Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-06-24

a
the soul may climb. The test of genu-
'neness of repentance like that Of the
silver coin is not in the ring. for the
counterfeit often gives out sound
equal to that of the genuine coin. but
the test is found in its ability TO stand
the application of the acid. The spuri-
Gus coin will he eaten into by the biting
fluid. and the bogus repentance will be
revealed when the biting circum-
stances of desire and temptation again
are felt. Repent We, but the fruits of
that repentance must prove whether
II really is repentance Of only mo-
mentary troubling of conscience. which
feeling will evaporate before the heat
of trial.
| CAUL was sorry for his act of DISC
y bedience which cost him the sharp
rebuke Of the prophet and the king
dom. but repentance never moved with
in his heart and he went headlong to a
miserable death. David not only felt
sorry for his great sin. but he repented
in sack cloth and ashes, and later
wrote: The sacrifices of God are
broken spirit; broken and contrite
heart, o God, Thou wilt not despise."
The sorrow of his heart was mani
tested in the outward life of his
changed conduct, The rich young
ruler left Jesus sorrowful, but re
pentance did not come to make him
willing to give his all to the Lord and
help him to lead a new life in humble
service. All who came to John and
were baptized in the Jordan made a
profession of repentance, but it was
only as Pharisees and Sadducces gave
expression in their outward lives of
pure religion and undefiled." it was
only as the people gave that others
might have raiment and meat, it was
only as the publicans in their tax gath
ering only eXacted that which they
were entitled to, ii was only as the sol
| diers violated ne mans person or
rights, did not bear false witness. and
did not plot mutiny and rebellion. that
| the genuineness of the repentance
which they professed was made evil
dent. See how strikingly this is ex-
emplified in the experience of Zaccheus.
lie quit extortion, he restored the goods
he had taken wrongfully, and Jesus
declared; This day is salvation come
to this house" And all throughout
Jericho and the surrounding country
IT was soon known that Zaccheus had
repented and become a changed man,
for the widow, the struggling trades
man and farmer whom he had robbed
in his tax gathering were made to re-
Joice with a fourfold return Of their
| goods and ha 90 IL a..
warmed and fed and clothed by the
generous gifts which the convert ed
publican gave even to the half of his
great possessions.
. UT the test OF genuine repentance is
u found not only in the changed life,
but in the patience manifested in that
| life when the accumulated conse-
| quences of past mistakes and misdeed
press upon the soul God forgives, but
He does not always remove the con
sequences of sin. The boy who drove
n nail into the post every time he told
a lie, and who, after he had filed the
post full. began to draw them out,
one by one, whenever temptation was
overcome and he told the truth was
panied by the fact that the nail holes
were still there with their disfiguring
marks. II is so with the sin marks and
failures in the life. The scars remain.
Careless neglect of duty, the seeking
! of the qualification Of selfish desires
and aims may plunge one into Difficult
ties which are exceedingly trying and
painful. and the genuineness Of the re-
pentance for the wrong and evil that
have crept into the life is measured by
the patience with which those Difficult
ties and trials are faced. The bringing
forth OF fruits meet for repentance
here has it's realization. That is not
repentance which is sorrow because
the consequences OF sin and wrong
doing must he endured Repentance
that arises simply from a desire TO es-
cape the penalties Of sin is not genuine
repentance.
The prisoner in the dock Is sorry be
cause Of the punishmen Mt which is bout
TO be inflicted upon him for his wrong
doing. He makes profession Of re-
pentance in the hope. perhaps. that he
may escape the penalty Of his sin
| wholly or in part. While he feels the
penalties Of sin pressing hard upon
him he is repentant, but once escaped
from the consequences Of sin. he for
gets the professed repentance and Is
soon back into the old ways and the old
life. But real repentance would find
expression in patiently enduring the
consequences Of the wrong doing and
| the turning from ways which would
make a repetition OF the sin and wrong
doing possible
! T HE message Of John was the
] same to all. People from all
classes and conditions in life sought
! him out in his wilderness retreat.
There were the religious teachers and
! great numbers OF common peopIe