Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-11-13

First, "He stopped down and wrote IN
the dust" Some QUO has said that lie did
it lust hecause Hi, MUD Wa1 occupied
with thinking what lIc should do with the
sinner and it was much the same spr.t as
you would have ii you would scribDlc upon
piece of paper while your mind was tai;.
ing in some wciGhty problem. Some one
else his suggested that in the purity o.
His nature, standing in the presence Of toe
woman OF sin He stopped down to write
because He would hide the flushing OF HIS
owr face That dust that was then at lls
feet rs gone forever; only God Him5eit
could 'rmg IL back, and yet II hy miracle
He should bring it before Us Tonight be.
lieva | know what would DE written there
on, "Nlithcr do | condemn thee; go aud
sin no more" And am glad thai we ave
not shu! UP TO the sand for record Of that
truth 1t il written in this look There
Is; til ereforc,, ~, c9udem,,nat'9n to then,
which are in Christ Jesus" aud this record
is eternal. Heaven aud earth snail pass.
but Ny word shall never pass away
Second when lie continued with bowed
head to write thc crowd became exceed.
ingly anxious, and finally they asked HIN
what lie had to say about the woman who
was :; sinner, and then comes one ct The
grandest sentences that ever fell from Ills
lips. and gives Va all the beauty of H,s
hood when He said. Let he who Is with
out sin cast the first stone ] doubt not
the woman began to trcmhc, and she must
have said to herself, My punishment Ia
upon me, for here are these Fharlsees who
have made loud professions Of their purity.
surely they will cast the first stone bat
never hand was lifted and never stone
was thrown, which only reveals to me, the
fact that when men are cast with those
men who are sinful, not OutbrcaknrIE stu.
full. but nevertheless wrong III the sight Or
God, who of us could cast the first stone III
this assembly tonight? The very fact that
hand. are not lifted aud stones are not
thrown is our own condemnation.
Third, in the ninth verse we read, And
they which heard 1t being convicted by
their own conscience, went out one by one
beginning at the eldest, even unto the last
and Jesus was left alone and the woman
standing in the midst That to ICY mind
il the most dramatic scene in all tlle chap
tcr. if not in the New Testament. Su1
denly the shouts of the mob are flushed.
they have taken their hands OIL from the
trembling woman, they are speeches. IN
the presence of this Son OF God. and with
out consultation they he9n TO sink away
! can see them 90, until finally the last on"
is gone and there is the hush OF death upon
the two as they stand together. You can
all bat hear the thrObhmg OF their hearts;
Won can detect the qrtcl; breathing OF the
woman. who thinks that the time Tor sen.
tence has come. Mercy and pity face each
other. and mercy waits Tor pity to SPEAK
Neither do | condemn thee; 20 aud sln
no more" And we are ever to remHmRer
three things in connection with ON -
viour:
First, there is never question as to
how deeply we have sInncd, the stories ct
the greatest sinners are told II Che New
Testament for our hope.
Second, there is powe; enough m We
blood Of the Son to- blot out the deenc"t
sin. Though your SINS be as scarlet they
shall be as white az snow; though tley be
crimson they shall be as wool
And the third thing to remember Is Ii
the man with sin is like the sands OF 'he
sea for number if he would feel the power
of the shed blood Of the Son o. Cod he
must By real faith and honest confession
lay hold upon Him for eternal hfe.
His kindness lifted her burden. and the
world is Just dying to-day. Tor the want OF
sympathy. [ think the tim" is long past
when men are willing in these GAYS "a
spend an hour in listening to abstract lea
.oning or deep theological discussions. l
feel confident that the time is upon us
when ,npn are ready to eXp'am to that
church, or that minister ready to hi2atoW a
word OF cheer, ready to heip hCLe n
bearing the burden Of HE.
A woman came with a handful OF sand
to her minister and said. IN" sins AZ" Ike
that for number" and he said, Take the
sand back to the sea and let q wave toh
over vour handful Of sand and they Wtll We
gone. Tonight I bring You to tie sen
greater than any the world has eveE looked
upon.
There is fountain filed VITA I'ood.
Drawn from Emmanuel : VEN,
And sinners plunged beneath that 1000,
Lose all their guilty stains
"Ne,thcr do condemn thee" said Jesus
when ,ll her accusers had slipped away
We do not know what became of thus
woman but | am perfectly sure that she
neve, slnned again. Tins Is the secret or
victory over sin: Catch a glimpse OF til"
face fairer than all the sons OF men, listen
but once TO the sound ot His voice, sWeetet
thaa all the music OF earth. How the man
that breaches the development OF character
can match this match|ess story | cannot
see; how the nan who takes the Mood out
of the word of God and the socuiic'ai part
away from the death Of Christ can tor
moment compare his message with TINS
story of the divine Son OF God i more thah
| can tell. | bid all 'burdened ones
weighed down because oI SIN TO co,oe mt"
His presence tonight and vow can hear
Him say "Neithry DO : condemn thee; 50
and SIN no more.