Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-11

Has a Greater Value Than Mil
lions Of Dollars-Synopsis Of Rev.
Mr.. WiShart's Sermon.
Special meetings are still in progress
at the L. P. church. For several even
ings Rev. w. 1. Wishart, of Allegheny
has been preaching. All of his sermons
have been characterized by simplicity and
power and have produced a strong effect
Rev. Mr.. Wishart addressed a large con
gregation last evening and was listened
to with rapt attention.
The sermon was an analysis Of the
sentence taken from St. Mark =: 10-"Sut
that ye may know that the Son of Man
hath power on earth to forgive sins.
The speaker said that he had been
reading of a great civil suit in New York
in which many millions of dollars We're
involved. The judge at his decision gave
a very comprehensive statement of the
case, and some person had made the cal
culation that each word Of the judge S
decision was worth just one million DOL
49,
verdict was rendered. In the sentence OF
this text the value of the words cannot
be measured in dollars or any kind OF
wealth. None can compute the worth
of these wonderful words to humanity
We are told that the Son of Man hath
power on earth to save sinners. We all
know what sin is, what is means TO be
sinful. If the question should be asked
what is sin? we might not be able to give
a theological or scientific definition, yet
everyone could give clear answer as
TO what sin is.
We are all sinners and we should re
member to write it in burning letters on
our hearts that probably we who have the
greatest privileges. are the greatest sin
ners. We are not to suppose that the
drunkards and harlots on the streets
are the worst sinners This might and
might not be true. Napoleon once found
one of his officers in a flower garden
away from his post of duty. When asked
what he was doing the officer replied that
he was admiring the flowers. In one
sense this was true, but the emperor for
this breach of discipline had the officer
and shot. 1t is not the
transgressions we do, but the duties that
we leave undone that pile up the obliga-
lions mountain high against us. What
an awful thing is sin. 1t has made this
world a vale of tears, digging graves,
lighting the fires of hell and dragging
down the spirits of men, spirits that
ought to aspire upwards to God and
Heaven. Is there any way to get free
from sin?
That is the question that is answered in
this sentence. Take the word forgive
in the text There is a sweet old word
and one of the sweetest in all the vocab-
ulary. The prodigal son well knew what
it meant to be forgiven when his father
took him in his arms and never said a
word about the shameful past. 1t means
that we who have sinned shall be re
ceived by our Father and treated as if
we had never sinned. 1t is word that
every soul may hear sounded by the
Heavenly Father.
If any doubt this, turn to the text and
read it with emphasis on the word pow
err" We all like to see the exhibitions
of power A few days ago l looked at
the falls of Niagara and thought, as
many others have thought, Of the great,
tremendous power of the down-pouring
water. l saw the great. massive mechan-
ical productions at the Worlds Fair yet
the tremendous power Of Niagara nor any
of the others is sufficient to take our
and wipe away one stain Of sin upon the
soul David was q man of mammoth
power but had not power 70 resist one
Of the grossest forms Of sins transgres-
sions Samson was a man of great pow
er. but easily fell d victim to the wiles Of
silly Deliah. But the Son of Man has
the power to forgive sin. This power was
not easily secured. He had TO face Cal
vary and let His own life be paid out
on the -accursed cross simply that he
might say to you. Thy sins be forgiven
thee" David committed an awful sin,
but Jesus had enough power TO save Da-
yid. Paul called himself a miserable
murderer. but Jesus had enough power
to forgive Paul and make him faithful
apostle, carrying the truth to thousands
of men.
Christ has proven that he has the pow
er to forgive. no matter what the SIN IS
or how deep the dye. Yet you might say
that men have been endowed with great
nowers who were too selfish to help
those outside of themselves, and who
have no sympathy for others. If you are
inclined to think that the Son of Man
would not be disposed to forgive your
sins. with all the power he possesses
take this text and read: 'The Son Of
Man hath power to forgive This is the
Son of Man our brother, who loves our
fellow men, the very sweetest. purest and
truest of men. The very lowest and least
Of my fellow brothers can receive for
eiveness. for it IS in the hands of the
Son of Man Everywhere He is speaking
by his providences and his word, Il love
thee"
Before you decide putting off accepting
this message. turn again to the text and
read where Jesus will forgive sin not in
eternity, not in purgatory or any inter
mediate state. but ION earth" 1t is while
YOU are an active. throbbing thinking
man that Jesus has power to forgive you
After YOU have left the earth and are
nut under the earth YOU cannot be forgiv-
en-. If sou feel quite sure that YOU Will
be alive Il year from now or week or
on next Sabbath. you might put the mat
ter off until then. but none of us can be
sure Of that. Death is certain life very
uncertain. I would not like to take the
risk of saving I would be living even to-
morning. Get forgiveness now