The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1891-05-07
CHURCH LOCALS
AND RELIGIOUS NOTES OF GEsRR.
Al INTEREST.

\
began His ministry He nreached repens
lance When the Disciples entered upon
their ministry, their subject was repents
ance.
THERE can be no orEiveness without res
pentance, if for TO other reason, we can
not receive forgiveness without it. This
is true among men. However kindly dis
posed man may be and ready to forgive
an offense, IN another, the offending one
must repent'before he can receive forgive
eness,
THIS pincipal in the real basis of life,
for the simple reason that it is so. 1t is a
part and parcel of lite--inwrought into
our very being 1t is something that we
cannot account for we cannot reason about
it, or set it aside. 1t is as much man
moral, essential being, as any one member
of his body is necessary to his complete
physics manhood.
TIE fact of repentance implies reforma-
ton. For without the last, there is moths
ing true of the FIRST. To be sorry for a
wrong without change to the right, is q
false sorrow. The Apostle calls it "sor.
row that worketh DEATH" Such "worketh
death, for it is only a pew preparation for
a new wrong. There is true manhood in
sorrow for conscious wrong There is
cowardice and meanness, in conscious
wrong without sorrow for it.
GEoRGE MCDONALD, one of the proudest
men England ever produced, preached a
wonderful sermon, recently in London, on
Repentance. As scholar and author as
a man and brother; as a preacher and
and writer, he has no equal of to-day. He
has written and published some twenty-five
volumes, every one Of which is loving
message from God, through him to world
of brothers-a strong plea for the right
a voice Of help and comfort to all men.
THIS sermon was heard and partly re-
ported by John F. Hurst, of the Methodist
Episcopal church, for the New York indie.
pendent. His subject was THE Joy
of Angels over the Repenting Sinner" Al
hopehing word has this There is not anC
there cannot be, christian life without thu
basis of repentance. God, knowing tina
this is the first essential, labors for it
watches for it. Then he adds: "Th,
fundamental requisite in repentance is
remuneration OF sin, turning round from
it. and an endeavor to do right
THESE words may seem simple and easy
of utterance. They fell from the lips O
the great George Macdonald-great in his
learning, in his work, in his place among
men, but greater in his goodness and puri.
ty OF life. He was preaching in great
city, in a great church, to great congre>
CATION, and on a great theme. AS reported
by the Bishop the preacher went on to say:
God labors to bring the sinner to this hap
Ply condition by appeals to his conscience
by care over him, and by sympathy with
him.
He adds with tremendous force: but
it is not to man as family, but as an. in
dividual, responsible and personal, that
God comes with his message of mercy. II
one does not know God as dealing with
him, he does not know God at all. Great
opinions, lofty claims, amount to nothing
unless one is repentant, and is on his way
heavenward. The most ignorant one in
| tho Salvation oruov u,ho hos roOooAo1 :.
better than any unrepentant one, however
learned and wealthy. Churches which are
supported by wealth and position alone
without the spirit of repentance, lead to
ruin"
Bishop Hurst says: There were some
| crisp sentences that rang out like clarion
notes. They we're culminations OF careful
and simple statement. Among these, in
substance, as follows IF any one thinks
he can get to heaven because Christ died
and not because of being righteous himself
he is not fool.
Another fool is he who says he needs no
repentance
Churches supported by men of wealth
and position who, while holding office in
the church, are yet living totally unlike
their pattern, the Lord Jesus, are but Sigh.
arches over the pit of hell
A man may be possessed of himsel as of
a devil.
The whole cry of Gods Book, is repent
ance. God s supreme effort is to lead man
home. God says: Let mercy draw you
to me, if love viii! not.
To some men their sins are dear and the
husks are sweet.
No stronger, stranger thought was utter,
ed than Macdonald's declaration, that the
swine has no power to propagate his pros
perity. He may succeed, as the world
says, but the heritage is snort. The swine
never can get to the fifth generation. 1t is
only the just who shall inherit the earth"
So the Bible says of man: "He is dis.
guided in vain. He heapeth up riches and