
ward gracefulneSs 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 gestlcuia-
ton. Christ looks deeper than the skin, and
such ragged cloak as the one in which you
are irving to cover yourself will be no hiding
in the oay OF His power. God will not i'll The
Judgment ask how gracefully you walked
nor hoW politely you bowed, nor how sweetly
you smiled, nor how impresSively you
gestured. The deeds done in the body will
be the test, and not the rules Of Lord Ches'
terfield.
Again, let me say that the nero profession
of religion is but a poor wrapping OF naked
soul. The Importance Of making puoll>
profession of religion if the heart be re,
ncwcI cannot he exaggerated. Christ posi-,
lively AMI with the earncstness of the night
before His cruciliXion commanded it. But it
Is the result of Christian character, not the
cause of ii. Our church certificate is a poor
title to heaven. We may have the name and
not the reality. There are those who seem
TO throw themselves back with complac1ncy
upon their public confession ofChrist a..
though they give no signs OF renewal. If
Satan can inlucc man to build on such 4
rotten foundation as that he has accom-
pi,hed his object. We canuot imagine the
abhorrcnuc with which God looks upon such
q procedure. Whit would be tn, fee;inIs of
shepherd if he saw q wolf in tho
Same fold with his focks, however
qaet he might seem to lie, or n gen.
sral if among his troops he saw one
wearing the appointed uniform who never
thcleSs really belonged to the opposing host:
Thus must tho heavenly shepherd look upon
those who, though they arc 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
urc His armed enemies. 1t any of you find
yourself deficient in the great tests of Chris
tian character, do not, l beg of you, look
upon your profession OF religion rs anything
consoiatory. II you have taken your pres
rnt position from u view that you have
Of Christ and your need OF Hin, rejoice with
joy unspeakabie anil full Of glory and clap
your hands for gladneSs; but il You find
Yourself with nothin~ Int tho mama of life
while dead in trespasScs and sins, arouse b.
fore the door is shut That gilded profc5.
'ou-tha wirld may not b, able TO sao
through it, but in tho day Of divine re:Soa-
ing it will be found that you have no cloak
Tor your sin.
Furthermore, outward morality wilt ba
no cOYrrinm for tho hillan iniullitY of iln