Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-02-10

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4.
~ NJ WA knows man as he
~ IL N\\\ is and not as he ap-
pears Man is gov
'erned almost wholly in his opinion and
estimate of others by externalities. but
God never. for the inner condition OF
the heart is of infinitely more concern
10 Him than the occasional outward ex-
preston in the life of that which is
within the heart. For this reason.
Jesus, Who knew what was in man"
denounced the scribes and Pharisees.
ana called them whited sepulchers
Outwardly TO the eyes of men they were
intensely religious and devout. faith
iuliy OBSERVING the rites and cere-
monies and carefully yielding obedience
10 the letter of the law. but as Jesus
lookea within He saw the true condi-
uon and likened il TO moldering. putri-
lying mass of dead mems bones He &C
cused them OF being careful to cleanse
the outside of the cup and platter. while
the inside was full of uncleanness.
When Jesus came He brought men face
~ NV with lHtlI real SELVES. lie
startled and convicted by declaring and
showing that the sins of the heart were
more real and more terrible than the
sins OF the outward conduct The muir
derer was not only he who put forth his
hand and actually took human life, but
he who was angry with his brother
The adulterer was not only he who
actually INDUCED the lust of the flesh.
but he who even looked upon a woman
10 lust after her. for in so doing he had
committed adultery with her already
In his heart The thief was not only he
who took that which belonged to an
other, but he who in his heart coveted
anothers possession. for he who is a
thief in thought and heart needs only
the opportunity TO make him such in
very deed.
II HANK God there are forces and con-
i ditions operative among men which
prevent a full realization in the out
ward conduct of the sins of the heart.
Why am | not a murderer before the
law. condemned and shut behind the
prison bars? Not because | have never
been angry with my fellow man. Well
do ! remember when a boy Of about
fifteen striking my older brother with a
heavy stick which | held in my hand
at the time and telling him to the
ground. Had II been an AK or a knife
which my hand held | should have
struck just the same, for | was beside
myself with anger and did rot realize
what ! was doing. AS il was. my broth
er was only severely bruised. but he
might have been killed as far as the
anger which filled my heart was con-
cerned. In Gods sight was murder
er. for all the conditions of heart were
favorable to the commitment of muir
der Why am not thief in the eyes OF
the law and wearing the prison garb?
Is K because no desire ever was felt in
my heart to take that which did not be-
lOEE 10 me? Or is II not rather that a
wholesome fear of the law has kept nv
hands and feet from going in the way of
dlshonor? Or is il not because the
favorable opportunity has never come
to me 10 steal? Why am not a guilty
moral leper breaking the laws of God
and man and violating the sanctity of
the home? Is Ct because no impure de-
sire has ever stained my heart and made
II guilty before God? Or is il not rather
that fear OF the consequences of sinful
Indulgence or the lack of favorable Cd
portunity has kept me from the out
ward commission of the awful crime?
All. He Who searcheth the hearts of
men and Enoweth every thought and de-
sire of the heart knows that not once
but many. many times the inner atti-
tude and condition of the heart have
hpc~1 fnynrah1o To ho
the outward sin. AS far as the desire
and will TO do the wrong are concerned
II has been committed in the heart. |
might be able to go before the human
judiciary and he proved innocent of
murder. or theft. or adultery or other
crime but could / go before God Who
searcheth the heart and escape so cas-
ily2 Who would be as willing TO sub
NIT their hearts to the scrutiny Of tbeir
friends. as they are their lives? All
how we hide and cover I'D within tho
dark recesses Of our hearts things which
for all the world we would not have ra-
vealed TO our friends. and vet we must
remember that the Lord seeth II ALI He
knoweth II all. and II is with Him we
have 70 deal. it is to Him we must give
a final accounting.
THE pure IN neart! Just what did
Jesus mean? Who are the pure
in heart? Certainly Jesus never used
words carelessly or with vagueness of
meaning. When He said pure in
heart I take It that He meant pure
in heart" And If such is true. II can
mean nothing short of a heart free
from the faint of sin II I say that
the candy / offer you is pure. | mean
that not the least adulteration or
harmful ingredient has entered into
its manufacture. To say that It is
pure defines its condition. II have
several lots of candy, not any one of
which is pure. I may say of one
which has less adulteration in IL than
annih that IL is rt1rnr 49,. -. -