The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-06-18
hing That which tends to usurp nm un.

IN idol. The thing IN our lie which makes
us sacrifice nearness to God, when may
not necessarily be sinful, only questionable
is an idol That which make US indiffer.
emit to spiritual advantages and indifferent
to Bethel is an idol. Your reputation,
your fortune. that unworthy friend upon
whom you lavish your affection, these may
be idols, for mo man can serve two mas.
tiers, for either he will hate the one and
love the other or will cleave to the one
and depart from the other" Therefore
rut away the strange gods. and il we really
wan. TO he near to God how easy it will
be to find out the thing that hinders US,
and yet as n matter Of fact who can put
away his idols? cannot. ! i'm sure. but
there is deliverance. Do you remember
the story Of David and Nathan. when Da.
vid forgets that he is king and father
and sins. and Nathan is the messenger OF
God who comes to rebuke him with the
touching story OF the eve lamb. When
David acknowledges his sin Nathan imme.
diately responds. The Lord also hath put
away thy SIM" and there is in this express
sion a reference to the scapegoat OF the
O'd Testament on the dav OF Atonemen:
when the priest confessed the SINS OF me
people. and the goat was represented as
staggering away under the load OF Israers
sins. down through the valley. up the
mountain wonder until he is lost TO sight,
and then finally, according to tradition is
pushed over into the abyss where no man
is. He can put away our sins on whom
the Lord hath laid our iniquity.
Second. be clean. This refers to inner
c.eanness, which is only brought about ny
the indwelling Of Christ God puts away
our sins. it is trne. when He torg'ves u.s.
but it ia one thing to be set right, concern.
ING the g,,ilt of sin and unite another thing
to be set free from the pollution Of sin. This
second privilege is ours when Christ comes
in to dwell with us. We are very much
afraid Of the word holiness" in preach:
ing and teaching. yet we have as much OF
holiness as We have of Christ. no more or
no less. Let us be clean in heart. This IS
possible bv the word OF God which Is
Cleansing in It's very touch. Let US be
clean in what we say. making covenant
with Christ to guard our lips. asking HIM
that WI grieve the spirit. remembering
that God can onlv use that which is clean:
Third. let US change our garments. This
must refer to the outward practices OF our
life: in other words. our habits. What is
the garment we are wearing to-day! with
some az us il ia a robe OF our own weaving.
the robe Of sel6shness and pride, and mark
YOU this. where self comes into life Christ
passes out There is another robe when
we NAV wear to-day woven in the loom OF
heaven bearing the red mark OF the oiood
OF Christ.
Do you remember the story OF the fathe..
Of the prodigal. where the boy retnrned
iathe, % said to his servant, Bring forth the
beat robe and put it on him" ! Tsed TO
think that Il was n robe beautifully EN-.
bro;dereI. but not so. One OF our best
Greek scholars has said it means, B''ng
forth the same old robe he used to wear
c.d prt It on him: the robe he wore whea
he was as my son, living up to the privii'
eues of his position. so that he may know
that ne is restored again" and this Is what
re need to have put around us; the roce
-e wore at Bethel when we walked IN tei,
lowship with God and had vision OF
Christ.
IN Eohesians Paul says. Put of the o,d
man. nut on the new man. and thin te!:s
rs to keep putting away SIN" THIS IS
~. position for us to-day. Oh. thai we
right cnnnpe our garments. In the 20
nronter OF Matthew and the llth verse,
:rScn the king came into the wedding feast
hc rcbukcd the man without wedding
carment. He who had been reb:ked was
soeechIess. How can We stand before nira
;.:,hout the robe OF His Righteousness.
Never until Jacob came back 70 tns
place where he had slept with tne pillow
Of stones underneath his head. to the Ve.y
~ enot where he had seen God. did he re-
ce;re blessing. And it is interesting 70
-ote N the 9th verse that when ne cane
t,s family came with him. As the head OF
.he horse goes the family will usually go.
Travelled the other day with a mission
,rv from Wisconsin. who told me how ne
had reached a drunken man in the woods
OF WISCONSIN. told him the story ot Cnrls'
and won him, and later had the JOY OF re-
ce;y;nc the man and the six members OF
his household into the fellowship OF inc
church. When Noah entered the ARK ms
fan,;i, fuui vent with him. Let US arise and
60 up to Bethel. ~
Results. In the 5th verse we read tnas
,hs neonie were afraid of Jacob and his
cnmnany. for the terror Of the Lord was
unnn them, Matthew Henry has said that
,,hon sin was in Jacobs house he was
sfra;d OF his neighbors, but when tne
;dols were nut away his neighoors were
afra;d of him. When shall we learn the
Lesson that we have power over men oy
the way Of God. The world does no. .,;, ,esr
a worldly Christian, nor does tne ae.m, W.
and we need expect no tr,nmon 9vet s"st ne"
Second God appeared and talked WITH
Jacob This we read in verses nine ana
ten OF course no man can see tind as ne
ia and live. Moses asked this OF Goo and
d. s.;d az will put thee in the cieit o,
ths rocl, and cover thee with MY hana
.rh;,e 7 mass bv." and he saw the glory OF
the garments of God and His face dla
shine but we can see Christ. and whem e we
beho,d Him in His tenderness with httie
children and His ministerinR to the SICK slck
md suffering everywhere we nea. M NJ
Estber also" God still speaks to us: y
70 did but have our ears open we snouIa
6nd Him speaking in nature. can remcm.
her az bow out in the country putting
nv ears up against the telegraph po!e ana
i:teninu TO what I was told was the
,rh;rr of the messages flashing from CITY 10
c;tv and I used TO wonder ii it might ne
noss;ble for some one to hear what miehi
even then be passing through the ar. ana
now to-day we have Accomplished Sn's u.
the wireless te!egraphv. and II we n,a Hus
have our ears open l am sure '"S. m;nn
ercry rising sun. with every running
st,esm with every singing bird. with every
,h;ng in nature we should hear God SPEAK.
And He speaks to us in the Bible. ou' tne
difficulty with us is that we nave NOT
f,;th. II has long been my desire 70 own
one Of the large old.iashioned clocks useo
bv oar forefathcrs ard recently It became
nossible for me to gain possession OF one.
The works are perfect. the pendulum -
perfect, and the whole clock is thing OF
beauty, and started it. but the pendu.um
womid swing for a moment and then stop,
and I thought / had made a poor bargain
in The purchase OF my clock. but at last l
ii discovered there was a little catch by
means Of which the pendulum was united
70 the works. and / started the clock once
more. and it is keeping perfect time. here