Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-02-20


many a converte,
A man or woman.
The psalm fl
the outcome Of a dark page in the his
tory OF David. king of Israel. FRS
there was the adultery with Bath
sheba. then the murder of Uriah, Their
concealment and hardness Of hear
for a year. Psalm 80 tells us how
David felt while refusing to confess:
When l kept silence my bones
waxed old through my roaring all the
day long. For day and night thy
hand was heavy upon me: my mois,
ture is turned into the drought OF
summer" Then came Nathan the
prophet and stirred David's heart to
anger with the story of the pet eve
lamb. Nathan's stern words. "1'hou
art the man." were like q lightning
flash In a dark night. David saw him
self as he was before God. and con-
fession and forgiveness followed. Aft
er all these events-sin, conceal
ment. murder. threatening. penitence.
pardon. punishment-he cries, Have
mercy, blot out my transgressions,
cleanse me from my sin, wash me
and shall be whittier than snow. The
entire psalm is a perfect path for a
,penitent sinner. and you and I do
well to walk in Its steps.
Confession.
David recog. ICES the inherent evil
OF sin. He saw 1t as transgression,
as rebellion. iniquity, a twisted thing.
sin-missing the mark set for the
soul. David knew 1t vas no light
Sin in relation to God is transgres-
sion, failure, denial, turning away.
blasphemy, hatred. In relation to
It Is shame and Isolation. tire
some and dreary monotony. degener-
acy. bondage. death. There are sins
Of thought, Of word, Of deed: secret
sins, family sins. business sins. social
sins. An awful catalogue: Adultery.
uncleanness, lascivious-
ness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred.
variance. emulations. wrath, strife.
seditions. heresies. envyings, MUIR
ders, drunkenness. re~velings, and such
like. fGal. 6:19-21). Fools make a
mock Of sin. Society goes to the
ices a story Of sinful hus-
bands and wives, and laughs; It
Of a drunkard. or libertine. or
unbeliever, and calls him a pretty
name.
Prayer.
Have mercy, blot out, wash, cleanse.
We e how deep was David's realiza.
ton of the enormity, of his sin, and
how real the need he felt for cleans
Ing. He wants a change Of state
blot out my transgressions:" and a
Of nature-"cleanse me from
my sin" Up amid the SHOWS Of the
Arctic circle region is the grave Of an
explorer who went out with Sir
George Mares. At the head Of the
grave is a single Inscription: Wash
we, and I shall he whittier than snow"
Yes. your past may have been black
rs midnight and foul as this sin of
hut Christ can wipe It clean
,f the page. what a wash away
my sin? Nothing but the blood of
And when by faith you ac-
,ept this cleansing you will know the
ruth OF what the girl meant when
The said, in answer. to the question
Is anything winter than snow?"'
Yes, a pardoned soul"
Wash me thoroughly from mine
niquity." Though your sins be as
they shall be as white as
Cleanse me from my sin"
I will, be thon clean" Lock at Da-
lids basis Of confidence for such a
,rayer-"according unto the multi.
Jude Of thy tender mercies." The
greatest wonder of God Is the mercy
Il God; and H. Is the sinners only
flea.
Sin Ia the worst word In any Ian.
,uage and the worst thing In any
Ioul At the cross you can see Gods
latred Of sin, his love for the sinner,
lis fidelity to his promises. and your
opportunity. my sin is greater than
can bearf You do not need to
,ear II. who his own self bare our
ms In his own body on the tree"
fake your stand BY the side of pa-
i'd, and the publican, "Be merciful to
ne a sinner" Ask God, for Christ's
AXE. to forgive, to pardon, to cleanse,
nd to renew.-aThe answer is yours
lready-"The blood OF Jesus Christ
is son cleanseth us from all sin"
,ome now. and by faith walk the path
rom sin through %penitence, COMES.
ion and faith, to pardon, peace and
Let the new year In your
alendar be a new year in your char
cter, your conduct and your career
lten NH Nth Chrlat IN God i