Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-05-27


But now, after the finger step" has
been committed, comes the fear and
the horror Aye, the "covetous step"
may lead through an EMPOWERED gar
den. The buzzards may there be feath-
cred In the gorgeous colors of yellow
breasted. black tipped oriole. The Fin
ger step" may be Il leap, n jump, an
impulsive bound. but no sooner is that
fourth step taken than comes the foot
STEP" or the stealthy fugitive step. As
soon as Achan. the thief, got posses
sion OF this gold and silver and this
Babylonish garment he did not know
what to do with them. He could not
wear the cloak; he could not spend the
money; So like coward, he skulked
away and went and hid them in his
tent.
Sin nearly always makes coward
out OF man. Achan did exactly what
our first ancestor did In the garden OF
Eden after he had sinned. No sooner
was that forbidden fruit eaten than
for Adam the heavens seemed to be
overcast. He not only skunk away and
hid in the thickets as "A cowardly hye-
ma would run away from the hounds.
but when God called him forth he did
even meaner act than that. lie turn.
ed and tried 10 throw the blame upon
the woman by his side us he said. Eyes.
/ did eat, but the woman whom thou
gayest TO be with me. she gave me- ana
L did eat" Oh, my friends. the crimi-
nal unconsciously reveals himself. The
licensing Of
his manliness and robs him of his omen
demeanor II there is not an honest
heart i'm man. his face and his bear
Ing Will not be honest The lowered
eyelid. the trembling hand. the shuilling
football reveal the error of his past.
n despicable sin always makes Il cow
ara out OF man-without an excep-
ton. always. always. Sin by its very
nature Is only another name for cow
ardice. No sooner did Achan take the
gold than he ran away and hid IL: no
sooner do you sin against God, then.
ike all other sinners. you try to get as
FAR as possible away from God.
Shall we follow on and see the end
or this human tragody7 Shall we stop
and watch the twitching limbs OF the
Hebrew apostnte who is being stoned
TO death by his late comrades in arms?
No. would not for one minute have
you looS at the death agony and the
eternal despair. Death by execution is
too terrible for any human eyes 70
witness. unless It Is our duty TO wit
ness II. | remember. some years ago,
l was invited. as one OF the jurors. 10
be present in Sing Sing prison when
murderer was electrocuted for his
crimes. | am always thankful that
missed the train and did not arrive I'm
Time for the execution. SO. today.
would not lead you forth TO where
Achan Is uttering his means; but rnth
er would close this sermon with this
thought: Terrible as sin Is i'm ifs ma
lure ana It's effects. there is Il divine
remedy for 1t. God, In his infinite
pity. has had compassion on the sinner
anu has stretched out his hand TO
rescue him from his ruin and his de-
SPAR. Not only does he offer pardon
to tie sinner. but deliverance from the
power Of sin. Sip" he says to all
who put their trust ip Christ. shall
NOT have dominion over you" Though.
IKE Achan. you may have fallen I'M
der its power IL you come to Christ
and put your faith in him. you shall
be saved. There IL salvation for YOU.
ana peace for you. and eternal life for
you. through the blood OF Jesus Christ
who loves you and who has given
his life for you IN order that Won
might live.
His Real Birthday.
May this moment be the supreme
moment for yonr eternal REDEMPTION
and not eternal damnation. When
Bertel Thorwaldsen. the great Danish
sculptor, was asked the day of his M. |
uvity, he answered.: Il was born on the
Sth or March. 1891. Before then |
did not exist" This was not the date
or his physical birth. Thorwaldsen
was physically born Nov. 10. 1870. and
March .. 1877. was the day that he
was artlstieaily born. That was the
day when he tiFst saw Rome. May
this day be TO you the best Of ali DAYS. |
not the day when. like Achan. you
must die. but AZ BePtel ThorwaIdsen |
first saw Rome. so may this be the |
FIRST day on which you can truly see |
the face OF Jesus Christ and live.