The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-08-24
OUR REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
a Brilliant Discourse BY the Rev. 4
\. q. G. Morris,

HIS SUBJECT, 1ONe eIlui L tEOlulSeS. i he
text was from III Peter il: Whereby
are given unto US exceeding great and
precious promises; that by these we
might be partakerS of the divine na-
ture. having escaped the corruption
which is III the world through lust
Mr.. Morse said:
At any rate the Bible is frank. 1t
says the plaineSt things about mans
sin. But it also holds before him 4
wonderful hope. To-day he is mired in
corruption. Tomorrow lie may have
escaped from this and become like
God. The whole gospel is found in
these few words.
We nave here statement of the fact
Of sin and its origin. The fact is cor
ruption' and the origin through lust"
know that there are wOrdly-wise
men who Sneer at the third chapter Of
Genesis. But this ! have noticed, that
they are uniformly unable 10 give us a
simpler solution of the mystery of evil.
Somewhere and at some time>the race
must have Sinned. The stream of life
has been poisoned. and this must have
taken place 1t its fountain head for
We cannot find any divisions which do
not have the entire characteristics Of
the whole. The Bible says the event
took place in the first man. before Il
single son was born. and he lusted af-
ter something which was forbidden to
him, and that by his diSobedience he
fell from primal innocency. and
lurched the race. and entailed a condi-
tion of corruption. And that We have
aggravated this calamity by repeating
Sin and deepening the ruin.
But | am not so much concerned to-
dfy about the origin of the condition.
We can leave that with q single word
But there are certain facts that cannot
be brushed aside. \ man may Ques-
ton the story as it is written in Scrip
ture, but he cannot deny ii, for it does
not come within the region of denial.
Neither can he deny the story as it is
reproduced in life to-day. Have you
never plucked forbidden fruit? Have
YOU never lusted for pleasure which
has been distinctly forbidden? And as
consequence Of transgression. have
you never experienced 4 repulsive sick
ness and an intolerable loathing. so
meaning of this phrase, "the corrup-
ton which is in the world through
lust" Do you not know anything ut
all Of the laShings of remorse?
Let me ask you another question.
How does it happen that the heart is
so constantly running down." Why
must it be repeatedly wound up and
fastened with ratchets? Why do we
have to make and renew resolves. and
lash the will to the sticking place."
Why is it that man never backSlideS
into holiness? Why cannot We take off
the brakes and find ourselves gliding
into the highest moral living? Every
thing. We are told. tends to move in
the line of least resistance. Do We
find that we are drifting toward char
ity and holiness and benevolence and
virtue? Nay. but to all of us these
graceS are the fruit of serious toll.
They are magnificent possessions. more
precious than gold and sparkling gems,
but they are gotten only by struggle
and privation and Self-denial. And
that word "Self-denial' contains q foS-
sill history of primal sin. 1t tells us Of
an evil self that must he constantly de-
MED, because its desires are wrong.
But whence this evil self, and whence
these wrong desires:
But let us come little closer to this
subject. Let me hint at the things that
We cannot spread before the public.
our secret thoughts and faults which
are hidden. The thoughts that creep
into the heart and nestle there. Can
you tell me whence they come? Tell
me. for instance, whence come the envy
and jealousy and malice and evil de-
sire, and the lust for gold that makes
the thief. and the thirst for blood
which crimSons the hand of murder?
Do you not think these things arise in
human life as malaria and pestilence
from 4 death-dealing bog? Do they
not bespeak what this Scripture calls
a corruption which is in the world
through luSt?" l suppose that the an
gels before the throne Of God would
shirk from having their thoughts pro-
claimed with the trumpet of Gabriel.
l know that Jesus has torn open His
heart and flung out 4 challenge which
no man can accept. (which OF you
convinceth Ne Of SIM" said He. But
we cannot do that. We hide our
, thoughts and cover our faults with 4
crimson blush, and walk among our
nearest friends with towards step.
But what has befallen man? If God
made him innocent-and nobody ques-
tionS thiS-something must have hap
pened to corrupt his thoughts and
make them so black that he stands in
dread of the day for which all other
days were made. when this hidden his
tory shall be revealed.
| There is something pathetic in mans
| attempts 10 assert his worth. We
speak. for instance. of the Majesty os
conscience ard the Dignity of hu-
man nature" and of the "Fatherhood
of God" and the Brotherhood Of
man" as if these terms We're true and
meaningful. Take the first of these
and see what comfort there is in it.
THE majesty Of conscience" But do
you not know that conscience almost
| always speaks in judgment? 1t seems
to have lost its authority to command
| If it ever possessed that authority. 1t
cannot insist upon obedience. but can
! only raise its voice i'll remonStrance.
1t can be easily overruled. and voted
| down. and then it can only record a
minority vote. and lapse into silence.
But there is more in this scripture
than 4 statement of the fact OF sin.
Here are also these great and pre-
| cious promises whereby We may be-
com. partakers of the divine nature"
That is nen may become rs God. And
| the warrant for this promise is found
in the fact of correspondence between
| the divine and the human. The nat.