Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-07-10
SUNDAYS SERMON.
ONE OF REV. DIR. TALMAGE'S
STERLING DIsCoURsEs.
Subject: "CIoaks for SIM


Sin is always disguised. Decked and
CLOSED and perfumed and masked it gains
admittance into places from which it would
otherwise be repealed. As silently as when
1t glided into Eden, and as plausibly as when
1t talked to Christ at the top of the temple,
1t now addresses men. Could people look
upon sin as it always is--an exhaiation from
the pit, the putrefaction of infinite capaci-
ties. the CHASTITY, loathsome. God smitten
monster that uprooted eden and killed
Christ, and would push the entire
race into darkness and pain = the
internal charm would be broken. Before
our first parents transgressed, sin appeared
to them the sweetness Of fruit n the be-
coming as gods. To Absalom 1t was the
pleasure of sitting upon a throne. To men
now sin is laughter and permission to luxur-
ious qualification. Jesus Christ in my text
suggests a fact which everybody ought to
know, and that is that sin, to hide its de-
formity and shame, is accustomed to wear
ing a cloak; and the Saviour also sets forth
the truth that God can see straight through
all such wrappings and thicknesses. | want
10Y 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 a little while | 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 a 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
ity. Nations who elevate to posts of author
fly 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 a child and thy
Princes drink in the morning. While
positions Of trust may be disgraced by
the character of those who fill them, l
believe God would nave us respectful to the
Offices, though we may have no admiration
for their occupants. Yet this dignity which
Office confers can be no apology for trans
erosion. ACKNOWLEDGMENT and Ahab and
Herod in the day of Judgment must stand on
the level with the herdsmen that kept their
faocks 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 the beggar
and the slave. Sin is all the more obnoxious
when it is imperial and lordly. You cannot
make pride or injustice or cruelty sacred by
giving it a throne. Belshazzar'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. Jezebeps queenly pre-
tension could not save her from being
thrown over the wall. No barricade of
throne can arrest Gods justice in its UNI
erring march. No splendor or thickness
of official robes can be a sufficient cloak of
sin. Henry VIII, Louis XIV, Catharine of
Russia, Mary of England-did their crowns
save themf No ruler ever sat SO high that
the King of Kings was not above aim. All
victors shall bow before Him who on the
white horse goeth forth conquering and to
conquer.
Again, elegance of manners canno sue
c~essfully hide iniquity from the eye OF God.
That model, g~entlemanly apostle, Paul,
writes to us: "Be Courteous That man
can neither be respectable wording nor
a consistent Christian who lacks good
manners He is shut out from refined cir
Giles, and he certainly ought to be hindered
from entering the church. We cannot over
look that in a 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 a gentleman. Gruff-
ness, awkwardness. ~implacability, clanlsh-
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 hide any
deformity of moral character. How often
Is it that we find attractiveness of person,
suavity of manners, gracefulness OF
conversation, gallantry OF behavior
thrown like wreaths upon moral death.
The flowers that grow upon the scoriB OF
Vesuvius do not make it any less of a vol
cano. The sepulchers in Christs tim did
not exhaust all the whitewash. Some OF the
biggest ~scoundrels have been the most tas-
cinating. If there are any depending on out
ward gracefulness and attractiveness OF de-
meanor, with any hope that because OF that
God win forgive the sin of their soul, let me
assure them that the divine justice cannot
be satisfied with smiles and elegant gesticula-
ton. Christ looks deeper than the skin, and
such a ragged cloak as the one in which you
are trying to cover yourself will be no hiding
In the Gay of His power. God will not In 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 viii
be the test, and not the rules of Lord Ches-
terrified.
Again, let me say that the mere profession
of religion is but a poor wrapping OF a naked
soul. The Importance Of making a public
profession Of religion if the heart be re
newed cannot be exaggerated. Christ posi-
i've aAA a tA1 -
before His cruciixion commanded it. But il
Is the result Of Christian character, not the
cause of it. Our church certifcatei is a poor
title to heaven. We may have the name ano
not the reality. There are those who seem
to throw themselves back with complacency
upon their public confession Of Christ al
though they give no Signs of renewal. Il
Satan can induce a man TO build on such .
rotten foundation as that he has accom-
plished his object. We cannot imagine thu
adherence with which God looks upon sucl
q procedure. What would be the feelings o
q shepherd If he saw a wolf in thu
same fold with his fiocks, howevel
quiet he might seem to lie, or a gen
eral II among his troops he saw on
wearing the appointed uniform who
,heless really belonged to the opposing host
Thus must the heavenly shepherd look upol
those who, though they are not His sheep
nave climbed up some other way, and thu
must the Lord Of hosts look upon those VIII
pretend to be soldiers of the cross while the.
are His armed enemies. II any Of you fin
yourself deficient in the great tests Of Chri:
tian character, do not, l beg OF you, loo
upon your profession Of religion as anythIn
consoiatorf. If you have taken your pre-;
emit position from a view that o nav
Of Christ and your need Of Him, rejoice wit
Joy unspeakable and full of glory and ella
your hands for gladness; but il you I'm
yourself with nothing but the name of M