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

surely they Will cast rne nrsr stone,-- out
| never a hand was lifted and never n stone
was thrown. which only reveals to me the
fact that when men are cast with those
men who are sinful. not outhreakingiy sin
| ful. but nevertheless wrong III the sight OF
! God. who OF us could cast the first stone in
! this assembly tonight! The very TACT that
hlnus are not lifted and stones are not
I thrown Is our own condemnation.
Third. in the ninth verse we read. And
they which heard it being convicted by
their own conscience, went ont one bv one
beginning al the eldest. even unto the last,
and Jesus was left alone and the woman
standing in the midst" That Ia my mind
is the most dramatic scene in all the chan
ter. ii not in the New Testament. Sud
denly the shouts of the moo are hushed
they have taken their hands off from the
trembling woman. they are spcechless in
the presence OF this Son OF God. and with
out consultation they begin to Sink away
| can see them 20. until finally the last one
j. gone and there is the hush of death upon
the two as they stand together. Nou can
all but hear the throbhing OF their hearts;
YOU can detect the quick breathing OF the
woman. who thinks that the time for SEN
tence has come. Mercy and pity face each
other. and mercy waits for pity to speak.
Neither do | condemn thee: go and sin
no more" And we are ever Ia remember
three things III connection with our Sa.
viour:
First. there is never question rs 10
how deeply we have sinned: the stories OF
the greatest sinners are tod in The New
Testament for our hope.
Second. there is powe- enough in the
blood of the Son to blot out the deepest
sin. Though YOUR sins be as scarlet they
shall be as white a. snow: though they be
crimson they shall be as wool.
And the third thing to remember is II
the man with SIN is like the sands OF the
sea for number if lie would feel the power
OF the she'd blood OF the Son OF God he
must by real faith and honest confession
lay hold upon Him for eternal life
His kindness lifted her burden. ard the
world is just diving to-day for the want OF
sympathy. l thiEk the time is long past
when men are willing in these days to
spend an hour in listening Ia abstract rea-
soning or deep theological discussions.
feel confident that the time il upon us
when, r;en are ready to explain to that
church. or that minister ready to hestow a
word of cheer, ready to help a little in
bearing the burden OF life.
\ woman came with handful OF sand
to her minister and said. MY s:ns are like
that for number and he said. Take the
sand back to the sea and let wave roll
over your handful of sand and they will be
gone. Tonight ! bring YOU to the sea
greater than any the world has ever looked
upon.
"Th-rc is fountain filed with blood.
Drawn from lmmanucl's vein,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood.
Lose all their guilty stains
Neither do | condemn thee" said Jesus
wheE III her accusers had slipped away.
We do not know what became of this
woman. but | am perfectly sure that she
never sinned again. This is the secret OF
victory over sin: Catch Il glimpse OF the
face fairer than all the sons OF men. listen
but once to the sound of His voice. swe ter
THAI all the music of earth. How the man
that breaches the development OF character
can match til. matches story cannot
see: how the nan who takes the b.ooi out
OF the word of God and the sacriicial part
away from the death of Christ can for a
moment compare his message with this
story of the divine Son of God is more .han
l can tell. | bid all hurdened ones
weighed down because of sin to come into
His presence tonight and YOU can hear
Him say Neither do condemn thee; go
and SIN no more