Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-01-08

seemed 20 feel that the physical
change from the bloom OF health to the
decay OF death was symbolic OF tho
spiritual change which was wrought
by the cancer of sin. Why should we
not be ready TO renounce our sins aud
turn 10 Christi Has not sin always
been n curse and an enemyf Has not
sin destroyed the best part OF our lives
Standing between the open grave OF
the dying year and the cradle OF tbs
year about to be born. my text Is espe-
cially appropriate. Why? Though God
offers pardon and peace for repentance
of all past sins, he does not offer par
don for one sin that we intend 10 com
NIT I'm the future. One drop OF Christ's
blood is sufficient TO undermine and
sweep away the mountain ranges of
past evil But 10 the man who Is cher.
ishing his sin. who will not break with
II. who will not give II up. there Is no
promise. Pardon for the past Is or no
avail 10 n man who loves his sin aud
will accumulate a new load next year,
next month or next week. though that
sin be as small as grain OF sand by
the seashore. as small as n microbe
which can only be seen under the mag
nifying glass In the biologists labora-
tory
No Man Can Serve Two Matters.
Many people mistakingly suppose
that Gods pardon applies 10 future as
well rs 10 past sins. They think IL APP
plies TO those sins which we intend to
commit as we'll IA 10 those sins OF
which we are already guilty. In the
far east the MohammedHus suppose
that earth and heaven are separated
by a great chasm. Over this fathomiess
chasm are stretched many bridges, each
the breadth OF hair In thickness.
Over these infnltesimal bridges the I'M
mortal souls must pass from earth TO
heaven while glowing. kissing. burst
ing flames leaping up from the bottom.
less pit beneath scorch their feet dnd
try TO drag them down. So some peo-
pie OF Christian America soollshsy
think they eau reach heaven. though
they are deliberately and Internationally
walking. as the Mohnmmednns imagine
themselves doing. over the hot fres OF
evil. They believe God will pardon
those Sins which we Intend to commit
in the future as well as those sins
which are already recorded against re
upon the black pages Of the past
Abraham Lincoln's war cry against
slavery wns this: "a house divided
against itself cannot stand This coun-
try must become ali slave or all free"
In the same way. man cannot have two
l, a..
and love the other. or else he Will hold
10 the one and despise the other" Yet
there have been thousands upon thou
sands OF immortnls who have been eter-
nally destroyed because they thought
they could serve God and Satan Mt the
same time. In my fathers congrega-
ton Mt Syracuse was magnificent
mum. He WINS regular attendant
upon the divine services. but be would
not publicly profess Christ and join
the church. One day my father was
pleading with him 70 become Chris
dan. The man turned and said: "Dr.
Talmage. 1 have long studied over
what you say. ] know 1 ought to be-
come Christian. will do so. but rot
now. have just been elected 10 the
legislature. do not believe q man can
be good politician and a good Chris
tan az the same tius. will be n
good politician for two years. and then
] Will become good Christian" From
that moment the spirit OF God ceased
10 plead with him. Pardon for past
sins, but not until we resolve against
future sins. That man Immediately
became changed man. He went 70
Albany. he driftcd away from the i
landmarks OF the Bible. He drift. /
nrst into Universallsm, then into sg-
Mysticism. then into infdellty. He did
Disappearing, cursing. lost soul!
Dimcuity of Cndoinr Wrong.
Pardon for the past sins No pardon
IL promised for the future sins which
we deliberately intend TO commit. Mr..
Moody. think IL was, gave this as his
testimony: For many weeks and months
he had been laboring with a business
friend TO give his heart TO God. This
man at last saids Moody, will do az
you ask. but upon one condition. II
has always been my ambition from a
boy to be worth 100000. see that
my wealth is rapidly nearing that
mark. When I have that much IN the
bank. ! shall then become a Christian
and be q true. practical Christian m
well as processing one" From that
moment the mans eternal destiny was
sealed. His heart became hardened.
Re did reach his 100000 milestone
along the pathway OF wealth, but hs
never reached the foot OF the cross.
Pardon for sins OF 1908. Yes. But Gsd
cners no assurance OF pardon for those
sins which we deliberately mean 10
commit In 1904.
Standing between the omen grave az
the dying year and the cradle OF the
year about to be born, we should All
repent OF our SINS. Why. aEainf Be-
cause the far reaching word "rspep<-
ance" embraces another far reaching
word. restitution" Therefore. tf we
are going 10 try TO undo the many
wrongs OF the past. we must be about
out Fathers business very quickly.
God forgives those who truly repent
but the work OF restitution or Of atone
nent to our brother man who has sur.
fered IN body or soul by our wrongdo-
- ~-~rcN ~ U.s. nA9 we KNOW not
how soon the opportunity Of doing that
work may pass away.
Sometimes II Is not possible for us to
undo the wrongs OF the past. Mr..
Beecher in one Of his sermons related
an incident illustrative OF this imbos-
siDiiity. While he was living In Ia.
dianapolis young man was enticed
into gambling den and there drugaed
and cheated out OF al his money. sdme
$500. This callow youth begged the
robbers 10 give him back at least
enough to pay his car fire home. They
not only refused, but kicked him out
'neo the street. Under their brutal
treatment the young man was driven
TO commit suicide. The owner Of that
den afterward neuented of
his share OF the crime. But. said Mr..
Beecher. 'ail hts repentance could not
restore his victims life and could not
undo the wrongs of the past" In our
lives there are thousands OF wrongs we
have done TO others which we can new
er undo. Perhaps by some sinful invi-
w LIB