The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-07-13
AT THE TABERNACLE.
DR.. TALMAGE ON THE LESSON THE
PHARlSEE AND THE PUBLICAN.

BROOKLYN, July O. Rev. DR.. Tai
mage had selected as his subject for TO-
day a picture of contrast, "ArrOuance
and Humilitv." the text heing Luke
xviii. 13, God be mCrcitul TO ne sin.
nerl"
No mountain ever had more bril-
liant COrOnet than Mount MOrah. The
glorles OF the ancient temple blaZed
there. The mountain top was not orig
inally large enough TO hold the temple,
and so wall GOO feet high was erected,
and the mountain was built out into
that wall. II was at that point that
satan met Christ aud tried to persuade
him to cast himself down the COO tcct.
The nine gates of the temple llashed the
light of silver and gold and COrinthian
brass, which ieelths- E orinthinn brass was mere
precious stones melted anI mixed and
.crystalized. The temple itself was not
80 very large structure. hut the courts
and the adiuncts ui the architecture
made it half mile in circumference.
We stand aud look oll upon tha' won
drous structure. what's he matter?
W hat strange appearance in thc 'cmplc?
Isit fire? WHY. It seems Il" II II were
MANSION all kindlCd into flame. WHAT'S
tho matter? Why, IFS the hour OF morn
inc sacrifice, and the smoke on u,e altar
rises and bursts out o! the CrCviCC9 and
out of the door and wrcathCS the noun
tain top with folds Of smoke, tnrou"h
which glitter precious stones gathered
ard FURNISHED by royal munliccnce.
see two men mounting the steps OF
the building. They 60 side bv side;
they arc very unlike; no sympathy be-
Il, ,,l,., ,,ic
proud, AFRO CANT. pompous, he goes up
the steps OF the building. He seems by
his manner to say: "Clcar the track!
Never before came up these steps such
goodness and cOnscCrati0n."
Beside him was the publican, bowed
down seemingly with a load on his
heart. They reach the mclosure for
worship in the midst Of the temple.
The phariscc yocs close up to the gate
of the holy of holes. lie feels he is
ticallv: 81 am so holy want to 90 into
the holy of holies. o Lord, | am a We
ry good man. Pm remarkably good
man. Why, two days in the week cat
absolutely nothing. Pm 50 good. Pm
very generous III my cOnducL toward the
poor. | have no sympathy with the
common rabble; especially have | none
with this poor, miserable commonplace,
wretched publican who happened &c
come up the stairs beside me.'
The publican went clear to the Other
side of the inclosure, as Tar away from
the gate of the holy Of holics as he coult
get, for he felt unworthy to stand mean
the sacred place. And the Bible Gays
he stood atar off. Standing Oh the op
pOsltc side Of this inclOsurc nc bows his
head, and az orlcDtals when they have
any trouble beat their breasts, 80 Inc be.
gins to pound his breast as he cries,
"GOd be mcrcilul to nc Il sinncrn'
Oh, was there ever Il greater contrast?
The incense that waited that morning
from the priests censor was not 80
sweet as the publiCan's prayer floating
into The opening heavens, while the
prayer of the pharscc died on his con.
tcmpLous lips and rolled down into his
arrogant heart. Worshipping there they
ION each other and 20 side by side down
the steps, the pharIscc cross, wrcichcd,
acrid, saturnlne; the publican with his
face shining with the very joys oihcavcn
for, 81 tell you that man went down to
his house justified rather than the 9th.
er."
Now put this puhlcan's prayer I'M
der anal sis, and discover in the first
place that he was persuaded OF his sin
iulncss. He was an honest man, he
was a taXgathcrcr, he was an officer of
the government. The publranS were
taXgathercrs, aud Cicero says they
were the adjournment OF the state. OfI
course they were somewhat unpopular.
because people then did not like To pay
their taxes any better than pcorlc nov
like to pay their taxes, and there were
many who dislikcd them. Still. | sup.
pose this publican, this taxyathcrcr,
was an honorable man. He had an OF.
lice o. trust. There were many hard
things SAID about him, and yet, standing
there in that enclosure of the tcmplc
amid the demonstrations OF God's holi-
ness and power, he cries out from the
very depths OF his stricken soul, "God
be merclful to me a siuncr." By what
process shall prove that am si;i-
ner? BY what process shall | prove
That YOU are a sinner? Shall ask Won
TO weigh your motives, To scan your ac-
tons, to estimate your behavior |
Will do nothing ct the kind. |
Will draw my argument rather from the
plan OF the work that God has achieved
Tor your salvation.
on 90 down IN storm to the beach. |
ana you see Wrcckcrs put on. their rough |
Jackets and launch the ltepoat and then
shoot the rockets to show that hclp il
coming out into the ibreakers, and YOU |
immediately cry. "a shlpwreck!" And
when see the Lord Jesus Christ put.
tng aside robe and crown and launch |
out on the tossing sea OF human suffer.
ing aud satanic hate, gong out into the
numbering surge OF death, | cry, "A
shipwIeck"
L know that our souls are head(ullv
LOST by the work God has done TO save
them. Are you sinner? suppose YOU
had commercial agent in Charleston
or san Francisco or Chicago, and YOU
were paying him promptly hi salary,
anu you lound out. after while, that
Notwithstanding he had drawn the salary
ne mad given nine-tecnths of all the |
ume 10 some other commercial cstab. |
nshment. Why, your Indignation