The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-02-15

time ago. There was a young man
there in the company of some Jews,
scofiing at the idea Of sin. "Why,"
he said, II haven't committed any
SIM have never sinned." A jew
said to him in bantering way,
"Young man, I'll give you So il
you'll take my sins" "Humph,"
said the young man, That's easyl
I'll take your sins" "All right" said
the jew, taking out his wallet and
counting out in Russian coin what
would be equivalent in our currency
to $40. And the young man laughed.
Didn't earn $50 easy?" And be
thought he had done a fine thing.
Pretty soon this young man who
took the sins of the old jew for SIS
began to be sick; and the doctor
came and examined him and said;
81 don't find any trouble with you,
sir" and he began to question him.
AT last the young man told of the
experience he had had with the jew.
Some way or other his conscience be-
gan 10 trouble him; the fact that he
had said he would take the sin
weighed upon his soul. Pretty soon
he found he was getting worse; his
friends got around him and tried to
do something for him, and they got
up a subscription TO try to buy of
the old jew, to try to get him to take
back his sins again. But no, the jew
would not do it. They raised some
5000 and offered the money to the
jew, and the jew would not take it.
The young man continued TO grow
worse; medicine could not help him;
nothing could help him. He felt
conscious that he was bearing the
sins Of the old jew and could not get
rid Of them; so he died. | care not
how you try 10 explain the matter
The fact remains that the young man
recognized that be had assumed the
sins Of that Jew; be could not get rid
Of the idea that he had those sins on
hin, ana 10 was his death.
What are you going to do with
your sinsS The sins are here and
you must get rid OF them. Where
will you find any one who will take
your sinsS But there is a Substitute
upon whom we can place these sins
for in moral government they
must be gotten rid Of There is the
fact.
Perhaps there is another illustra-
tion. You have heard Of William
Lear, Of Palmyra, Missouri. During
the war in 1852 the Union soldiers
we're stationed some where about
Palmyra, and there was trouble be-
tween them and the citizens Of Pal
myra. Union soldiers shot citizens
Of Palmyrai citizens OF Palmyra shot
Union soldiers; and the trouble con.
tinued. At last large number Of
the citizens OF Palmyra were arrested
and brought before the court and
condemned TO be shot Ten OF them
we're selected by drawing lots. There
we're ten who we're 10 be shot and
there were reserved others who we're
10 be shot in case there was more
trouble between the two. William
Lear was not among those who we're
TO be shot, but there was one man
drafted 10 be killed who had a wife
and large family. This man was
greatly troubled. He did not know
what would become OF his wife aud
children Aud he was much sur
prised when William Lear came up
TO him and said; "Sir, | have no
family; am all alone in the world.
| have not been drafted. Are you
willing | should take your place >"
Now, thing like that had not been
known before that one man should
be willing 10 give up his life for
another. But the young man urged
the matter; "You have a family TO
take care OF. Let me take your
place" The man was delighted at
the idea that substitute could be
found upon that great day who would
take his place and be shot down, in
order 10 spare him 10 his family. So
they went before the Judge, and the
judge said; ave are not particular
it is TO be ten men, and il you want
TO substitute for one Of them il is all
right" And so William Lear took
his place aud stood in the line, and
when the order was given: Fire"
William Lear, with the others, fell
dead.
Now | want to ask you a question.
Suppose that after William Lear had
died, this man with the large family
had gone about Palmyra and ignored
the whole matter never said any
thing about William LearP Would