Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-06
Written for The Yorkville Enquirer.

| This Is the declaration or GOD. II Is
therefore certainly true. 1t Is start
| ling, a dreadful truth. Moses spoke II
to the two tribes Of Reuben and Cad
| as a warning, should they fail In their
duty to aid the other ten tribes In
gaining their inheritance in Canaan.
It stands recorded in the Book as Coos
announcement to all men always to do
the right, with his most solemn warn
ing never to do the wrong. In this
short sentence of eight monosyllaoies,
"Be sure your sin will find you out"
God declares the evil that is In sin' ana
the certainty that that evil will come
upon the sinner.
| There is a strong delusion among
men that sin may be practiced WIN
impunity. Men do not believe that
every transgression and disobedience
shall receive a just recompense OF re-
ward. They believe that sometimes
disobedience to God, especially in their
own case, goes unpunished. Yea, the
delusion goes still farther. They COM
NIT sin expecting not only to escape
punishment, but actually expecting TO
be benefited thereby. This delusion
is of the devil. The first sin was COM
mitted because the woman believed the
devils lie, I'VE shalt not surely die;
and disobedience to God has been
practiced ever since by the sons ana
dauehters of Eve, because. like their
mother they too, believe this lie OF the
devil.
But the testimony of the Lord is sure,
Your sin will find you out"
/. Sin never pays. Sin never brings
good to the sinner. Sin Is never worth
what 1t costs. No matter how enticing
or plausible her plea, her promises OF
good are a lie. She may, she does OF
ten give temporary pleasure, never
true peace or happiness, but the END
is bitter as gall. "Sin when 1t IL mn
ished bringeth forth death"
Gehazi, the servant Of Elisha, by tell
ing a lie, secured from Naaman two
changes Of garments and three thou
sand dollars in silver; but he got more
than that, he also got Naaman's lep-
rosy on himself and his family forever,
and lost his job besides; for he went
ont from the presence Of Elisha, not
only a liar, but "a leper as white as
snow" His lie did not pay. Sin never
pays, except in the devils coin. Ihe
wages of sin is DEATH" He that rem
ders the service Of sin is sure to re-
ceive the wages due Let the sinner
know assuredly that when he traffics
in sin, he will certainly receive payment
in the currency Of hell. II he does not
like the wages, he would do well to
quit the service.
2. Sin always brings evil to the SIN
ner. He may seem to escape for a
while, but the evil will surely come
sooner or later-generally sooner and
later.
God declares it-"The soul that sin
meth 1t shall die" Ez. xviii, 4.
"Woe unto the wicked! 1t shall be
i'll with him; for the reward OF his
hands shall be given him." Isa. Ill, IL.
For it is written, cursed is every
one that continueth not in all things
which are written in the book Of the
law to do them" Gal. iii, 10.
This witness of God is sure.
Conscience confirms it. When man
knowingly breaks the law of God, a
silent voice within declares his guilt
before God, and assures him that God
will punish him for his sin. This Is
conscience, Gods voice In man ana
mans moral sense witnessing together
that sin deserves punishment, and Will
therefore certainly be punished.
Conscience means, knowing together.
It Is the joint verdict Of God and man,
that we'll doing deserves reward and
will certainly receive it; and that evil
doing deserves punishment and will
also certainly receive it. So the lash
ings of guilty conscience are part,
and no inconsiderable part, Of the
penalty that must be paid for sin.
The evil Of sin begins to operate at
once on the sinner. I'm the day that
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die" Gen. ii, II. The evil effects OF
their sin upon the souls and characters
Of our first parents were instantaneous.
At once they lost their fellowship with
God and incurred His displeasure. At
once they lost their love toward God
and felt a fear and dread Of Him. This
was spiritual death, the penalty threat
ened, though their bodily death did not
occur till many years afterwards.
So sin always has the immediate
effect Of alternating the soul from God,
Of degrading the character, Of the loss
Of self respect, and Of strengthening
the habits Of sin and deadening the
moral sensibilities Of the SOUL These
spiritual evils consequent upon sin
may not be detected by the sinner, but
they are none the less sure because
sometimes unrecognized.
The evil Of sin in this world is not
confined to the degradation Of charac-
ter; but much of the suffering, and
loss, anu ulSlISSS leiiS
to the lot Of man in this life Is directly
traceable to sin. This statement needs
no proof Let any man look into his
own experience, and he will find the
proof All history witnesseth the same.
The God of Providence so orders the
affairs Of this world that the evil Of
sin is cropping out all along the path
way of life. so that men are compell-
ed to see and feel it. This evil does
not usually follow Immediately upon
the commission of sin. Hence men
foolishly conclude that it will not fol-
low at all; and so they encourage and
confirm themselves in wicked living.
Because sentence against an evil work
is not executed speedily, therefore the
heart of the sons Of men is fully set in
them to do evil" Eccl. viii, IL. 1t Is
no proof that sin is not after man
because 1t is out Of sight God pledges
His justice, His truth, His wisdom,
His power, that sin will never lose
track Of the sinner till he is overtaken.