Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-07-11
A Disabled soul.

There is much gospel i'm this quaint
incident that ! am embarrassed TO know
where 10 begin whom do Mcphihoshcth
and David and Jonathan make YOU think
of
Mcphiboshcth, in the first place. stands
for the disabled human soul Lord Byron
describes sin "a "A charming rccklcssncSS.
as n gallantry as II Don Juan. George
Sand describes sin rs triumphant in many
intricate plots Gavarui. with his cngrav-
er's knife. always shows sin as great
POPULARITY But the Book presents it rs a
Mephibosheth lame on both feet Sin,
like the nurse in the context attempted to
carry us and let us fall. and we have been
disabled, and in our whole moral nature
we are decrepit Sometimes thcologians
hagglc about n technically They usc the
words total dcpravity. " and some people
believe in the doctrine. and some reject it,
What do you mean lay total dcpraviiy. Do
you mean that every man is rs had rs ho
can bc. Then do not believe II either
But do you mean that sin has let us fall;
that il has scariiied and disabled and Grip
pied our entire moral nattr, until we can
not walk straight and are lame in both
feet? Then admit your proposition
There IL not So much difference in an Afri-
can jungle. with barking. bowling. hiss
ing, fighting quaGrui ed and reptile. and
paradise. with its animals coming before
Adam, when he RATED them and strokcd
them and gave thcm names, 80 that the
panther was as tame rs the COW. and the
condor as tame a. the dove. rs there is he
tween the human soul disabled and II II
soul as God originally constructed il. ! do
not care what the >,'iti,ucEialistS or the
poets say in regard to sin In the name Of
God. ] declarc IL You today that sin j. dis
organization. disintcgraii"n. ghast!y dis
flguration, hobbling dcformity.
Your modern thcologian tells YOU that
man is little ont al sorts lie sometimes
thinks wrnng He snnicii lines does wrong
indeed, his nature reeds Il little moral
surgery, an outside = lint. n slight com
press, little rcciiiicition Religion is a
good thing To have. it might some day
come into use Man is partially wrong
not all wrong He j. lame in one foot
Bring the salvc of divine grace, and the
ointment, and the pain extractor, and we
will have his one foot cured Man Is only
half wrong, not altogether wrong. In what
is mans nature right: In his will, his af-
fectiors. his Judgment: No There is an
old book that says The whole head is
sick and the whole heart faint Mcphib-
oshcth lame in both icct, Our belief Of the
fact that sin has sCariiicd and dcformcd
our souls increases ~ we 90 on in years
When you started life. you thought that
man was "A little married 10y sin, and he
was about one tenth wrong by the time
you had gone through the cary experience
OF your trade or occupation or profession
you believed that Tan WAS about half
wrong BY the time you came Ia midlife
you believed that man was three fourths
wrong But within these past few wears,
since you have Teen 80 lied about and
swindled and cheated, you have come 10
the conclusion that man is altogether
wrong. and now You can say with the
prayer book and with tlic Bible. There is
no health in us Now yau believe with
the prophet. The heart j. dcccitful above
all things and desperately wicked. " What
ever you may have believed lcf.rc, now
you believe that Mcphihoshcth is lame on
both feet