Evening journal., 1908-06-04
CHRISTIAN
ENDEAVOR NEWS

Z IA W. Gs ON ~ w -
Topic. June 7th. Songs of the Heart
VI What is true Penitcnce? Ps. 81.
Some Bible Hints.
Ps. 81: 1. II is only because of Gods
loving kindness and tender mercies that
we can expect aardon for our sin.
Ps. 81: 3. We must be ready to ac-
knowledge our sin If we would be truly
penitent. Conviction before CONVEX
sion"
Ps. 81: TO- The only cure for sin is
the heart that has no more desire for
sin.
Ps 81: 1s. The proof of true penit-
ence for ones nwn sin is the longing
to turn others from their sin.
Notes Of the Topic.
Nothing in the world requires test
ing so much as repentance. In no other
matter is It so easy to cheat ones self.
It is therefore well worth while thae
we devote one Of our prayer-meetings
to this subject
Mere regret Is not repentance. Many
think that thew have repented when
they are only efraid OF punishment.
One test Of true penitence is being wilt
ing to accept whatever punishment God
may impose. A man came to an evange-
list desiring relief from a guilty consci-
ence He told an awful story of sin,
and said: "Sir. I want Gods pardon"
The evangelist told him that he must
make an honest attempt to undo the
past But" said the man, that will
mean prison. and it may mean prison
for life" The evangelist replied, ut
will do no good to talk about pardon
and peace so long as there is wrong
to be righted." True penitence would
desire nothing less.
Sorrow for sin is proved by restitu-
tion. restitution as complete as is
within our power. If we have SANDER
ed another. no quiet whisper Of grief
viii answer for repentance. We must
proclaim the wronged mans innocerce
loudly enough to check the previous
Islander. If we have been unlSind TO
another Il is not enough to tell God
that we are sorry. We must say so TO
the one to whom we have been unlSind
And true penitence win not procrasti-
nate Fear or regret will put off max
ing amends but the truly repentant
will lose no time going to the one
wronged and asking forgiveness.
Again. mere remorse is not repent
ance. 1t is a terrible feeling to know
that one is guilty of a sin. but that
feeling does not prevent one from go
ing right on in the same old way. The
drunkard may feel terrible sorrow
l. L.
go on drinking Just the same. John
b. Cough was sorry Cor his sin for
years. but It was only when he finally
repented and turned from his sin that
he became useful to himself and others.
'Tis not enough to say
I'm sorry. and repent
And then go on from day to day
Just as / ALWAYS went.
Repentance is to leave
The sins I've done before
And show that I'm in earnest grieve
BY doing so no more.
No one has repented very seriously
Of shooting aanan if he is cleaning and
reloading his pistol. and so no one is
truly repentant IL he does not try to
put the temptation to repeat his sin
/ as far away as possible Temptation
/ is like a magnet. the nearer you get to
il. the harder il draws, and to see how
close one can get to a temptation with
out falling into II is as foolish with
sin as with Niagara Falls.
We need to pray the prayer of the
Psalmist, create in me clean heart
oh God. and renew a right spirit with
in me-" that is 10 have such true sor-
row for the sin that there is no more
desire left in the heart to repeat that
! sin. AS one writer gays. True re-
pentance consists in the heart being
broken for sin and broken from sin y
/ Thus II is all or nothing. Peniteuce
| that stops short of this "all' is not
true penitence. fer a surrender that Is
not full surrender is no surrender.
! Christ cannot help us against sin uu-
less we ourselves sincerely desire to be
evermore rid Of 1t.
Too often our repentance is like real
estate transaction which occurred IN
brooklyn not long ago. piece OF land
was transmitted in two deeds. one Of
which called for % feet, IA inches of the
property and the other for the remainder
IN the course Of passing through several
hands the quarter inch was dropped from
the deed and when certain company
bought the whole lot on which to erect a
large building they found that one of the
original owners still held the title to 4
inch right in the middle of 1t. The owner
declined to part with that insignificant
strip Of land for less than $1,000, and got
It for the lot could not be used for The
building without that quarter inch.
Is not this an Illustration of the way
many hearts are transferred from the con-
trol of the world to the control of Cod
The deed is made out. and signed and
sealed by church membership. But 10
a quarter Of an inch is reserved from The
instrument. Some little sinful pleasure
some wrong indulgence. 1t is sinful, we
admit, but then 1t is so small Only a
quarter OF an inch. But some day we
want to erect noble building in ouI
lives. and we find that satan's title
though to only that tiny fraction of it
is prohibitive to our enterprise and is nc
easy owner TO buy off.
One thousand dollars? A mere nothing
compared with the time and tears and
sorrow before the adversary is dislodget
frcm that bit of ground.
We well know that gold cannot be Of any
use until it is taken out from the quartz
and rock in VIII, d il lies embedded So ouI
soul is useless TO God until it is talxer
out from the sin and esrthiness and sell
fshness in which it lies buried.
Ienefellow says;