The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-17
EPISCOPAL MISSION
 DRAWING TO CLOSE
MIR. MATTHEWS PREACHED LAST NIGHT ON JOY OF BEING FOR elvEN-sERvIcEs THIS AFTER NOON AND TONIGHT.

The mission services at St. Mary s-on- the-Eighlands, in which tho Rev. John R. Matthews of Philadelphia is leading, are drawing to close. The last service will be held Friday night. In the mean time the services between now and that time will be of deep interest it is said, and large congregations are expected.
 Owing to the indictment weather the at tendance last night was smaller than usual The rector, the Rev. J. W. Canty Johnson, read evening prayer, and MT. Matthews preached an earnest and strlk- ing sermon on the "Joy of Forgiveness, taking his text from St. Luke 7;46: And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. The rector had read as the scripture les son that portion of the seventh chapter or Luke, beginning at the thirty-sixth verse and continuing to the end of the chapter, being the story of the woman with the al abastor box, in which Christ shows Hlm- self the friend of sinners.
 MT. Matthews after brief lntroduc- tion, said there were four ways in which our Father in heaven puts away sin. First behind His bacl<-Hezekah's testi- mony Second, beyond human compre- hension, which was the Psalmists tes- timony-Psalm evil. Third, forgetting sin Hebrews X. Our human environment, the speaker said, causes us to remember, though we may forgive. God is super human and has power to forget as well as forgive. Fourth, God covers sin. There are two ways to cover sin said the preacher; our way and Gods way As well try to secrete poison in the body as to hide sin in the soul. It is bound to break out.
 Mr. Matthews then went on to say that three things hinder men from coming to Christ First, cowardice; being afraid of public opinion. Second, doubts, which can be overcome by honest search. But it is chiefly hidden sins that keep men from Christ Who so covereth sin shall not prosper.
 You cannot find, observed the speaker, where Christ said harsh word to a sin ner who confessed himself as. such, but when He meets a man who covers sin with a cloak think of such words as, How shall ye escape the damnation of hell?"
 MT. Matthews told the story of man grown gray at the age of 3l because of a certain crime that burdened his con science. One night, years after the crime had been committed, he fell on his knees and prayed to God to forgive him. And then the recollection of the crime came upon him. ''I will confess he exclaimed. He faced the injured man. confessed and was forgiven, making reparation as well as he was able; forgiven by man and forgiven by God.
 In Revelatio St. John weeps because nobody could open the book. Said the angel. Weep not; behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the book" St. John looked for a lion and he beheld a lamb. "I beleve,' said MT. Matthews, that we have here two types characteristic of Jesus. When he deals with a sinner he is as gentle as lamb. He hates sin, but I have never found where. He hates sinners. Now confess what He hates-your sins-and let Him forgive you to prove that He loves the sinner.
 MT. Matthews service of Bible reading and exposition of Scripture will be held this afternoon at o'clock. His sermon theme tonight will be- What Shall I Do With Jesus?'