The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-11

|DAY OF ATONEMEN
TENDERLY Observed.
Continued from First Page.)
four hours. The ambitions OF the world
of gain or OF power to be abandoned.
Tkis day. from sunset unto sunset pc
| longs to conscience and to God
It has been well said that Heaven Is
| nearest to US in our infancy" Then let
us at this hour again become children;
| turning from the highway Of life, let US
come back to the gates of childhood s
Eden and knock for entrance: All. how
weary for many Of US has been the high
way Of life since we left the paradise
| Of childhood's innocence. How often
! have we stumbled and gone astray; how.
often have our hands grasped the nettles
| OF vain pleasures and felt the sting OF
| tier vanity. How often have the eyes
| followed the will-o'-the-wisp OF folly ana
the ears hearkened to the songs OF ME
false sirens. But now, at this hour, let
US go back, back through the door OF
mem Dry to the days of long ago, that
we may find ourselves nearer to the calm
| joy of that undefiled state nearer to the
peace Of that unsullied life, nearer to
Gcd.s 10, the angel with the flaming
sword let's fall his weapon OF ire; the
great gates swing upon their noiseless
hinges, and for this hour let us be within
| the Sanctifylng influence OF our sacred
| AtOnement Eve.
This hour is holy because 1t belongs to
you and me individually. It appeals to
| us individually and singly. Feasts and
| fasts, religious or civic, are as a rule
| commemorative of some historical event
! a splendid victory or a crushing defeat;
a SURPRISING achievement or the birth
| or death of some heroic human figure
| that towers high above the plain of COM
mon humanity. But this hour appeals to
! no past save that of your own individual
| lives It recalls no victory or defeat save
| as you may have conquered or yielded IN
| the battle of daily temptation. It is con-
cerned with no history save that OF your
own individual e11stence-with its deeds
| Of kindness, its noble and its ignoble
acts. This is the especial lesson OF. the
day that I want to emphasize-the indi-=
yidual appeal, the call for Individual cor
rection.
CALL FOR REPENTANCE
We have in our ritual for the day many
passages that are intended to remind US
| OF the weaknesses Of human nature; OF
|
which we consciously and unconsciously
are subject. And there are given no less
| frequently or prominently the promises
of pardon and forgiveness if we will but
| repent and amend. Our Heavenly Father
is a Just judge and He Is a loving Father
| to his erring human children. He Is our
Trainer and He knows our frame; He is
our maker and knows His creatures
knows the secrets of our hearts. the In
ne. most thoughts Of our souls. In; His
Iinpeccable wisdom He has laid down
| laws for the government Of our life, laws
whose continued violation will bring their
| Inevitable penalty. But in His limitless
mercy He has made these penalties to be
slow-w orking, and though when once they
move their motion is ineluctable. yet re-
reated and re-repeated warnings are given
| to the sinner to quit his evil ways; to for
| sake the paths of sin and return to the
| road of righteousness. wherein are safety
and undisturbed peace. The torg1v1ng
grace Of God is fathomless, and no plum
net can sound the depth Of His pardoning
power, if only the sinner Will repent.
at, ne and amend.
But you must feel that this applies to
| yo,t, you singly and individually. Do
not think that the reproof or the promise
| are held out to the community, but to
| the Individual.
When you read the confession Of sin
as it is repeated in the Book of Prayer.
do not do so with the thought that this
applies to others, but not to me- Do
! not glance covertly at your neighbor, and
see If he is showing the proper sorrow
! for his sins. But take the message
4 home to your own soul. and find its ap-
i plication in your own life and your own
| conduct. Seek out your particular sin,
and let penitence for it be paramount in
\ your heart You need not think OF
wrongs you have not done, nor confess
vaguely a list Of indefinite trespasses. Be
/ specific, be definite, be honest with your
self and with this holy hour. Have
/ you stolen? Then this hour appeals to
| you to cease to do this wrong-to be
| honest Have you lied? Then drive
| falsehood forth. and let truth be throned
| in power in your heart. Have you VIC
| lated the law, civic or moral? Then cease
that violation and flee from its repetf-
/ ton forever in the future. Have you
wronged your neighbor? Then bring re-
/ stitution and ask forgiveness, and resolve
! no more to take advantage. Do you
encourag e secret weakness or fla.
/ grant indulgence? Then notify your soul
| with prayer, and when next that tempta-
/ ton assails YOU, fight it with all your
strength and with Gods help resist it.
MESSAGE OF, ATONIEMENT.
/; This call to every one to ase his In
/ dividual sin. to return to his God; to
make "a correction Of his individual life
and habit: this is the message of the
Atonement Day. To a man who has
stolen. it does not say beware of drunk
enness. when perhaps he has no inclina-
ton to drink. It's mandate is to each
one of us. to search ourselves. to know
ourselves. to correst ourselves.
| There is merriam no more beautiful
prayer for pardon than that contained
| in the 51st Psalm It is the cry OF