Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-06-16
THE PULPIT. !: 4 /: !.
a BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
REV. O.. P. EAcHEsI D. D.
Theme: The Lost Sense of Sin.

lOl6SSOT ". 9LlkIdb Va NhASS1o
University, IN the reported discussions
Of the Baptist Congress. finds almost
no place for the term sin In theologi-
cal thinking. His words are: What
does sin mean to the modern mani
It certainly does not mean what our
systematic theologians define it to
mean. Sin is not thought Of SO muck
as an ofiense against God as 1t Is an
ofense against men who deserve
something better than to know OPP
preston and greed. It Ia the social
sins which make our blood hot to-
day" Professor Smith twtluld put. So
ciology in place Of theology. II the
time comes when sanitation shall be
perfect; poverty disappear, child
labor be a thing OF the past. social
comforts abound, then the term sin
Will sbe annobsolete word in our Ian
Fguage.
There Is. an utter remove between
the teachings Of the New Testament
and those of the divinity department
Of Chicago University. Jesus dwelt
on moral reconstruction, not on social
changes. Two men out OF three in
the Roman empire were slaves; the
sanitary arrangements in Jerusalem
then and now were wretched: social
injustice prevailed. Jesus had open
eyes and a wise 1nind and tender
heart, but Be emphasized the mean
ing of His ministry as that of saving
lost men. Sin vss very real and
serious thing to Him; He came to
save men from It.
A wor2an came from the slums. In
Luke 2: Jesus forgave her sins. Mic
odemus came from the Sanhedrin,
with fine social surroundings. Jesus
insisted on the necessity OF cleans
ing anG a changing. The prayer OF
the publican and the prayer of the
prodigal alike-hoth Of them the
words Of Jesus placed on human lips
reveal strong sense OF sin. It
was the penltence, the confession OF
sin that got hold of Gods heart OF
mercy and brought forgiveness.
A weakening Of the sense Of sin
as wrong against God will of neces-
sity weaker the desire for salvation,
destroy the power of the cross. raEs
the Christian life Itself sunerficial
thing. If there be no sir, bnw can
Jesus be Saviour? why will men
need salvation? A man may wrong
his peighbor; he can sin only against
God! The true conception Of sin ap-
pears in Psalm 51:4: David had
wrcnged his own moral nature: had
wrolged Uriah; had wron gea% Bath
sheba; had wronged society and the
godly commonwealth: but +his chief
wrong was done to God. Against
Thee, Thee only, have sinned."
A lost sense of sin will lead to a
lost CHRISTI Principal Forsythe. in
his Positive Element in Preaching" :"
declares that the weakness Of modern
preaching, its lack OF effectiveness. is
due to diminishing sense of sin.
DR., Henry G.. Norton said in print
few years ago that one of the things
for which he was profundly thankful
was that God had granted him a sense
of his personal sinfulness. Large
saintship always grows side by side
with large sense Of sinfulness.
The fundamental factor in theol-
ogv is right doctrine OF sin. II
there be a1~uperficial definition Of sin,
there will he alongside of this SUI
perficial definition cf the person and
work of Jesus Christ; He will be not
a Saviour; a Redeamer, but only a
reformer of social wrongs.
The urgent need in modern life is
clear,view and profound conviction
OF sin as lawlessness against God.
Until men are brought to see charac-
ter. and conduct and belief, fnl the
light of their relations and responsi-,
bility to the Divine law, all social bet
terment will be but superficial and
temporary. If there be clear sense
of sin against God there will be the
accompanying sense of guilt, of con-
demnation. the felt need Of an atones'
ment of forgiveness.
Wanted-A ministry, a preaching,
a THEOLOGY, that will restore fading
sense Of sin!