The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-12-18
MINISTER'S
CORNER

1OOl1Sn business IN winch our nrSG
parents engaged, Of the making of
aprons by sewing fig leaves together.
What miserable covering! Jus is
the covering of self-righteousness.
I'd. This will bring us very natur-
ally to a second defect in this man,
viz: he despised others. Self-righte-
BUSINESS will do that every time.
Those that make the greatest display
about their goodness and picpy. al
the most hateful toward those WHO
have not been SO successful in lid
ing their sins.
See how this Pharisee looks u'.on
the publican; how he draws his cioiH
about him for fear that the win !;
might blow one of the wings agai' t
this despised one, and he would be
defled. How true to life in our own
day. This parable was spoken fer
Richmond, depend upon it. 1t suits
the conditions exactly. How many of
you are looking down upon your I'M
fortunate brother or sister whose
sins have in some way OR other be-
come known to men, but you have
been able to hide them from the eyes
Of men, and therefore you conclude
that you are not guilty. But now you
despise others who have not been so
successful as you in hiding their
sins. No one that knows his own
wretched wicked heart, will look with
despising eye upon his unfortunate
fellow being. The heart of man is
deceitful above all things and des-
peratelv wicked. The Pharisee had
not found that out. 1t is so much
easier to see our neighbor than to
see ourselves. But why behold the
mote that is in our brothers eye, and
not consider the beam that is in our
own eye?
Sd. You will notice that this nan
was lacking the very principles that
make for true piety. He prays, but
he pravs with himself, it does not
arise higher than himself. He THANKS
God only for this self-conceited, self
supposed Righteousness. I thank thee,
God. that I am not as other men are.
If YOU ask the child whether it has
been good. it will answer yes. If
YOU ask this man, he will say: / am
the best man, he will say: [ am
wavs be afraid Of the man who
thinks so much of himself It is dan
| o,J h. - rs n
not trust him, because he trusts too
much in himself. He is proud,
naughty, arrogant. He lacks the first
principle of piety, VIZ: humility. He
that exalteth himself, shall be abased
but he that humbleth him. lf Sal!
be axal;sI.
4th. Closely allied with this
thought just considered is another
Just as important, VIZ: That he is
clt;rely unconscious of he fact that
he needs any mercy and grace ION
God. H, has no need to como to God.
He does not thank him for gifts and
blessings received He does not %sk
for mercy, for he has no need "f
Dardo:. He hs> done mol ing wrong,
according to his own opinion he is tue
best man that lives. He might in
deed have prayed for some gift to be
given him, to see himself as others
saw him. How much rather are we
willing to- see the condition Of the
poor. outcast publican, than our own
deceitful, selfish, and self-righteous
heart.
Let us now turn our eyes upon TINS
publican standing afar off,who would
not even lift his eyes unto hea-
ven-He is also in church today, like
the Pharisee, for these two men went
ND into the temple. Poor fellow! 1t
is possible that this was the first
meeting he attended for long time.
He has not been a diligent church
goer, we are quite sure of that. But
at this time he came, for he is start
ing a new life. He came to renew his
covenant with his God and Father.
He comes for a good purpose, for
he comes to pray from the very
depths of his heart. He has become
truly and fully conscious of his inner
self. He realizes his condition, and
he is not ashamed to confess it. He
manifests every sign of true repent
ance He acknowledges his sins, he
confesses the before God and in the
presence of man. he hates them and
forsakes them. and he trusts in God
. Acne for mercy. This includes all the
. steps of true repentance and every
. sou, must go through this process III
Order that his heart may be made