The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-07-08
FARMvGLLE. VA, FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1904

ike it for any other city. Thus, IKE
the old clock builder Of Strassburg'
many and many "a man, by one sinfui
act can destroy all the usefulness ana
the work Of a lifetime Achan's hrst
sin was his "eye step" Achan's sec
ond sin was his heart step OF
thought step" Achans third sin was
that which drove him nj once out OF
brotherly fellowship with man. 1t was
his finger step" or his sin Of commis-
sion
But now, after the Finger step has
been committed. comes the fear and
the horror Aye. the "coyetous step /
may lead through an embowered gar.
den. The buzzards may there be feath. /
cred IN the gorgeous colors Of "a yellow
breasted. black tipped oriole. The nm |
ger step" may be "A leap, jump an
impulsive bound. but no sooner is that |
fourth step taken than comes the foot
step. or the -tenlthy fugitive step. As
soon as Achan. the thief, got posses
sion of this gold and silver aud this
Babylonish garment ne did not know
what % do with them. lie could not
wear the cloak; be could not spend the
money. so. ike coward, be skulked
away and went and hid them in bis
tent
Sin nearly always makes q coward
ont Of man. Achan did exactly what
our first ancestor did In the garden Of
Eden after be had sinned. No sooner
was that forbidden fruit eaten than
for Adam the heavens seemed 10 be
overcast. He not only skunk away and
lid I'm the thickets as cowardly hye-
na would run away from the hounds,
but when God called him forth be did
even meaner act than that lie turn
cd and tried to throw the blame upon
the woman by his side az be said, Yes
| dh eat. but the woman whom thou
aavcst 10 be- with me, she gave me, and
I did eat" Oh, my friends the crlni-
nal unconsciously reveals himself. The
accusing voice Of his conscience saps
his manllness and robs him Of his open
demeanor. II there Is not an honest
heart IN a man. his face and bis bear
ing will not Dee honest The lowered
eyelld. the trembling hand. tho shufning
foot all reveal the error Of hs past
A despicable sin always makes a COW
ard ont Of n man-without an excep-
tion. 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 It; no
sooner do you sin against God. then
Ike All other sinners. you try 10 get as
TAR as possible away from God.
Shall we follow on and see the end
of this human tragedy Shall we stop
and watch the twitching limbs OF the
Hebrew apostate who Is being stoned
10 death by his late comrades in armsf
/ 40 | would not for one minute have
Won look al the death agony and the
f eternal despair. Death boy execution Is
too terrible for any human eyes to
/ witness. unless IL Is our duty 20 wit
ness II. | remember some years ago.
I was invited. as ono of the jurors, 70
/ be present I'm Sing Sing prison when Il
murderer was electrocuted for his
crimes. l am always thankful that /
missed the train and aid not arrive In
time for the execution So, today, |
would not lead you forth 20 where
Achan is utterina his mOans' but rath-
or would / close this sermon with this
thought. Terrible as sin IS In lis ma
tnrc and It's effects. there IL a divine
remedy for H. God In his Infinite
pltv. has had compassion on the sinner
and has stretched out his hand to
rescue him from his ruin and his de-
spair. Not only does be offer pardon
10 the sinner. but deliverance from the
power OF sin. Sin" be says TO all
who nut their trust in Christ, shall
not have dominion over You" Though,
ike Achan, you may have fallen IN
der It's power II you come 70 Christ
and nut your faith In him. you shall
be- saved. There Is salvation for you
and 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 you
might 1--we.
MAY this moment be the supreme
moment for your eternal redemption
and not eternal damnation When
Rertel Thorwaldsen. the great Danish
sculptor. was asked the day Of his ma
tlvitv. he answered: Il was born on the
sth Of March. 1871 Before then
did not exist" This was not the datf
Of his physical birth. Thorwaldser
was physically born Nov. 10, l77O, and
March :. 1891, was the day that h'
WAS artistlcally born. That was th'
dav when he first saw Rome May
this day be 10 you the best Of all days
not the day when. like Achan. yot
must die. but as Bertel Thorwaldser
first saw Rome. so may this be The
first day on which you can truly se'
the face Of Jesus Christ and live.
pinesalve acts like pOultice. Their