Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-07-14

tent "God Re Rer, mi mt, me. a soJ,r'"
Luke xviii, l3.
No mountain eyer had more brilliant
coronet than Mount Muriah. The rIorirs OF
the ancient temple hla2cd there. The noun
ram top was not originally large enough t.
mold the temple, ana SO a wall coo feet hi,h
was erected and the mountain was hunt ont
into that wall
1t was at that point that satan met Christ
and tried to persuade Him to east Himself
down the COO feet. The MN" gates OF the
temple flashed the light of silver and gold
and Corinthian brass, which Cornthian brass
was mere precious stones melted and
mixed and crystallized. The temple itself
was not so very large a structure, hut the
courts and the adjuncts Of the architecture
made 1t half Il mile in circumference.
We stand and look upon that wondrous
structure. What's the natter What
strange appearance in the temple, Is It fire?
Mby, II seems rs II II were a mantle all kin
died into flame. What's the natter Why,
Its the hour OF morning sacrifice. and tho
smoke Oh the altar rises and bursts out OF
the crevices and out ofthe door and wrcathrs
the mountain top with folds of smoke
through which glitter precious stones
gathered and FURNISHED by royal uu-
niflcence.
see two men mounting the steps Of the
building. They 30 side iy side they are
very unlike no sympathy between them
the one the phRrisee. proud arrogant POM
pOus; he goes up the steps OF the building
he seems by his manner to say: Clear the
track Never before came up these steps
such goodness and conservation"
Beside him was the publican, bowed down,
seemingly, with a load on his heart. They
reach the inclosure for worship in the midst
OF the temple. The pharisee goes close up
TO the gate of the holy Of hOlies. He feels he
is worthyto stand there He says practically
II am 80 holy want TO go into the holy OF
holes. Oh Lord, | am "A very good man I
am a remarkably good man. Why, two days
In the week / eat absolutely nothing l am
go good. I'm very generous ia my conduct
toward the poor. | have no sympathy with
the common rabble; especially have none
with this poor, miserable commonplace,
wretched publican, who happened to come
up the stairs beside me.
The publican went clear 10 the other sido
OF the inelosurc, IA far away from the gate
OF the holy Of holjes as hascOuld get. for he
felt unworthy to stand near the sacred place
And the Bible says he stood afar or Stand
ing on the opposite side Of this inclosurr,
he bows his head. and as Orientials when
they have any trouble beat their breasts. 40
he begins 10 pound his breast IA he cries,
GOD be merciiul 10 me. sinner ~
oh, was there ever a greater contrast The
incense that waited that morning from tn"
priests ceusrr was not - sweet as the pub
lican's prayer floating into the opening
heavens, while the prayer OF the phar.-va
died on his contrmptuous lips aud rolled
down into his arrogant heart. WorhipnS
there. they join each other and ~ -id" ly
side down the steps, the phlrl-," cross,
wretched, acrid, saturulnc the publican
with his face shining with the very Joys Of
heaven. for II tell you that this man went
down TO his hOu-" justified rather than the
other.
Now, | put this pubI"ans prayer .nder
analysis and | discovered IN the lir~t place
that he was persuaded Of his siuuneSs. lie
was an honest man he was a taNsathorHr /,
he was an officer OF the government. The
publicans were taNgath"rrr-, and Cicero
says they were the adornmcut OF the State.
OF course they were somewhat unpopular
because people then did not like TO pay their
taxes any better than people now Ike TO pay
their taxes, and there were many who di~.
liked them.
Still suppose this publican this tax gath
erer. was an honorable man. He had Gl
/ Office OF trust there were many hard things
said about him, and yet, standing there in
/ that enclosure OF the temple amid tho
demonstrations ofGod's holiness and power,
he cries ont from the very depths OF his soul,
! God be merrifu to me, "a sinner BY what
process shall prove that | am a sinner? BY
/ what process shall prove that you are sin
ner? Shall ask you to weigh your motives.
/ to sean your actions to estimate your be-
| havior2 | will do nothing Of the kind. |
will draw my argument rather from the plan
! OF the work that God has achieved for your
! salvation.
You 90 down in storm to the beach, and
= you see wreckerS put on their rough jackets
and launch the liieboat and then shoot the
! rockets to show that help coming ont int
the breakers, and you Immediately cry, ~
| shipwreck ~ And when | see the Lord Jcsu'
Christ putting aside robe and crown an,
launch out on the tossing sea OF human SUI
fering and satanic hate. going out into th'
laundering surge OF death, cry, "A ship
wreck ~
know that our souls are dreadfully lost
| by the work that God has done to save them
Are you Il sinner suppose you had com
mercial agent in Charleston or san Fran
cisco, or Chicago, and you were paying mn
promptly his salary, and you found out attel
, awhile that Notwithstanding he had draw
the salary he had given ninc-tenths ci all tn
time to some other commercial establish
ment. Why. your indignation would know
no bounds. And yet that IS just the way W
have treated the Lord
He sent us out into the world to serv
Him. He has taken good care =. US. IL
! has clothed us, He has sheltered u.s. and IT.
has surrounded us with 10 000 hencfactiOnS
and yet many OF US have given ninc-tcnths O
our lives to the service of the world, the fiesl
and the devil. Why, my friend, the Bible i
full Of confessions and do not find any bod,
is pardoned until he has confessed.
What did David say? II will confess my
transgressions unto the Lord" What iii,
Isaiah say? 'Woe is me-. because | am
man Of unclean lips" What did Ezra say
''Our iniquities are increased over our head
and our trespass is grown up into heaven.
And among the millions before the throne O
God tonight not one got there until he con
fessed. The coast OF eternal sorrow is strrwl
with the wreck Of those who, not taking tn
warning, drove with the cargo Of mmorta
hope into the white tangled foam Of tn
breakers.
Repent the voice celestial cries
Nor longer dare delay;
The wretch that sCorus the mandate dies
And meets the merry day.
But anayze the publican's prayer a steI
further, and / find that he expected no relic
except through Gods mercy. Why did no
ne say, am an honorable man. When | ge
$40 taxes, pay them right over to the gov
ernment. give full permission To anybod.
TO audit my accounts. appeal to Thy jus
tice, 0 God He made no such plea. II
threw himself fiat on Gods mercy.
Have you any idea that man by breaking
off the scales Of the leprosy can change tn
disease? Have you any idea that you can b.
changing your life change your heart
YOU can purchase your way TO heaven
Come, try 1t. Come, bring all the bread yo,
ever gave to the hungry, all the medicn
you ever gave to the sick, all the kind word'
you have ever uttered, all the kind deed
that have ever distinguished you. Add then
all up into the tremendous aggregate o
good words and works and then you will Sc
Paul sharpen his knife as he cuts that spiri
of self satisfaction rs he cries, "By the deed
OF the law there shah no flesh be justified"
Mell say q thousand mon in this nudienoe