The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-22
Our Faults.

SleduSe lnOu. me lIoui seSfeI
Psalms, xix, IL.
To know ourselves is a difficult
task. We are contented with asslight
knowledge of our hearts and of our
duties as creatures Of God, and In
consequence we have only a superb
cial faith.
Willful sins need no light, for they
are, unfortunately, too evident to the
transgressor. It is the list Of unob-
served sins to which we must attend
if we wish to be better to mankind
and more acceptable in the eyes OF
Him who will demand a reckoning
for every thought, word and deed"
When we have come to comprehend
the nature of disobedience and to re-
alize our actual unworthiness on &C.
count of i~mperfections we can then
feel what is meant by the removal OF
secret faults, by pardon and by soul
ease, which otherwise are to us as
meaningless words.
The poet, the writer, or the man
with some commercial scheme cam
not work out that which headesires
unless he permits his mind to be
fully impressed, quietly and care
fully with the subject under. cpnsid-
Grafton. He is best alone with his
thoughts, books or figures. And so
is it with matters Of the soul, for
God speaks to us primarily in our
hearts, which are best when search
ing thoughts Of u natural weak
ness. Let us consider how plainly,
we see the faults Of others. Do we
differ in nature from them? If we
see defects in them of which they.
seem unconscious or needless by.
habit they also see faults in us which
would surprise US to hear. The
faults which we commit even
thoughtfully weaken and give disa-
greeable color to our characters as
seen by our fellows. How, then, do
we appear to God, who sees what no
man can see, and who knows the
STRINGS of pride, the vanity, covet-I
business, discomfort, resentment and
envy which we nurture in our hearts
day after day? =:
It Is necessary for us to be dis
turbed about our spiritual condition.
To be at ease is to be unsafe. No
VIC huOWS ulO hlooCh "CohhCoosi
Peter, not suspecting his heart, de-
MED his Master. David continued
faithful to his God for years, and yet
power and wealth weakened his 10y
atty for a time. Hezekiah bore trou-
BILE, but prosperity misled him. 1t Is
only by earnest examination and
prayer that we can begin to learn Of
the abundance of our faults, which
are either entirely or almost entirely,
unknown to US. Hence the best men
are ever most humble, because they
see somewhat Of the breadth and
depth of their own sinful natures. !
Everybody knows that care of de-
tails is essential in all callings of life.
What possible reason can we give,
therefore, for lack of care in matters
pertaining to our spiritual perfec-
ton? Do we care more for perish
able things than for God? Perhaps
we have yielded to the force of habit
which tends to self-deceit, for by 1t
we forget things to be wrong which
once shocked us. We speak peace to
our souls when there is no peace, for.
many are the scourges of the sim
ner, but mercy shall encompass him
that hopeth in God" The future
prize is worth a struggle. We die
with the grave only in body, but the
spirit will live in happiness, or pain,
eternal. Without self-knowledge we
may persist for a time. O'S self-re-
lance, however, will not be adequate
unto salvation. In truth, there is
much danger that we shall be "as
trees of whitening fruits /"
plucked up by the roots" yer
though we die in outward commun-
lon with the church. Let us cry out
in contrition, with the Psalmist,
Wash me yet more from my iniqui-
ty and cleanse me from my SIM" and
let us be ever mindful that Blessed
are they whose %iniquities are forgiy-
en- and whose sins are covered."-
Rev. William j. B. DAILY, st. Mala-
zl.,,. rL,.h Me-, Wall r:@,, - H.