Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-07-03
THE STNNER'S HOPE.
THE PUBL .C&N WAS JUSTIFIED BE-
CAUSE OF HIC HUMILITY.

The Self Righteous PEarisee-why IKE
Pubiicans VTerc DisII!,ed and Their Title
Used as q Bywortl Among the Jews-Thfs
One Admitted His Sin-PracticaI A appeal.
BROOKLYN, July2.-Rev. DR.. Talmage
had selected as his subject for today a
picture Of contrast, Arrogance and HUI
mility,'' the text being Luke xviii, Is,
''God be merciful unto me. Il sinnerr'
No mountain ever had more brilliant
coronet than Mount Moriah. The glories
of the ancient temple bla2ed there. The
mountain top was not originally large
enough to hold the temple, and SO q wall
600 feet high was erected, and the noun
tain was built out into that wall
1t was at that point that satan met
Christ and tried to persuade him to cast
himself down the 600 feet The nine
gates of the temple flashed the light Of
silver and gold and Corinthian brass
which Corinthian brass was mere pre-
cious stones melted and mixed and crys-
tallized. The temple itself was not so
very large a structure, but the courts
and the adjuncts of the architecture
made it half {; mile in circumference.
THE MORNING SACRIFICE.
We stand and look upon that won
drous structure. What's the matter:
What strange appearance in the temple:
Is it fire? Why. it seems as if it We're
mansion all kindled into flame What's
the matter? Why, its the hour of morn
ing sacrifice. and the smoke on the altar
rises and bursts out of the crevices and
out of the door and wreathes the noun
a. eOI< = al. Il.
which glitter precious stones gathered
and FURNISHED by royal lnunifcence.
see two men mounting the steps Of
the building. They go side by side: they
are very unlike; no sympathy between
them-the one the pharisee. proud ;irrf,-
giant. pompous: 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 lowed
down. seemingly wiz Il io2d OF his
heart. They reach Tie inclosJ-Ir for
worship in tne midst Of thu to:E,,::.t,
The pharisee :-oes close up to the g."
of the holy of holes He feels l~ :
worthy TO stand there. lie :ays }r:c-
tically: Il am so holy want 10 go ito
the holy Of holes Q Lo.,I. | ;>7,l q ve--y
good man! &:n !. remarkably :,ool
man. Why. two days IL the week cat
absolutely nothing. I'm SO good. In
very generous III my conduct toward
the poor lave no rympathy With tie
common rabble: especially have l., 10
with this poor. miserable, commonplace.
wretched publican, who happened 70
come mn the Sfai7.S bpSi10 pr
TEE REPENTA,;T PUB:4ItAE
The publican went clear to tue ot.:er
side of the ilclostlre. ~ far away f~o7>I
the gate of the holy of holes as he
could get, for he felt unvo-,, w - stand
near the sacred place And tAa Liblo
says he stood ;:far Off Standing on the
opposite side of this inclcscre. he Lorvs
his head and as oriCntafs when they
have any trouble beat their breasts. so
he begins TO pound his breast as he cries.
"God be merciful to me Il sinner"
Oh. WAS there ever u greater contrast:
The incense that waited that morning
from the priests censor was not So sweet
as the publicans prayer floating into tie
opening heavens. while the prayer Of to
pharisee died on his cOntemptuorS l;rs
and rolled DOM into his arrogant II -:
WOrshiping there, they join each '!c'
and 20 side by side down the ste >. tn"
pharisee cross. wretched. acri.l s;:tJ71-
nine-thc publican with his fac. :,i..1ng
with the very joys Of heaven, for Il tell
you that this man went down to Lis
house justified rather th;ru the other.
Now put this publicans PRAYER TN
der analysis. and | discover III the first
place that he was persuaded of his sin
fulness. He was an honest man: he
was taxgatherer: he was an officer of
the government. The publicans were tax
gatherers. and Cicero says thet- were the
adornnent of the state. OF course they
were somewhat unpopular. because peo-
pie then did not like to Fay their taxes
any better than people now like to pay
their taxes. ana there were many who
disliked them.
Still ! suppose this publican. this tax
gatherer was an honorable man. He
had an Office of trust: there were many
hard things said about him. and yet.
standing there in that Enclosure of the
temple amid the demonstrations of
Gods holiness and power, he cries out
from the very depths of his soul. God
be merciful to me. sinner BY what
process shall prove that am sinner?
BY what process shall | prove that you
are {, sinner? Shall l ask you to weigh
your motives. to scan your actions. to
estimate your behavior? will do nothing
of the kind. will draw my argument
rather from the plan of the work that
God has achieved for your salvation
SHIPwRECKED SOULS.
You go down in Il storm to the beach,
and you see wreckers put on their rough
Jackets and launch the Hfeboat and
then shoot the rockets to show that help
is coming out into the breakers, and you
immediately cry. "A shipwreckr' And