Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-07-11
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE's sun
DAY SERMON,
Subject: '-Clonks for Sim"

otherwise be repelled. AS silently as when
lt glided into Eden, and as plausbly as when
u talked to Christ at the top Of the temple
It now addresses men. Could people look
upon sin as it always is-an exhalation from
tho pit the putrefaction OF infinite capaci-
hes the CHASTITY, loathsome, God snitten
monster that uprooted Eden and killed
Christ and would push the entire
race into darkness and pain 1.-THE
Internal charm would be broken. Before
our first parents t-ar-grcssed, sin appeared
10 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 luxur
lous qualification. Jesus Christ In my text
suggests fact which everybody ought to
know, and that is that sin, to hids its de-
tormity 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. 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
beholds some new style OF wearing them, and
II you will tarry little while 1 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 a successful cloak for their sin
There Is sacredness in office. God Himself
Is King, and all who hold authority in the
world serve under Him. That community
has committed a monstrous wrong who has
elevated to this dignity persons unqualified
either by their ignorance or their immoral
lty. Nations who elevate to posts OF author
lty those not qualified to fill them will feel
the reaction. Solomon expressed this
thought when he said: "Woe unto thee, o
land, when thy King is child and thy
Princes drink in the morning" While
positions Of trust may be disgraced by
the character OF those who fill them, |
believe God would have us respectful to the
offices, though we may have no admiration
Tor their occupants. Yet this dignity which
office confers can be no apology for trans
gression. NebuchadneZzar and Ahab and
Herod in the day of Judgment must stand on
the level with the herdsnen that kept their
docks 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 tho beggar
and the slave. Sin is all the more obnoxious
when 1t is imperial and lordly. You cannot
make pride or injustice or cruelty sacred by
giving it n throne. BelshazEar's decanters
could not keep the 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. Jezebers queenly pre-
/ tension could not save her from being
thrown over the wall. No barricade OF
throne can arrest Gods justice IN its I'M
trring march. No splendor or thickness
Of official robes can be sufficient c.olk Of
sin. Henry Will, Louis XIV, Catharlne OF
Russia, Mary OF England-did their crowns
save thems No ruler ever slt 50 high that
the King of Kings was not above him. All
vlctors shall bow befors 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 Col.
That model, gentlemanly apostle, Paul,
writes to us; "Be courteous That man
can neither lie a 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. We cannot over.
look that In man which we could
hardly excuse in a bear. One OF the first
effects of the grace Of God upon an indi-
vidual is to make him n gentleman. Gruf.
ness, awkwardnes, implacability, clanish'
ness are fruits of the devil, while gentle
ness and meekness are fruits Of the Spirit.
But while these excellences Of manner
are so important they cannot hido any
deformity of moral character, How often
Is 1t that We find attractiveness Of person,
suavity OF manners, gracefulness OF
conversation, galantry of behavior
thrown like wreaths upon moral death
The flowers that grow upon the scorim OF
Vesuvlus do not make it any less Of vol
cano. The sepulchers in Christs time did
not exhaust all the whtewash. Some Of the
biggest scoundrels have been the most fas
cinating. II there are any depending on out
ward gracefulness and attractiveness of de
meanor, with any hope that because Of thai
God will forgive the sin of their soul, let MI
assure them that the divine justics canno
be satisfied with smiles and elegant gesticula
ton. Christ looks deeper than the skin, ant
such a ragged cloak as the one in which yol
are trying to cover yourself will be no hiding
In the day of His power God will not in tn
nor how politely you bowed, nor how sweet,
you smiled, nor how impressively yol
gestured. The deeds done in the body will
be the test, and not the rules Of Lord Ches
terfeld.
Again, let me say that the mere professio,
OF religion is but poor wrapping OF a make
soul. The Importance OF making a publ
profession Of religion IL the heart be re
newed cannot be exaggerated. Christ pos
lively and with the earnestness Of the nigh
before His crucifxion commanded it. But /
|
cause Of it. Our church certificate is poo
title to heaven. We may have the name an
not the reality. There are those who seer
to throw themselves back with complacenc
upon their public confession of Christ o
though they give no signs of renewal.
Satan can induce man to build on such
rotten foundation as that he has accom-
phshed his object. We cannot imagine th
adherence with which God looks upon sue
IN What ba tba fnn T.,
shepherd IL he saw vol in tn
same fold with his focks howevt
quiet he might seem to lie, or gel
eral IL among his troops he saw o.
wearing the appointed uniform who neve
theless really belonged to the opposing hos
Thus must the heavenly shepherd look upo
those who, though they are not His sheel
have climbed up some other way, and th,
must the Lord of hosts look upon those WI
pretend to be soldiers Of the cross while the
are His armed enemies. IL any OF you fin
yourself deficient in the great tests Of Chri
tian character, do not, l beg Of you, loc
upon your profession of religion as anythlr
consolatory. II you have taken your pre-
ent position from a view that you ha'
Of Christ and your need of Him, rejoice wit
10Y unspeakable and full Of glory and cls
your hands for gladness; but II you fiji
yourself with nothing but the name OF III
( while dead In trespasseS and sins, arouse b
fore the door is shut. That gilded profe
sion-the world may not be able TO S
through It, but In the day OF divine recko
ing 1t will be found that you have no cloi
Q Cor your sin.
, Furthermore, outward morality win
no covering for the hidden iuiquity Of Il
) Spirit The God OF Christ makes no assar
upon good works. They are as beautiful
Gods eye as In ours. Punctuality, truthfl
ness, almsgiving, affection and many 9th
excellences of life that might be mention
r will always be admired Of God and man, b
{ we take the position that good works cam
he the ground OF our salvation. What we
: right cannot pay for what we do wron
Admit that you have, all those traits
: character which give merely worldly
> spcctability and influence, you must at {