Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-08-19

are not willing TO leave their hiding
places OF sin even after the embowered
roofs and the curtains OF leaves have
been torn aside. and the guilty pair are
compelled to confess that the fruit of
the forbidden tree has been placed
against their lips. Even now they are
both trying TO conceal sin within sim
What is the man trying 20 do? Why,
ne is trying 10 throw all the blame OF
his sin upon his wife. What Is the
woman trying TO do? She is no bet
ter They are both tarred with the
same black pitch OF meanness. Why.
she Is trying TO throw the blame of
her sin upon the serpent. The man
said. '"rhe woman whom thou gavest
TO me. she gave the OF the tree. and
did eat" The woman said. The SER
pent beguiied me. aud did eat" The
young Adam of the present day says.
Il believe all my evil desires were in
herted from my ancestors. and they
are To blame and not myself" The
young Eve Of modern times. lifting the
glass OF wine 10 her lips just before
her doom. says: II an not 10 blame
Other People drink. Every one or my
friends drink: therefore they set me
an example I must follow. They are
to blame. not myself." The young
drunlsard bi.,mcS the saloon keeper for
selling him the whisky. The saloon
keeper justities hirlself 10y pleading
that the voter approves OF hls having
license to stand behind the bar.
The Responsibility Of san,
! believe in many cases the RESPONSE
bility OF sin may be placed upon other
shoulders than upon those OF the
one who has TO suffer. That was a ter
pible Indictment Peter NeidermeyeF,
the Chicago bandit. hurled Mt the
churches when In April. 1904. lie stood
under the shadow of the gallows and
said: sit is all well enough To pray
with me now. but il Is too late Who
are my two companions and myself,
about 10 diet We belong to the great
army OF the poor, miserable. social out
casts. We grow up In the slums. half
starved and always miserable. We
work day after day like slaves. TO die
miserably. II the churches did some
thing more for those who need their
aid in the struggle To earn n living
they would do more good than they can
by converting men about TO lie hanged"
All, yes. there was a thunderbolt OF
terrible truth hurled IN that one say
ing by man who was facing eternity.
But. though In some cases the rcspon-
sibility OF sin may be placed upon 9TH
er shoulders. this was not true of Ad-
ans sin. 1t was not true OF Ewes sin.
of cfr, 4 10
OF my sin. God is willing to give you
and me enough spiritual strength to
resist any temptation which confronts
us IL we only go to him for help, az he
was ready to help Adam and Eve.
And, my friends. I'm reference to our
own sins let us have the manliness TO
acknowledge them. In the courts even
criminal earns the contempt OF his
fellows when, as they say, ''he pleads
the baby act" The way TO forgiveness
is by humble confession. and there Is
no other way. liz man will not take
that way he ought to realize that he Is
booming himself to destruction. that
excuses are OF no avail and that he
himself and no other is responsible.
Never charge your doom upon your
mother. your wife. your child, your
surroundings, when You have no one
TO blame bat your own sinful self. Do
not try to conceal sin with cowardly
words such as those which Adam ut,
tered when he said. Eyes, I sinned. but
the woman whom thou gavest TO be
with me, she gave me OF the tree. and
did eat"
But why should our first ancestors
have concealed themselves I'm their hid
ing places OF sin? Why should they
nave run away after the fruit of
the forbidden tree was eaten? why
did they incriminate each other and
the serpent after they were brought
forth from their arborcal retreat? Did
God want to destroy them, as so many
seem to thinkg confess that In NV
younger days I used 10 picture God as
tyrant. monster. when he was seek
Ing those two frightened, fleeing sin
ners. used 10 think his voice was
marsh and condemnatory, that the call.
Adam, where art thou?" had I'm II the
roar OF n wild African lion starting
forth at night 10 seek his prey. But
Few years ago my mind entirely chang
ed in reference to this, for then heard
n great English preacher say: This
call OF God In the garden OF Eden was
not the call 10 death, but 10 life Gods
call, Adam. where art thou?' was the
pleading cab OF a sorrowing father
seeking lost and a Maynard child"
1t Is the same kind OF call the nil
grim fathers used when as n searching
party they went forth into the dark
woods seeking a lost child. 1t is the
same call that you would give II your
boy were lost In the tungles of file
lndian'hills. Then you would call. ..AIv
child. oh, my child. cannot You hear
my yoicew AS God was calling TO our
ancestors TO come forth out OF their
hiding places OF sin and they would be
forgiven, God the Father is calling 10
you and 10 me: "Come home We
wearied and lost sinner. Come home"
Love Refgned Everywhere.
Ihus we started this sermon with
garden; we are going. to end IL with
garden. The apostle Paul secs in the
story or our first homestead n wrecked
and disorganized animal and vegetable
ana archaeological and ornitholooteal
and human world He leads us TO see
how the whole creation--the birds OF
the air. and the fishes OF the sea. and
the beasts or the forest. and the flow.
ers OF the fields-were Influenced
through and had their natures changed
by the sins OF man. Once love reigned
everywhere. Now the law of life Is
dependent upon the survival of the
nttest.' The eagle begins to mount
higher and higher and higher. not 10
come nearer to the heavens to see God.
but that on account OF the greater
altitude he can have wider horizon
TO swoop: that with his keen eve he
may see the helpless dove afar of.
into which the feathered murderer can
plunge that terrible beak and rip and
tear and slay. Once the trees as lovers
stretched forth their arms OF branches
and with rustic and moan talked 10
each other until for very love they
trembled with delight. Then 1t was
affection, wooing affection, and tender