Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-04-08
R EFLECTIONS
G
BY WILLIAM II. MNDN.

STUBBORN FACTS.
The world of mankind has always
very deftly disposed of what Is dis
agreeable or unsightly. Not lntre-
quently some euphemist1c term mas
been invented, which has tended to
soften what had otherwise been UNI
bearable; sometimes there has been
a fiat denial Of the existence of the
undesirable. But wise men have
ever been for facing facts, disagree
able though they may be; and have
taker them into account In the build
ing of their PHILOSOPHERS of ltfe-tis
only the fool who says In his heart,
There is no God.
Now one of the stubborn facts OF
life Is sin. You nay soften it down
by speaking of mistakes, you may
even deny that there Is such a thing;
yet the fact remains, ugly and men
acing, destroying the peace INT hap-
err In every land, the companion OF
every people, being no respecter or
persons. In Its alluring aspects
loved. in its terrible aspects greatly
feared, 1t has been the one, stubborn
fact that men of every succeeding
age have had to deal with.
The common Bible word translat-
ed "sin'' literally means missing
the mark" This is very significant.
Too frequently men have foollshly
charged God, practically saying that
were it not for his arbitrary laws
there would be no sin. But the Bible
word gives US a different conception.
! It Is the man who misses the purpose
for which he was created that sins.
It is the transgression OF no arbi-
trary law, but the perversion Of his
own nature, that constitutes sin for
man. It is possible to conceive OF
his having been created other than
he is; but then he simply would not
be a man, that's al-perhaps a
dummy, or some other putty-like
animal!
This discovers to us the real es-
sence of sin. Looking at 1t from
| Gods point of view, it ts perceived
to be ~disobedience. In creating us,
and placing US In this kind of a
world, the laws determining our
destiny are deeply imbedded in our
very constitution. To transgress
these is to miss the purpose OF our
creation, to be guilty OF disobedi-
ence to the Creator. Looking at 1t
from mans point of view, 1t Is per.
ceived to be selfishness. Disregard
ing all the most kindly intended In
d~ications OF hts destiny, he simply
wilfully determines to have his own
way, no matter what the cost to him.
self or to others. And then he linda
fault when the inevitable penalty 10
exactedi
To make matters worse, like =
coward he frequently lays the blame
upon another, a creature OF his own
Imagination, a personal deyil-some
dibolical creature far more powerful
than man himself, although less SO
than God, who goeth about like a
roaring lion seeking whom he may
devour. Now there is a personal
devil without doubt; but he walks
on two legs, and his name is Legion.
Given a being created with a free
choice between good and evil, and
you have all the elements necessary
to the great and terrible tragedy Of
sin. +Es
! Is 1t possible to rid the world OF
that which causes 30 much misery
and woe? Yes. Why do not men
band themselves together to that
end? They do. 1t is God himself
who has provided the remedy.
through the life of one whose utter
selflessness of living and full obedi-
ence to revelation has at once stamp
ed him as the great exemplar and
helper of mankind, Jesus of Naza-
reth, the Saviour of the world. 1t is
Jesus, the Amounted One OF God, who
has gathered together those who be-
lieve In him In that anti-sin society
known as the Christian chureh-not
an assembly of perfect men and
women, but of those who are seeking
to rid their own lives of the domin-
ion OF sin, and who are also seeking
to introduce the only means of SO
doing unto all other men, wherever
found