Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-29

ana now many Desides become ihsenSioie 10
our true condition.
A prominent New York pastor tells US
that all through one dreary night he, with
another friend, labored to. save would-be
which opium produces. When. now and
again. from utter WEAKNESS they would re-
lax their efforts his poor wife would plead:
.'Oh. please don't stop! 90 on. You must
save him." Thus the prophet cries out unto
Jehovah for his people: 1--WE not over
Lord, revive Thy work This must be
our first petition. We need life. There
must be within the spirit of the living God
the nfe-gving spirit.
You are coming home from an evenings
entertainment. Suddenly the lights in the
street car go out and the car stops There
is something on the track which has lifted
the car from direct contact with the rails,
or there is a dead rail. or the trolley is of
the wire. "hus it is in our Christian life,
when our light grows dim and our speed
slaclxens 1t is likely if we examine our
selves we will find that the sand or this
world has lifted our car from the rail or
our trolley of faith has slipped from the
wire. Some experience that will make US
feel that "the midst Of the years is upon
us may be necessary to bring US to sense
of our hearts need. If such be true cry
out: Revive Thy work in the midst of the
years" But we need more than simply to
be alive; that life should be intelligentiy
active hence we have the second petition
of Habakkuks prayer, "in the midst of the
years make known"
we need to know our hearts need. The
chosen people of God need to have revealed
to them the real nature of their sin. Like
Israel of old we, too. are prone to forget
that sin is an abomination unto the Lord.
We, shrink from sin in its vulgar forms as
stealing and lying and adultery and muir
der. But we forget that within the scope
of the commandments wherein these are
forbidden by the Interpretation of Christ
the feelings that prompt them are also for
hidden.
There are no little sins in His sight. The
white lies of which we sometimes speak are
to His pure vision black as ink. The polite
sins at which society winks are to Him as
vile as the white spot of leprosy upon the
forehead of the unfortunate victim of that
dread disease. Make known sin. We must
needs be familiar with the thunders of ST.
mai before we can truly appreciate the mu-
sic Of Calvary.
In answer to this prayer with the max
ing known of the hearts need comes also
the knowledge of the Divine remedy. The
prayer is not only that we may know our
selves, but that We may also know Him,
whom to know is life.
Paul says: When the commandment
came sin revived and I died" and out of
the death struggle came life. Dead in
trespasses and SINS quekened in Christ.
Make known mercy in Jesus Christ. AL
ready we have the answer to the third pc
tition of the prophets prayer, Sin wrath
remember mercy" Call to mind Isaiah's
gracious words. spoken as the prophet OF
Jehovah: Come now and let us reason to-
gether saith Jehovah. Though your sins
be as scarlet, though they be red like GRIM
SON" let US show their true color. Make
known "they shall be whittier than snow.
they shall be as wool by the forgiving
mercy of God. Or the other case to
wicked nation and to a sinful world: Let
the wicked forsake his way and the I'M
righteous man his thoughts. and let him re-
turn unto the Lord and He will have mercy
upon him. and unto our God, for He will
abundantly pardon Surely we may cry
out with confidence: 'In wrath remember
mercy" This prayer or message of hope
will become our bow of promise as we Of
fer 1t in the shadow of the cross of Christ.
Here mercy and wrath have blended. right
eousness and peace have kissed each other
here; the wrath of God against sin doing
its utmost; the love and mercy of God for
the sinner revealed in all its glory.
The Fathers face hid until Christ cried
out: ''I1loi, Eloi. lama Sabachthani" The
sayior's face softened with divine compass
sion when he prayed: Father. forgive
them for they know not what they do"
In the midst Of the years let our prayer
be, therefore, 30 Lord. revive thy work;
Lord, make known; o Lord. remember
mercy