Connecticut western news., 1896-07-16
LAME ON BOTH FEET.
THIS ls rnE BIBLE IDEA AND DEFlNt
 TON OF SIN.

rms ls ThE BIBLE IDEA AND DEFlNl-
 TON OF SIN.
 Rev. Dr. ralnAge Proaches Upon "Kind- ness For Another's saks--Novel Presen- tation of the Theories of Ruin and Res- torAtion-
 WASHINGTON, July 12.-Dr. Tal- mage's sermon of today is vivid and novel presentation of the theories of ruin and restoration. The Bible scene described is dramatic. His text was II Samuel ix, and IS: "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he did eat continually at the kings table and was lame on both his feet. '
 Was there ever anything more roman tic and chivalrous than the love of David and Jonathan? At one time Jon athan was up and David was down. Now David is up and Jonathan's family is down. As you have often heard of two soldiers before going into battle making a covenant that if one is shot the survivor will take charge of the body, the watch, the mementos and perhaps of the bereft family of the one that dies, so David and Jonathan had made 8 covenant, and now that Jona- than is dead David is inquiring about his family, that he may show kindness unto them for their father Jonathan's sake.
 Careful search is made. and a son of Jonathan by the dreadfully homely name of Mephibosheth is found. His nurse, in his infancy, had let him fall. and the fall had put both his ankles out of place, and they had never been set This decrepit, poor man is brought into the palace of King David. David looks upon him with melting tenderness, no doubt seeing in his face a resemblance to his old friend. the deceased Jonathan. The whole bearing of King David to- ward him seems to say: "How glad 1 am to see you. Mephiboshethi How you remind me of your father, my old friend and benefactori I made bargain with your father 8 good many years ago and am going to keep it with you What can do for you, Mephibosheth? I am resolved what to dol will make you & rich man. 1 will restore to you the con- fscated property of your grandfather Saul, and you shall be 8 guest of mine as long as you live, and you shall be seated at my table among the princes. " 1t was too much for Mephibosheth, and he cried out against it, calling himself . dead dog. "Be still. says David, "1 don't do this on your own account; do this for your father Jonathan's s sake. can never forget his kindness Iremem- Der when was bounded from place to place how he befriended me Can ever forget how he stripped himself of his oourtier apparel and gave it to me in- stead of my shepherds coat, and how he took off his own sword and belt and gave them to me instead of my slingf Oh. can never forget himi I feel as if I couldn't do enough for you. his son. don't do it for your sake; do it for your father Jonathan's sake.'' 'So Aephiboeheth dwelt in Jerusalem. for he did eat continually at the kings ta- ble and was lame on both his feet. :"
 There is 30 much gospel in this quaint incident that I am embarrassed to know < where to begin Whom do Mephibosheth and David and Jonathan make you think of?
 Disabled.
 Mephiboeheth. in the first place, stands for the disabled human soul Lord Byron describes sin as charming recklessness. as a gallantry. as Don Juan; George Sand describes sin as tri- upmhant in many intricate plots; Ga varni, with his engraver's knife, always shows sin as a great jocularity; but the Bible presents it as Mephibosheth, lame on both feet Sin. like the nurse in the context. attempted to carry us and let us fall. and we have been dis abled. and in our whole moral nature we are decrepit Sometimes theologians haggle about technioality. They use the words total depravity," and some people believe in the doctrine, and some reject it What do you mean by total depravity? Do you mean that every man is as bad as he can bef Then, do not believe it either. But do you mean that sin has let us fall; that it has scarified and disabled and crippled our entire moral nature until we cannot walk straight and are lame in both feet? Then l admit your proposition. There is not 30 much difference in an African jungle-with barking, bowling. hissing, fighting quadruped and reptile. and paradise, with it's animals coming before Adam, when he patted them and stroked them and gave them names, 50 that the panther was as tame as the COW and the condor as tame as the dove-as there is between the human soul disabled and that soul as God originally constructed it. I do not care what the sentimental ists or the poets say in regard to sin. In the name of God, declare to you today that sin is Reorganization, disintegra- tion. ghastly disfguration. hobbling de- formity.
 Your modern theologian tells you that man is a little out of sorts; he sometimes thinks wrong; he sometimes does wrong; indeed his nature needs a little moral surgery, an outside splint. slight compress, little rectifcation. Religion is good thing to have; il might some day come into use. Man is partially wrong, not all wrong. He is lame in one foot Bring the salve of di. vine 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 righti In his will, his affec- tions. his judgment? No. There is ar old book that says: "The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint. '' Mephibosheth lame in both feet Gu, belief of the fact that sin has scarified and deformed our souls increases as we 90 on in years When you started life, you thought that man was a little mayred by sin and he was about one taEth wrong By the time you had gone through the early experience of you, tade or occupation UT profession yor believed that man was about half wrong