The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-06-26
SERMON.
CONSCIENCE, OR THE VERDICT OF
SELF.
BY REV. J. A. BALDRIDGE.
Ola Plata. MOI

ssAnd they said one to. another, we are
verify guilty concerning our brother, In
that we saw the anguish of his soul when
he besought us, and we would not hear
therefore is this distress come upon us"
GEN. xiii, 81.
TIME story of Joseph and his
brethren need not be repeated
to YOU. You are familiar with it.
You have known it from childhood.
It was probably taught you at your
mothers knee. But it never grows
old. There is some new beauty in it
every time we read it. In simplicity
of style, the quality of its contents
and the richness of its sentiment it
has never been surpassed in sacred,
much less in profane story. In this
story, perhaps more than any other, Is
illustrated the oft repeated saying:
"Truth is stranger than fiction" s aa 1t
is interesting to the Young, full OF
instruction to those in mature life,
greatly admired by the aged, and
especially by all who know by expe-
rience the trials which grow out OF
the rearing and training of children.
Other biographers appear dull and
uninteresting; romance itself seems
stale and meaningless when COM
pared with this simple Bible story.
It must be stout heart that can
read it without tears. For one l
never could. Sometimes your SYM
pathies are with the young man,
Joseph, and again with the aged
father, Jacob; and all the better emo
tions of your soul are enkindled
anew, when strange reaction takes
place; your feelings, the fount OF
your sympathies, is closed, and you
feel the edged side of your nature
rising against those ungrateful sons
and cruel brothers, tempered, it is
true, by bit of respect for and SYM
patty with Reuben, who had so ear
nestly pleaded, "Do not sin against
the child"
Our text gives striking picture in
this wonderful story-a scene not
soon to be forgotten. The curtain is
lifted and the characters, chagrined
and convicted, appear on the stage
of strange history. These brethren,
unknown to themselves but recog
nized by Joseph, stood in his pres
ence-the presence of him whom long
ago they had so cruelty treated.
Joseph, as you remember. was now
the governor of that mighty people
in Egypt, a man of royalty and great
distinction and honor, occupying a
position second only to the king
himself.
And what strange events had &C.
CURED since their last meeting! How
much and what unique history they
had been weaving! And in the light
of their changed circumstances they
remembered their cruel deed of by
gone years, their hearts sink within
them, they stand convicted, and in
simplicity of soul, tLat is almost sub
lime, they render this just verdict
against themselves Guilty" Sand
they said one to another, verify we
are guilty concerning our brother"
etc.
There is. perhaps no more, striking
instance on record, either in ancient
or modern history, of the power of
an awakened conscience than is
found in the confession and setting
of our text Let us then briefly note
some of the elements in human ma
ture, combined with other causes,
which lead to the rendering of just
verdict against ourselves-a verdict
rendered in the solemn court of our
own consciousness.
/.
The court is convened, the judge
is on the bench, and the witnesses
are all present.
The first witness called is Memory,
and her testimony will not be ques-
toned by the court. Nearly twenty
years had passed since their in
human deed had been committed,
yet memory had recorded and now
recalls it as if it were but yesterday.
Joseph's anguish of soul did not
then concern them. They sat down
and ate their ordinary meal as if
nothing unusual had occurred.
Pride, envy and malice blinded their
eyes, and while they nourished their
bodies and talked of their schemes
there was no feeling of pity in their
hard hearts for "the anguish of
soul" so keenlY felt by their betrayed
brother.
But now, so many years after the
commission of their cruel deed, why