Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-10-22

are known to God, and at his judg-
ment bar the evidence Of them will
confront the wrongdoer If they have
not been pardoned through Christ.
Even in this world crimes long ago
committed and successfully hidden
have been unexpectedly disclosed and
brought home to the perpetrator. The
Rev. DR.. Dome in one Of his sermons
gave a very dramatic incident Of his
early life. During his first pastorate
he was one day watching the sexton
digging grave by his village church.
Suddenly he threw out Of the grave
the skull of q man. When DR.. Dome
picked it up he found headless nail
sticking in the top Of the skull. He
said nothing about the nail, but asked
the sexton, ITO whom did this skull
belong?' He found that it was the
skull of a drunken fellow who one
night was found dead in his bed from
the results, as the people supposed, Of
an attack Of delirium tremens. Dr.
Donne asked: Had ne wife? Was
she living yet? What character was
sheY VERY good" said the sexton,
with one exception; the neighbors do
say she married her second husband
on the day after the funeral Of her
first husband" DR.. Donne walked from
that graveyard to where the woman
was then living, who was once the
wife of the dead man. He held before
her Mortified eyes the skull and the
nail sticking in the skull. "WomaD,"
said he "do you know this nailT She
acknowledged that she did. She con-
fessed to the crime Of murder commit
ted many years before. And on ac-
count of her confession and the con-
victing evidence she was hangeu .or
that crime. Oh, my friends, be not
among the scribes and PhariSees who
have no mercy, no charity for sinners!
Have our lives been immaculate? Is
there any evidence against us that may
confront us when we are mercilessly
assailing our erring brother or sister?
1t will be a shameful, humiliating,
position to stand convicted before
Christ Of those sins. Do you not feel
that Jesus is speaking to us, as he
spake to the prosecutors Of old, He
that is without sin, let him first cast
stone at her"
Gent1eness For the Repentant.
But. though the divine law was and
is so hard upon the unrepentant sinner,
how gentle, how loving, how pardon
ing, how forgiving it was and is to the
repentant sinner who comes asking for
mercy at the feet of Jesus Christ.
Sweeter than even the coming Of a
little child to be caressed and forgiven
by loving mother is this picture in
my text Of poor convicted outcast,
trembling at the feet Of Christ and
finding pardon and peace and life. /
can see her now as the rough men are
pushing her up. Her face is scratched
and bleeding; she fights them step by
step. 1 see her as they fling her at the
Masters feet. There at first she
shrinks under his pure gaze, expecting
that one so sinless will indorse the con-
demnation of her accusers and in hor-
ror at her crime hand her over to the
executioner. But, though he loathes
her sin, he has compassion for the re-
pentant sinner. l see her now, when
all fear leaves her and the bad men
turn their backs upon her. Now she
looks up into Christ's face with CRATE
full love. Oh, my friends, though you
may be SCARED with the sins Of an
evil past, though you may be cast out
by the world as one who ought to die,
mercy and pardon in Christ you will
fndl VIII you not as repentant sim
ner throw yourself at his feet, where
you will find peace and life and hope?
And where did this broken hearted
find her peace? All, yes, it
was in the temple! There the divine
law of mercy" was revealed to her
While Christ was teaching the people
the great lesson Of Gods forgiveness
Of sin they brought her to him. In the
temple Jesus turned and said to her.
Neither do I condemn thee. Go and
sin no more" In the temple, in this
building, this church dedicated for the
of Jesus Christ. o sinful
man, you may hear the voice Of the
Master offering you pardon Of sin!
You can hear him IT, like the broken
hearted woman at the feet of Christ,
you are repentant sinner. You can If
you will say, Lord, save me and save
me now" That pardon through Christ
Is the promise of the divine law. Will
you take it? Will you receive 1t now?
rCopyrisht. 1904. by Louis Klopsch.]