Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-10-29
THE Gospel MIRROR,
IN WHICH MEN NAY LOOK AND SEE THEIR
SINS
h, REGULAR Weekly Sermon By Rev. T. De
With Tslmsgs-A Powerful Appeal 10 Men
to Turn to God.


Glass" his text being Exodus 80: S;
uApd hs made the LAYER OF brass, and
tie foot OF il was Of brass, Of the look
ing glasses OF the women assembling"
We often hear about the Gospel in
John, and the Gospel in Luke, and the
Gospel in Matthew; but there is just as
surely a Gospel Of Moses, and Gospel
Of jeremiah, aud a Gospel Of David. In
other words Christ is as certainly to be
found in the Old Testament as in the
New.
When the Israelites were marching
through the wilderness they carried
their church with them. They called
Is the tabernacle. IL was a pitched
tent; very costly, very beautiful. The
framework was made OF fOrty-eight
boards Of acacia wood set In sockets OF
silver. The curtains Of the place were
purple, and scarlet, aud blue, and hne
linen, and were hung with most artlSUc
loops. The candlesticE OF that taOer-
nacle had shaft, aud branch, and bowl
OF gold, and the figures OF cheruoIm
that stood that stood there had wings
OF gold: and there were lamps Of gold,
and suffers of gold, and tOngs Of gold,
and rings of gold; so that skepuclsm
has sometimes asked, Where did
ALL THAT PRECIOUS MATERIAL
come from? It's not my place to fur
nish the precious stones, IL Is only 10
tell that they were there.
I wish now more especially to speak
of the laver that was built In the midst
Of that ancient tabernacle. IL was
great basin from which the priests
washed their hands and feet The
water came down from the basin 10
sDouts and passed away after the
cleansing. This LAYER or basin was
made out OF the looking-glasSes OF the
women who had frequented the la6er-
nacle, and who had made these their
contribution TO the furniture. THESE
lOoking-glasses were not made OF glass,
hut thew were brazeu. The brass was
OF very superior quality, and polished
until it reflected easily the features OF
those who looked into il. So that this
LAYER OF looking-Rlasses spoken or In
nv text did double work; it not only
furnished the water 10 which the priests
washed themselves, but IL also, on It's
shining, polished surface, pointed ont
tbe spots Of pollution on the face which
needed ablutiOn. Now, my Christian
friends, as every thing in that ancient
tabernacle was suggestive OK religious
truth. and for the most part positively
svmbolical Of truth, l shall take thai
LAYER Of looktnR-glasses spoken Of in the
Ill the Nr0sDeI.
which first shows US our sins as IN
mirror and then washes them away Oy
When Jesus washed my sins away
have to say that this is the only
looking glass in which a man can see
himself as be is. There are some mir
rOrs that fatter the features, and make
you look better than you are. Then
there are other mirrors that distort
your features, and make you look worse
than you are; but want to tell you that
this looking-glass OF the Gospel shows
AMAN JUST AS HE IS.
When the priests entered the ancient
tabernacle, one glance at the burn
ished side of this LAYER showed them
their need of cleansing; so this Gospel
eAuW4 VIC 104A as A9GA "a AlHAAN " @oL-
Ing. "All have sinned, and come short
OF the glory Of God" That's one show
ing. ''Ail we, like sheep, have gone
Rstray" That Is another showing.
"From the crown OF the head to the
sole Of the foot there is no health in
us" That is another showing.
The world calls these defects,
imperiections, or sccentrcities, or
erratlc behavior, OF wild oats" or
"high living;, bat the Gospel calls them
sin, transgression, hlth-Jhe a0omina-
bic thing that God hates. Ii was just
one glance al that mirror that made
Paul cry out, ''Oh, wretChed man that
am, who shall deliver me from the body
of this death?" and that made David
CRY out, Purge me with hySOp, and l
shall be clean" and that made Martin
Luther cry out, "Oh, my sins, my sins!'
am not talking abOuVp pad habits. You
aud 1 do not need any Bible TO tell US
that bad habits are wrong, that bias
pbemy and evil-speaking are wrong.
But am talking Of . sinful nature, the
source Of all pad thoughts, as well as Of
all bad actions. The Apostle Paul calls
their roll in the fist chapter Of Ro-
mans. They are q regiment of death
enCamping around every heart, hold
iDg it in a tyrrany from which nothing
but the grace Of God can deliver it.
Here, for instance, is gratitude.
Who has not been guilty Of that sin? II
q man hand US a glass of water we say
Thank yOu;" but for the ten thousand
mercies that we are every day receiving
from the hand Of God, how lit:le ex-
preston OF gratitude-fOr thirst slaked,
for hunger fed, for shelter, and sun
shine, and sound sleep, aud clothes 70
wear-how little thanks. 1 suppose
there are men fifty years Of age who
have nevsr yet been down on their knees /
In thanksgiving to God for his good |
ness. Besides that
NeRATTUDE pr OUR HEARTS
there is pride (who has not felt it9)-
pride that will not submit 70 God, that |
wants its own Way-a nature that pre- |
fers wrong sometimes instead of right |
that prefers 20 waIlow instead Of rise /
up. do nJd care what you call that; /
] am not going TO quarrel with any |
theOl0gian, or any man who makes /
any pretentiOns 90 theology. I DO \
not care whether you call il total de- /
pravEy." or something else; I simply
make the annduncemeht Of Gods Word,
afi1ped and ,confrmed by the expert
enel4of hundreds Of Christian people: \
thef maginatiob Of the heart OF man is
eVH lfrom youkh. "ItRfsNis none that
dOt "a good; nO(not = We have a
baf nature. W. with it.
w CO., it from Sey got it
from their pare ghts are
v.rr,r,rl our I