Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-05-28


covetolisncss. is blind To the scorpions
sting or the ad,ler's hiss ,r the tigers
claw or the sharks III catening fin
lifted like the black flag of the pirate
over Il threatening sea- OF green. The
sin of covctousncss' IL summer
stroll through woods filed with the
aroma of wild flowers. II is the fanta-
sizes of the diseased brain of the opium
eater. which the sinful Imagination can
place almost within the grasp of the
dreamer II Is the most gorgeous of
mir castles. the most beautiful of Ito
pias. the sweetest of SONGS. II is the
soft couch under the shadows of the
ovcrlanging tree branches over which
the satanic spiders are spinning a few
beautiful silkcn threads which can be
snapped in IL day. but which in time
may become as strong as links of steel.
All. \cllan on that fatal night may
not have gone forth Will the prcmcdi-
tatei idea of stealing tn; I goodly Bah
ylonish garment and the 200 shckcls
of silver and the wedge of gold. but
after his eyes had rcstcl on the gold
and the silver and the soodly garment
desire was awakened. and his longing
To possess them BEGAN irresistible
Oh he said To himself. Il wish had
that garment. How beautiful il would
look hanging from my shoulders.
wish ] could have that lump of gold.
Ii would protect me against poverty
all the days of my lie. And why
should | not have them? There are so
many spoils of war here these few
treasures will not be missed
Is not Achan. going to the place of
execution. the history of almost every
sinner: Eye sim" first step: ''covct-
Gus sin." second step. What we would
like TO do nearly always precedes what
we will ultimately do If we get the
chance. BejaZet. the sultan of the OF
toman empire. was def eated by Tam
crlane i'm the famous battle of Angora.
After the battle the Tartar conqueror
called EcjaZct into his tent and asked
him how he would have treated Tam
criane II he had won. Like dogr'
said the captured sultan. II would
have made you my footstool when
mounted my saddle. and when your
services were not needed | would have
chained you in n cage like a wild
beast" Then Tamcrla ne replied. IN
stead of treating you like dog shall
show you mercy and treat you like Il
king" But all the Kindness of Tam
crlane went for naught. AS were Be-
jaZet's thoughts. 81 were his ultimate
actions. He betrayed the noble kind
nesses of Tamcrlanc and plotted his
assassination. Then tradition has it
that Tamerlane comma ldcd that Be-
jazet should be treated ike dog and
chained In a cage like wild beast.
So. my brother like Achan of my text
you AMI can trace the dcgeneracy of
our lives. If they are degenerate. by
our evil thoughts. which always pre-.
ceic evil actions. What we think. we
will ultimately speak what we desire
we will ultimately do.
Hard to Resist.
oh. the evil sin of coveto,i>ness, Re
ware. Beware. Ev thoughts are
only step from evil lotions. Are we
not all in danger of the covctous sin?
Would you tell II IT., for 10 cents:
No. you cmpilatically answer. No.
Of ccnrS" not of course not Would
you tell II lie. just one little lie. for
SlnO: No" you answer again. hut not
so cmphaiically. Would you tell IL lie
for Slo.Mn, Il lie which in one sense
would not hurt anybody: You look mt
me in Il luiZ2ical way and say. Please
don't ask ne Well. do ask you. |
ask you. not for Ill" purpose of giving
YOU the Offer. hui of finding ont what
Is the condition of your thoughts.
Achan coveted 3uD shckrlS Of silver
and Il wedge of gold. which must have
been worth III least SluWnO in our
money. lie coveted them without the
idea Of hurting any me else. yet for
that sin of covetous less. which was
the forcrtInncr of other sins Achan
had To die. beware. q man. how you
allow your evil Il "uyhis TO live
.Achan'S "eyc sin was followed 10y
Aclian's .'covcious sii = Evil thoughts
will ultimately he tie parents of evil
actions
But now. i'm follow M the four fatal
stages of Achan's sin. we find that his
third step the 'ting r. step changes
him before the world from an honest
into II dishonest man. No sooner does
Achan hide that BabyloniSh garment
under his soldiers cloak and hug that
wedge of gold and bag of silver under
his arm Than before man. as we'll rs
God. lie hrcomps an enable 10 human
law Once lie WAS Il criminal nj heart.
but not Il criminal in act in his own
consciousness AMI in Gods sight IL
thief. hut before his fellow men an
honest. upright nau. No one knew
that under that fai' and respectable
exterior there Iurk,sl the plunlcrer
Like Dr Jckyll in Stevcnson's famous
allcgory. he gave no sign of that de-
moniac personality which he harborcd
within him Hut One the boundary is
passed. and the evil thoughts and evil
desires have taken shape in acts. he Is
under the ban of jus ticc. and ultimate
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