Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-18
STRONG Plea TO
f0RSAKE SIN
REV. LINCOLN MCCONNELL TELL
WHY HE WHO COVERS HIS SIN
SHALL NOT PROSPER.
MANY TESTIMONIALS
Informal, Heart to Heart Meeting al
Close of Sermon Found Many
Telling Of the Power Of God
Opera House Sunday.

HE that covereth his sins shall not
prosper but who confesseth them and
forsaketh them, shall have mercy"
was the argument that Rev. Lincoln
Mcconnell put forth in convincing,
straight from the shoulder, statements
Of facts at the First M. E. church last
night. It was another humorous night
with the revivalist and his compare
lively large audience found themselves
in happy laughter many times, only to
be thrown in deep seriousness by the
subsequent declaration Of the minister,
who had painted the humorous picture
to send his argument home with force
and conviction. Mr.. Mcconnell dis
coursed on the ways in which the peo-
pie Of today cover their sins from their
own eye dwelling. The revivalist saw
folly In the common belief that per-
son has the right to decide right from
wrong in life.
At the close of the sermon, in an
swer to the request Of Mr.. Mcconnell,
many persons in the audience arose
and gave forth earnest testimonials OF
what God has done for them. They
expressed desire to put forth great
err effort in his behalf and in relating
their happiness since accepting the
Lord as their savior, they urged all.
not wholly through mere words but
through the influence of their remarks,
to turn and follow the path Of right
eousneSs.
Mr. Mcconnell will speak on Brain
and Backbone" at the Grand opera
house Sunday afternoon. Mr.. jeffrey,
in announcing this sermon stated that
the message was strong one and he
hoped to have the house filled to its
capacity.
Not Out Right to Decide.
! "Many people do not seek Cod
last night, because they do not be-
lieve themselves to be sinners. They
believe they are living right because
their own minds tell them so. They
decide for themselves the right and
wrong things of life. There is no
greater fallacy than this most common
usurpation Of the right to decide. God
did not create the right to decide right
and wrong, but the almighty did create
the power to decide right from wrong.
We have the power, my friends, but
not the right.
| LOGS cVcTyOooy oHh'
Some men have told me that there
Is not a person on this earth that does
not sin. If that Is true we are all going
to hell. The Lord says. he that sin.
meth Is of the devil What is sin? 1t
is the transgression Of the law. The
man who wilfullyl steps over the law
is a sinner and no wilful sinner shall
get to heaven. II a man follows the
law Of God and tries to follow his
truths through his power to choose
right from wrong, he will not be
sinner for he that confesseth his sins
and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
But the man who wilfully transgresses
the law, Is of the devil. God help the
sinner that wilfully disobeys Gods
laws and knows that he Is SHINING. No
doubt you know the man who PUSHES
to the church and asks Gods forgive
ness of his sins when he feels hell lap
ping around his legs and then, when
it blows over. says, 4 guess l am al!
right, there is no immediate danger.
Do you know that man? Are you like
him?
"Omission robs us OF the power to
love God and covers up our sins. IL
lis not what you do not do in this world
but what you do do. You here many
saw. oh / guess I am alright, don't
do this. l don't do that and don't 40
the other thing But ask that per
son. that do you do? That IS "hat
counts. Mothers and fathers, are you
able to help your children? Have you
Iomitted anything. You may be able 10
HELP your son or your daughter with an
arithmetic problem, but are you aole
to help him or her to God? Many peo'
ple assist their children In Wor!d!y
things but at Christianity they 1all.
Omission, omission, omission. how we
lcoyer sin from our own eyes. Sin Is
a vital heart disease.
Pictures Great Cartoon.
Mr.. Mcconnell in concluding MS
sermon, painted big cartoon or rather
reproduced it before his audience, 1t
lappeared in that old publication the
RAMS Horn. In the rear OF the pic
ture were two large, iron, spiked gates
land behind these gates black notn'
lingness and deep bottomless abyss
Inst before the gate was rough pain,
allied with rocks and stones. Up this
nath comes satan, with fendtsh lear
Inpon his face. He is bending for
ward under the strain Of his load but
jhe Is hurrying along with great salts
faction, a light of evil on his face. over
his shoulder he is holding chain and
pulling steadily onward toward the
gates of the deep abyss. At the other
end of the chain, being dragged prone
on his face is a man, holding the chain
with a powerful grip. He Is being tor
ltured by the roughness of the path
and from him comes a plaintive cry OF
"help. help. help" Beneath the car
toon were the words, "No use to cal
for help if you will not turn loose the
chain"
What does that mean" was asked
THAT chain is composed of links o.
sin. one sin after the other. The mar
is on one end and the devil is on ths
other, pulling him deeper and deeper