Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-05-28
Achnn's Cowardice.

even bcttcT Why. looh'u' Ut
sired" Il did
Achan's C0wardice.
But now. after the finger step" has
been committed. comes the fear AMI
the horror. Aye. the ''covetous step"
may lead through an cmbowered gar
den. The buzzar,ls may there bc feath-
cred in the gorgeous colors of n yellow
breasted. black tipped oriole. The fin
ger step may he Il leap. jump. an
impulsivc bound. but no sooner is that
fourth step taken than comes the foot
step" ar 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 Ia do with them. lie could not
wear the cloak: lie could not spend the
money: so. like Il coward. he skulked
away and went AMI hid them i'm his
tent.
Sin nearly always makes coward
out of a man. Achan did exactly what
our first ancestor did in the garden of
Eden after he had sinncd. No sooner
was that forbidden fruit eaten than
for Adam the heavens seemed TO be
overcast. lie not only skunk away and
hid in the thickcts as n cowardly bye
ma would run away from the hounds.
but when God called him forth he did
even n mcancr net than that. He turn
ed and tried Ia throw the blame upon
the woman 10y his side rs he said. Yes.
n al n al.
gavcst 10 he with me. she gave me. and
l did eat oh. my friends. the crimi-
nal unconsciously reveals himself. The
accusing voice of his conscience saps
his manlincss and robs him of his open
demeanor. II there is not an honest
ing will not he honest. The lowered
eyclid. the trembling hand the shufiling
foot reveal the error of his past
\ despicablc sin always makes cow
ard ont of Il without an excep-
ton. always. always. Sin 10y 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.
like all other sinners. you try TO get as
far 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 apostatc who is being stoned
10 death 10y his late comrades in arms:
No. | would not for one minute have
you look nj the death agony and the
eternal despair. Death 10y execution is
too terrible for any human eyes Ia
witness. unless il is our duty TO wit
ness il. | remember. some years ago,
! was invited. as one of the jurors, TO
be present in Sing Sing prison when
murderer was elcctrocuted for, his
crimes. | am always thankful that
missed the train and did not arrive In
time for the execution. So. today.
would not lead you forth TO where
Achan is uttcring his means: but rath
er would close this sermon with this
thought: Terrible as sin is i'm its ma
ture and its effects. there Is n divine
remedy for il. God. in his infinite
pity. has had compassion on the sinner
and has stretched out his hand To
rescue him from his ruin and his de-
spair. Net only does he offer pardon
to the sinner. hut dciiverancc from the
power of sin. Sin" he says TO all
who put their trust in Christ. shall
not have dominion over you" Though.
like Achan. yon may have fallen I'M
der its power. il you come Ia Christ
and put your faith in him. you shall
Ice saved There Is salvation for You.
and peace for you. AMI eternal life for
you. through the blood of Jesus Christ.
who loves YOU AMI who has given
his life for YOU in order that you
might live.
His Real birthday.
May this moment Ice the supreme
moment for your eternal redemption
and not eternal lamnati"n. When
Bcrtel ThorwaldSen. the great Danish
sculptor. WIS asked the day of his ma
tivity. he answered: Il was horn on the
Sth of March. 1891 Before then |
did not exist" This was not the date
of his physical birth. Thorwaldsen
was physically born Nov ~. 1870. and
March =. 1891. was the day that he
was artiS;ic:llly horn. That WAS the
day when he first SAW Rome. May
this day bc Ia you the best OF all days
not the day when. like \chan. you
must die. lint as Rertel Thorwaldsen
first SAW home. so may this lie the
first day on which you can truly see
the face of Jesus Christ and live.