Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-03-16
LITTLE SINS.
By Rev. John ]. Donlan

LITTLE SINS.
By Rev. John ]. Donlan.
know We that your sin shall over
take you" 80: %.
Reputation is the key to manhood.
1t leads us to 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
realization Of the rights Of our 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
confirmation Of Righteousness. 1t Is
difficult to comprehend the philosophy
Of the moral order unless 1t be found
ed upon a righteous being. and so the
fundamental conception Of character
lifts us above anarchy and above the
breaking of the divine image In our
souls.
We are not automatons, but souls
endowed with liberty of choice be-
tween good and evil. On this de-
pends all moral growth and soul de-
velopment. Good, therefore, In any
form is the goal Of humanity. But
even If the spirit Of goodness dwells
in us, yet may We lessen His influence
and unconsciously degrade our char
acters. AS dying flies spoil the sweet
ness Of ointment" without rendering
1t totally, unfit, so little failings may
weaken the delicacy of our better
selves without destroying our perma-
nent virtue. Such heinous offenses as
profanity, drunkenness, theft or lewd-
ness are so powerful as to overwhelm
us with terrifying sense Of guilt.
When these sins are committed there
can be no misunderstanding Of the
consequences. The character is entire
ly besmirched. But when it Is ques-
ton of slight blemishes or petty de-
fects Of Christian manhood the sensi-
bility Of the conscience does not al
ways recognize the wound.
Like the eermite that leaves the
bark uninjured while 1t eats the heart
of the tree, so the guilt Of little sins
becomes moral dlsintegration. If
moral anarchy rioted in our souls, we
should put on the armor of light In
stantly and fight; but because 1t is
only moral confusion that reigns, we
have no inclination to set ourselves
Alright. And all this time our frailties
are working out their own punishment,
for the moral system is inexorable.
Soul life is no more stationary than
physical life. Every thought, word or
action makes for our uplifting or de-
grading as the processes go on and
no neutrality is possible. The saddest
of all deaths is the death of soul in
q body still strong and vigorous.
The mistake made Is in thinking
that this life is one of fultillment, that
all process depends on our sagacity,
that ultimate achievement depends on
our own exertions, that the competi-
ton of energies compensates for the
easy descent from lofty standards.
But this life is not complete; we are
simply in state Of preparation. Life
is series of purifying processes. 1t
is the expansion of soul culture based
on divine ideals. Hence, in the pres
ent process of development, our bur
den of righteousness should be borne,
the sorrows Of abnegation endured, If
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 If we
are not fruit bearers. Let us then
robe ourselves in the exalted attributes
Of divine character; let conscience,
untroubled by little sins, be aroused
through abounding grace to stand con-
fessed blameless, harmless and with
out rebuke.
Love Is stronger, safer and saner
than law, because in it there Is no
compromise. Let love Overshadow
our every thought, word and action;
let our sin be excess Of divine love,
and we shall then have no fear If it
overtakes us.