The Grenada sentinel., 1903-06-27

Xz,i;4 s:psEa';aa :'*'ss a;s ''t: : n Of q
=-t n>~ feeding on the
<@2&4e--1. products of the
=-d desert regions 49,
locusts and wild
honey. This man, Voice from God,
coming with his message of, "Repent
ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand" The cry stirs the expectant
Jews of all classes, and they flock to
the wilderness to see and hear the
strange prophet who has arisen to pre-
pare the way of the Lord. Among
those who come from "Jerusalem, and
all Judea and all the region round
about Jordan" are many OF the
Pharisees and Sadducees, the two prin-
cipal sects of the Jews who controlled
and directed the religious thought and
worship of the Jewish people at that
time. And when John sees them, with
Eli jah-like bluntness, he says: ~
generation of vipers, who hath warned
you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for
repentance" These are the circum-
stances connected with the words of
T..
ward protest if not outwardly express
ed exception to Johns arraignment,
the prophet goes on to declare: think
not to say within yourselves. we have
Abraham to our father: for say unto
you, that God is able of these stones to
raise up children unto Abraham.
UKE gives us the additional Informal
l. tion that the people, following the
lead of the Pharisees and Sadducees,
also came asking: 'What shall we do
then?" To which John replied: "l1e
that hath two coats, let him impart to
him that hath none; and he that hath
meat, let him do likewise.' Thus re-
buking the selfish. avaricious spirit
which prevailed at that time. and
which in this, our day, is again tax
ing hold of the people Of the world in
their relations one with another. And
the publicans-that large class OF tax
Patherers which had grown up under
the Roman system of government
came, asking what they should co.
~Exact no more than that which is ap-
pointed you," was Johns reply. And
then came that other great class OF
people, the soldiers, by aid of whom
Rome had brought into subsection the
known world and maintained her rule
and desired also to know what they
should do. And with them John began
likewise with those matters which
most vitality concerned their own
selves and their relations to others
for he replied: "Do violence to nc
man. neither accuse any falsely; and
be contented with your wages.
THE burden Of Johns message was
the cry: "Repent ye." And lest
they might make the mistake which is
so often made that repentance was
merely lip confession with no out.
ward change of heart or life, he went
on to demand that they bring forth
therefore fruits meet for repentancc.'
TIE religionists of his day. the people
the publicans, the soldiers. were
brought face to face with the practical
side of life. The way of the coming
Lord was MOTTO be prepared by mor'
intense Journalism and devotion tc
ceremonial traditions, but the path
way over which He was to pass was tt
be paved with the changed hearts ant
altered lives of the penitents. Religion
was to be cast into a new mold and al
life was to feel it's vitalizing influence
Is there less need to-day for John:
message of 'repent ye; bring fortt
therefore fruits meet for repentance
than there was when that message
first broke on the wilderness air? Ha!
the element of genuine repentance
been lost in greater or less degree from
the Christian life and the Christian re
1igion? Is it not true that the grea
majority of the Christians of to-da.
have their periods of emotional re
pentance, and, in response to {
troubled conscience because of way
wardness and faithlessness, expires
<ontrition in the public meeting or il
the private audience0f the heart, an
then resolve to do better, but VIII
never get beyond the point of lip re
pentance and good resolves? How is i
in your own case? Repentance is no
sorrow or contrition. It is infinitel
more.
THAT little girl in certain Sunda
/ school, who was asked what II
pentance meant, got it pretty nearl
correct when she replied that repent
ance was being sorry enough to quit.
That is the thought which Paul e,
presses in his second letter to th
Cofinthian church where he says
.sNow / rejoice, not that We were mad
sorry, but that ye sorrowed to r,
pentance, for ye were made sorry afte
q Cody manner; for Cody sorro
worketh repentance to salvation nc
to be repented of; but the sorrow .
the world worleth DEATH" Words los
their force and meaning, because car,
lessly used. Repentance is not
synonym for sorrow. Sorrow May
an element OF repentance, but It
never repentance. Sorrow may be th
emotion which makes one desire