The Penn's Grove record., 1903-01-09
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
."No DIFFERENCE"

:. NJ OtFfGHGNNGs
The Rev. DIR. j. Wilbur Chapman Ex-
plains For tho Benefit OF Unregenerate
Man One of the Most Dincult State
ments In All the Bible.
New YORK CITY-The following timely
and interesting sermon is one of series
prepared by the famous evangelist, the
Rev. DR.. j. Wilbur Chapman. 1t is enti-
tied mo Difference" and was preached
from the text: 'For there is no difference"
Rom. Iii: o.
This is one of the most difficult state
ments to receive in all the Bible, and can
well understand how the unregenerate man
would resent its application. | can hear
him say, what! no difference between the
man who has fallen to the very lowest
depths Of sin and wretchedness, and the
man who, boasting of his morality, has
swerved only little from the path of duty
and the law of God?" And the answer to
this question is both eyes" and mo-"
There is a difference in Nervousness and
degradation wide as the poles, but mo
difference SO far as guilt is concerned, for
both have rejected the Son of God, and
this is the sin of sins.
If two men were before the court, one
charged with great offense and the other
with one of less degree, it would profit the
latter man but little to say, But, Your
Honor, am not SO great an offender as
my companion in misery" The judge
might well reply, sYou are both guilty; in
the teaching of my text.
Gods word declares-"He that offends
in one point is guilty of all" not meaning,
of course, that he has of necessity broken
every law, but he has broken away from
God by his transgression. If / am held a
prisoner by a chain it is not necessary
that / should break every link in the
chain that might go free, but only one
and that the very weakest, and so he that
otfends IN one point is guilty of all and
nothing less, while he that offends in all
points is guilty Of all and nothing more
All have sinned and come short of the
glory Of God"
Three important questions grow out of
this text as have considered it. First,
do not ask if you are a sinner, for as we or
dinarily use this word, we think of. one
who is lawless, wild and profane. But l
/ ask:
GLE POINT?
If so, "There is no difference" Man
would not say it, know, but God says it,
and it is written in the book, and by the
book we shall be judged.
prodigal when he had taken the first step
over the threshold Of his fathers house
as when afterward you see him sitting in
the midst of the swine, and trying to fill
his belly with husks which the swine did
eat.
He is more degraded in the second pic
ture, but not more guilty.
Look at the leper. He is Just as truly
dead when the first sign of the dread dis
ease appears, small though it may be, as
when afterward you behold him, loath-
some object, sitting outside the city gates,
with bandaged mouth, crying, "Uncleani
Unclean!" He was leper, however, from
the first, and by the law dead. This is
the teaching of the text. If you have re-
jected the Son of God, whatever your po-
sition, There is no difference"-all are
alike lost
1t IS not even a question of great sin
Many q, man might plead mot guilty" if
such charge we're made, but first of all
SECRET SINS.
!. There is text which declares sour
secret sins in the light of His counte-
nance, and another reads that "All things
are naked and open before Him with
whom we have to do.", In the light of this
who can stand?
Not long ago in one of the school build
ings OF Chicago picture of an eye was
placed upon the blackboard as an illustra-
tlon, and In little time by order of the
school board it was painted out, for it had
been SO perfectly painted that whatever
position child might be in in the room
that eye was upon it. The effect was dis
astrous. But there is one eye which never
ssnmbers and can never be painted out
Thou God seest me-" The sin was at
midnight. He saw it. It was in New
York or London or Paris. He saw it.
Thus to the charge of secret sin" you
must plead guilty, and "there is no differ
ence."
SINFUL THOUGHTS.
2. But the charge is even closer. We
are responsible for the sinful thought
which tarries in the mind by the consent
OF our will. Who can stand in the light of
this?
A distinguished scientist has made the
statement, which wise men receive, that if
q man stands out in the sunlight and acts.
his act,- good or bad, flashes away to the
sun and picture which is never lost is
made. And if he speaks, the sound bounds
away, up and up, far beyond his reach, and
makes its record forever. And if he re-
fuses to step into the light, OF in the dark
ness speak word, this scientist declares
that by the very thoughts of his mind GER
tain physical disturbances occur which
make record lasting as time.
remember sending a telegram in
western city, and shortly after realizing
that my message had been wrong I made
my way to the Office to recall it. "Why,"
said the operator, with smile, ''it is gone,
and is flashing over the wires now, beyond
my recall" So with your sinful thoughts.
They bound away, and no man can recall
them when once they go.
The answer to this charge must be-
guilty"
BEGINNING IN SIN.
3. Some are beginning now. Held by
the fascination of the evil one and lured
on by his charms they are rushing on to
hell. On one of the busiest streets of the
gay city of Paris stands a building famous
for its beauty. Over the magnificent door
way you may read these words, Nothing
to pay" The admission is free, the enter
tainment within is fascinating, and hun
dreds of young men pass through the por-
tails, the rank and fife of them taking their
first or last step to hell.
All sin is dearly bought, for it has he'll
back of it. 1t blights the life, wrecks the
character, and blasts the fondest hopes of
the soul. And when that awful day comes
and situation is gone and character lost,
and the hearts of loved ones broken, and
you are cast a stranded wreck on the
shores of time, you will cry out in terror,
20 wretched man that am, who shall de-
liver me'-and there viii be no deliver
ance. You will be more degraded then but
not more guilty than now, for the chiefest
of sins is unbelief, and that was the cause
Of your downfall. There is no difference"
God pity you.
Do you know the Bible description of
the end of career of sin from the world
standpoint? Weeping, wailing and gnash-
ing Of teeth" Without are dogs, and
sorcerers and whoremongers, and murder
ers, and idolaters. and whosoever loveth
and maketh lie" God save us from such
a company. A minister could never lead
man to serious thought until be quoted the
text: The wicked shall be turned into |
he'll, and all the nations that forget God"
Great sin, humanity speaking, is not nee
essary. but only forget Him and There is
no difference
If you had read that remarkable book, |
Robert Falconer," written by Geo. Mac
Donald, you will remember the dream Of |
the wife of Andrew Falconer He was a |
drunkard and after her death, the dream |
being told him, resulted in his conversion. |
She said in her letter, which she had writ
ten him:
Il thought, Andrew, that the resurrec-
ton morn had come, and I was looking /
everywhere for you. Finally in nv wan /