The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-12-02
[ Tie PULIf
A SERMON &%&E@
81 THE REV. NX
9AWHENDEB0NWs
Subject: Temptation.

the prayer CnrlsC taught Ills uisei-
pies. 1t reveals the philosophical in
sight and the intensified acumeR of
the Master. It casts a white light
upon the thoughtfulness of our Saw
Jour, and not only illuminates our
understanding Of the subject in hand,
but also gloriies the moral genius
and the perspicacity of Jesus. 1t
stamps Jesus as a sage. Few things
that He ever said have differentiated
truths more finely. This declaration
and petition Is %sagacious, penetra-
tive, profound. 1t cuts through sin
to that which is a~ntecedent. 1t shows
US the hand and the artifce of the
seducer, and his seductions. Ponder
the text. You will find it central. 1t
is suggestive, superlatively infuen-
tial.
Temptation is a subject that. is
much misunderstood. Few grasp its
significance, comprehend its power,
or apprehend it's fundamental rela-
tionship to sin. You will note that
Jesus says, Lead us not into tempta-
ton; deliver us from evil.P He does
not say, Deliver US from evil, and
lead us not into temptation" The
ordering of the language is %consonant
with the sequence and logic Of the
thoughts the words express. Jesus
was conversant with the general IN
intelligence concerning the place Of
temptation in the life Of man. Then
as now the multitude was more con-
cerned with overt wickedness than
with precedent thought. Then as
now men were more. careful to keep
out of the handouts Of the police
than to keep their thoughts pure and
their hearts radiant with righteous
ness. We are no better in many ways
than the men to whom Jesus init
mately and Immediately spoke. They
didn't understand the viciousness Of
temptation or think about it any more
than do we.
Temptation is subtle. Sometimes
It appears to be superficial. Now 1t
is an objective force, an influence
moving US from without. Again It Is
subjective, a wrong desire or an evil
wish leading US, as it were, from
within.
But whether temptation be subtle
or superficial, subjective or objective,
whether it be a thought or a poison,
a wish or a woman, temptation is
dangerous. For it holds the seeds Of
sin. And sin is godlessness. And
godlessness leadeth by the steep,
sharp way that goes down to that
place whose paving stones are reputed
to be the good intentions OF careless
men,.
How few Of US pay any attention to
subtle temptation. Most of US spurn
it when the jail doors draw ajar or
the loss of social or religious position
is threatened. We cast Satan out
when we can see the end of tempta-
ton at a glance. But we coddle and
cuddle the temptation that we love to
fondle. We hug it to our hearts. We
stroke It and caress It. We wouldn't
for the world commit the crime that
is the offspring of the thought. What
fools we are! Would you rub a rat
tier? !,
Termination Is dangerous. Most dan
gerous when it Is subtle. 1t prepares
the road for sin. It makes ready the
heart of man to plan and the hand
of man to execute the will Of Satan.
It lays a snare and a net. 1t Is full
of %pretentious promises. 1t comes
in fair array. It looks good. Its
pretensions are pretences. Its prom
Uses are aerial. It Is well dressed.
But it is all clothes. The colors will
not stand sunlight, nor the e In
spection. It looks good. But its
heart is bad. It is as dangerous as
it was in Eden, as subtle, as cautious,
as mealy-mouthed, as disastrous.
In the fourth chaper Of the Gospel
according to st. Matthew you may
read how Jesus dealt with tempta-
ton. And reading you will under
stand, with a little thought, what was
Jesus conception Of the relation of
temptation to sin and why it was
that He taught His disciples that
temptation was the subtle antecedent
of wickedness that 6aunts itself, as it
is. 1.-The tenpter came to Him, he
said, If Thou be the Son of God, COM
mand that these stones be made
bread" 1.-THE devil set
teth Him on the pinnacle Of the Tenn
pie, and saith unto Him &.
Cast Thyself down." Again, the
devil . . showeth Him all the
kingdoms of the world" What did
Jesus do? What would we do under
like circumstances? y
Jesus neither parleyed nor fooled
with temptation. He dismissed the
tempter instanter. He wasted no
words in discussion. He attempted
no compromise. He didn't ask fur
Their light or discuss the terms Of
fered. He quickly, %brusquely, ener-
getically spurned the .tempter and
the temptation. I have an idea that
if the devil hadn't gone the Christ
would have moved on. And, be-
hold, angels came and ministered un-
to Him."
The answers o. Jesus were as in
candescent as the.1 were unequivocal.
They were hot, surcharged. with en-
ergy in full play. They were aflame
with a heat that shot light into the
nature and danger and the method
to be free of temptations snare. And
they were straight. They were not
the sort of answers we return when
the devil makes proposals to us.
Jesus didn't toy with Satan's propo-
sitions. He didn't ask him to sub
nit a brief. He delayed neither re-
sponse Ror judgment. He gave him
cool hearing, urtical reply, no oppor-
tunity or occasion for rebuttal.
How otherwise we do. Tempta-
ton finds us willing, voluble, invit-
ing, What sin cannot do tempta-
ton does. For the sin we do the
termination to which we have yield
ed is responsible. What wind is to
the moving boat and sails, coal to
the locomotive, and heat. gasoline and
associated planes to the aeronaut,
similarly temptation is to sin. Know
inc +b;e ~ ic not wise to marley with