The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-03

longing to make restitution for an evil
past. Then, my brother you had better
make haste to repent. There are many
evil words you have spoken which you
should try to recall. There are many
bad influences which you have exerted
over your companions. There are many.
very many, sins which you have COM
mitted In your homes the effects of
which you should try to eradicate from
the minds and hearts of your children.
, Repent! Repent! Repent We of SIM" Re-
pent, so that you may be able, like
zaccheus, to return fourfold to those
whom you have wronged. Restitution
must go hand in hand with repentance.
Reason for Repentance.
There is still another reason for deep
repentance of sin. The greater our self
abnegation the more glorious will ap-
pear to us the forgiveness of God. The
more we stand afar off and beat our
breasts and, like the poor publican, say,
God be merciful to me, a sinner" the
more joyous will be the Savour's words
which will welcome us into our Fathers
house when he says, "Son, daughter
thy sins are forgiven thee; go in peace"
Then. the burden of the cross will not
be burden, as you and l may have an
tlcipated. 1t will be such burden as
Rutherford, the evangelist, described 1t
when he said: 1.-THE burden of the cross
is the sweetest burden I ever bore 1t Is
such burden as wings are to bird or
sails are to ship, to carry me forward
to the harbor of peace"
Deep repentance for sin naturally i'm
plies a corresponding gratitude toward
Christ, who has redeemed us from the
i'll results of sin. The greater the danger
the greater the love we have for our
rescuer. | was never more impressed
with this truth than last year, when the
Chicago presbytery banqueted its most
honored member, Rev. Herrick john
son. D. D., on his SEVENTEEN birthday.
Without doubt DIR. johnson is one of our
most influential living ministers of the
Presbyterian church. He is not only a
great ecclesiastical statesman and ia
nous professor, but he has bound to him
with golden cords of love all who know
him and who live close to him. After
the different Chicago ministers had
spoken and expressed their deep respect
for their honored guest DR.. Johnson rose
to reply. With a sweet. gentle spirit
looking out of his loving eyes, he said:
Brethren, I am overwhelmed with this
overpowering manifestation of your love.
| have done nothing to merit all this
Then, with a quavering voice. he CRATE
fully laid all the happy results of his
life's work at the feet of his Saviour
when in a simple, child-like way he re-
peated these trustful words:
I am a poor sinner and nothing at all,
But Jesus Christ is my all In ALL
All. yes, such loving yearning, such
tender turning with joyful and grateful
face to a divine Saviour, are the imme-
date results of true repentance. The
darker the clouds that hang over Mount
Sinai the more raptuous the emptied
sepulcher on Easter morn The more
awful the hurricane which losses us
about upon the sea of sin the more
beautiful becomes the Bethlehem star
beckonng us across the still waters and
into the harbor where the rescued mar
iners need never fear again the angry
waves.
The Way of Salvation.
Still another reason for immediate re-
pentance: The mute appeal of thou