Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-11-15


lore; as You love your own souls. beware
81 II. il has slam its thousands and trns
Ut thousands. What ruined Lots wire
the world: what ruined iclan until he de
ieated the who'c camp OF Israel: the
world: what ruined Judas until he sod
his very soul for greed Of wealth: thc
world: what has ruined ten thousand SOU.
that are to-day shut away from Cot and
hope. this same Old world. And what shall
it profit man ii he gain the whole world
and lose his own soul.
First. the world is critical. 1t will find
l every flaw that exists IN Your nature; I'M.
PROJECTIONS to which YOUR loved ones would
! he bind, and which Won yourself were
! hardly aware of will be pointed out and
1 vulgarlv displayed.
Second. it is merciless. 1t has positively
! no excuse for the man that fails. and while
never offering Ia help him over his difiicni
ties whcn the tide is against him it laughs
ut his despair and mocks ut his hopeless
ness.
Third. ii is heartless There il no for
giveness in the world. There may be some
time a disposition TO overlook bat not Il
forgive. and this sort OF forgiveness has
nothing IN it OF 4 helpful nature To poor
lost. SHINING humanity You who belong
10 TIE world. may ] say to YOU in all Sc
robustness. don't cast n stone At man
that i sinner for the reason that YOU
are, or have been. or may be. inst what yor
We are linked to the Son of God by faith
ard Walking heartily in fellowship with
Him nav hope to escape from the awful
grip of Satan. Don't be unforgiving Tic
that cannot forgive others breaks down the
bridge over which he must pass himself
and he who Is unwilling 10 forgive Others
makes it impossible for God 10 forgive him:
hut thank God we are not shut mp to tho
world. There is IN open door before us, to
that which Is Infinitely better than any.
thing the world has ever seen.
The laws treatment Now Moses in
the law commanded III that such should he
stoned. hut what Sayest Thou Verse )
This statement Is perfectly true. that is the
law. 1t was written by Moses and written
10 him of God. There are only two forces
in operation to-day in the moral world.
law and grace. Through one or the other
OF these forces we have submitted our.
selves and by one or the ether we must
hope 10 stand before God. BY the way oil
the L.w the case would seem to be hope
less. One act of sin * sufficient to incur
the penalty OF death. 1t is always so with
law; ii a man takes one false step in the
mountains he lands himself at the bottom
of the abyss; there Is no mercy shown hy
the Jaw. DIR. Parkhurst gives the descrp
ton OF his climbing the mountains in
Switzerland with rope around his waist.
other following after him. when he stood
unon little piece OF rock not two inches
broad and looked down into the depth.
which measures 5000 feet. Ii he had bro
ken the law of gravitation and stepped out
from the narrow ledge nothing could have
saved him from a horrible death We can
6iiite understand this III nature: the same
thing applies in morals. ii you sin AGAINST
YOUR health vOm suffer. Law is a shrawd
detective. and Is ever On the watch. One
wheel broken in :he machinery and tho
who.e Is inefficient: one niece OF Il rail dis
n.aced means fearful disaster. Just one
transgressioG of one law of God the pen
lltv must be paid He that offends in ore
point is guilty of ALL" the Scriptures de-
clare. which Simply means that the least
offense OF the law means Il breaking away
from God, ] repeat my statement that
there are but two forces in operation to-
day in the moral world law and grace If
YOU nave rejected Christ then yomr only
hope is in tine law. and / should think
every man here must see that that is hope
less. First. you must suffer. for every bro
ken law means penalty to paw and every
transgression of Gods pan brings down
upon you burden YOU cannot well hear.
Second. you will be found out. No man
has sufficient ingenuity to cover up his sin.
and no grave has yet ever been deep
enough to save tho sinner from the search
ing eye OF God. he sure Your sin will find
von out. y truer text was never written.
Third. Won must die. Tho wages OF sin is
death. ! beg Won. therefore. that Won will
not allow Yourself TO be controlled by the
law. 1t i like the world. merciless and
heart.ess. and presents to Won an oppo"tp.
nity OF escape from sin. bat thank God.
YOU are not shnt IN to it. There is way
opening up which leads to heaven shining
brighter ard brighter until he perfect day.
10 this way now commend yoa.
III.
Christ's treatment Of sinner. 'But
Jesus stopped down and with His finger
wrote on the ground. as though lie heard
them not. So when they continued asking
Him. He lifted up Himself and said unto
them. lie that is without sin among Won
LEI hlm first cast stone at her. And again
He stopped down and wrote on the ground.
Aud they which heard it. being convicted
by their own conscience wen: ont ore by
one. beginning at the eldest even unto the
last. and Jesus was left alone and the wom-
an standing in the midst. When Jesus had
lifted up Himself. and saw none but the
woman. He said unto her. Woman. where
are those thine accusers: Hath no man
condemned thee? She said. No man. Lord
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do con
denim thee: go, and sin no more. From
verse TO IL. You have a great picture
presented to you in this story.
First. the angry crowd.
Second. the infinite Saviour ii / were
an artist ! should paint it. and vet no man
coald ever paint the picture OF Christ. !
know OF one who attempted II and then de-
termined that he would never paint again.
because after working upon the face OF
Christ no other face could be worthy of his
skill. | doubt ii any man could paint the
trembling woman. her face now flushed and
now pale. trembling in every part OF her
body. and yet YOU can see il all a. you stop
and think. i know why lie was so merci-
fG!. You say il was because lie was ,h
vine. and that is true without saying it.
but il seems to me He must have been ss
pecially mercifui because OF the night He
had spent at the Mount OF Olives. 1 am
perfectly sure that that man who prays
much with Christ Is ever charitable in his
treatment of those who have gone astray
Mrs. WhittemOre's treatment of Bluebird,
the POOR fallen girl. who becomes the mis-
sioIary to the outcast: jerry Meiuley's
arm about :. ii. Hadiey and his prayer,
which reveal to the poor sinful man that
Jerry Mc.Auley knew Christ. are but illus.
trations OF the spirit OF which | speak
The man who has the spirit of Christ
is ever gentle with the erring and
up and down the streets of our cities men
go in multitudes longing for just one word
of sympathy.
Said young business man TO me this
week: Il have been four years in New
York, most of the time with heavy heart
No one has ever spoken to me of Christ
nor invited me to the church. ncr asked il
he could be my friend. and | have never
craved money from any one. for have not
needed it. but my heart has been hungry
for sympathy and the touch OF brothers
hand" DO you notice the manner of Jesus.
First. 'TIe stopped down and wrote n