The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-28
The Little sins.

VAuUn St uldt SOuf Oil Hbudll OvS1Sf
take you.-Numbers, xxi, %.
Reputation is the key to manhood
1t leads US to a regard for the finer
life in this beautiful, elusive and half
yelled world. "a good name is better
than precious ointment" and so much
Of the JUNCTION and kindness of social
sweetness is built upon the innate de-
sire to adjust self to {: harmonized re-
a~lization of the rights Of Jul fellow
men.
No solitary act can purchase a good
name. The desire to be esteemed should
be built upon stainlessness Of thought
word and action. The sum total is
character, which again is but a confor-
nation of righteousness. 1t is difficult
to comprehend the philosophy. of the
moral order unless it. be founded upon
a righteous being and so tile funfa-
mental conception Of character lifts Ds
above anarchy and aboYesthe breaking
Of the divine image In our .souls.
We are not aut0matons, but souls ems
dowed with liberty of choice between
good and evil. 60 this depends all
moral growth and soul development.
Good, therefore. In any form is the
goal Of humanity. But even il the
Spirit Of Goodness dwells In US, yet
may We lessen His influence and n
consciously degrade our characters. AS
dying flies spoil the sweetness Of the,
ointment" without rendering it totally
unfit, 80 little failings may weaken
the delicacy Of Dur better selves with
out destroying our permanent virtues.
Such heinous ofenses as profanity
drunkenness, theft or lewdness are 50
powerful to overwhelm US with q ter
rifying sense of guilt. When these sins.
are communicated there can be no mis-
understanding Of the consequences;t
the character is entirely sbesnnirched.;;
But when it is O question OF slight
blemishes or petty defects Of Christian
manhood the senslbilityy Of che con-
science does not always recognize the
wound.
Like the terhite that leaves the bark
uninjured while it eats the heart OF
the tree, so The guilt Of little sins be-
comes a moral disintegrat OF. II moral
anarchy rioted in our SOILS we should
put Oh the, armor Of light" instant;
~ and fight, but because It is only
moral confusion that reigns we have
no inclination TO set ourselves Alright.
And all this time our frailties aret
working out their own punishment, for
the moral system is memorable. SouIi
life Is no more stationary than phys,
ical life. Every thought, Tord or ac..
ton makes for u Uplifting or de-,
grading; the processes 60 on and mo-
neutrality is possible. The saddest Of.
all 1eaths is the death Of a soul In oil
body still strong and vigorous.
The mistake made Is in thinking that
this life IS n Of fulfllment, that ALI
process depends on our :Eagacity, that:
ultimate achievement depends on OUR
own exert:oz.s, that tile competition Of
energies c~ompensates for the easy de-
scent from lofty standards. But this
life is not complete: we are simply in
a state of preparation. Lift Is q ser:
les Of purifying processes. 1t Is the
expansion Of soul culture based on di1'
vine ideals. Hence in the present pro-
cess Of development our burden OF
righteousness should be borne, the
sorrows of abnegation endured, II we
would come into final possession OF
eternal bliss. God never intended that
our journey toward Immortality should
be a negative quantity-we should not
cumber the ground II we are not fruit
bearer;. Let US then robe ourselves
in the exalted attributes Of divine,
character; let conscience, untroubled,
by little sins, be aroused through
Astounding grace to stand confessed
blameless, harmless and without re-
Duke. -. !:
Love I. stronger, safer and saner
than law, because in it there is no COM
promise. Let love o~Vershadow our 4ey-s
cry thought. word and action; let our
sin be excess of divine love, and we
shall then have no fear If it overtakes
us.-Rev. John j. Donlan. Church of
the Nativity, Brooklyn, in the New
York Sunday Eerald.