Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-01-22

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The psalm is
the outcome of a dark page in the his
tory of David, king Of Israel. First
there was the adultery with Bath
sheba. then the murder of Uriah then
concealment and hardness of heart
for year Psalm 80 tells us how
David felt while refusing to confess:
When | 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, Thou
art the man." were like lightning
flash In 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 l do
well to walk In its steps
Confession.
navid raoooniza- +to ;,,boro,,4 -,x;1
of sin. He saw 1t as transgression,
as rebellion, iniquity, twisted thing.
as sin-missing the mark set for the
soul. David knew it was no light
thing.
Sin in relation to God is transgres-
sion. failure. denial turning away,
blasphemy. hatred In relation to
man It is shame and isolation, tire
some and dreary monotony degener-
sacys bondage, death There are sins
I Of thought of word. of deed; secret
| sins family SINS business sins, social
sins An awful catalogue; Adultery,
| fornication, uncleanness, lascivious-
ness idolatry, witchcraft, hatred
! variance emulations, wrath strife,
seditions, heresies, envyings, mur-
ders. drunkenness, revelings, and such
like. (Gal 5:19-21). Fools make
mock of sin. Society goes to the
theater, sees a story of sinful hus-
bands and wives and laughs: it
| speaks of a drunkard, or libertine. or
unbeliever. and calls him pretty
name
Prayer.
Have mercy, blot out wash, cleanse.
! We see how deep was David's realiza-
ton Of the enormity Of his sin and
now real the need he felt for cleans
ing He wants a change of state
'blot out my ansgressions;" and a
change of natuPe-"cleanse me from
my sim" 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 single inscription: Wash
we, and shall be whittier than snow"
Yes, your past may have been black
as midnight and foul as this sin of
David, but Christ can wipe it clean
off the page. What can wash away
my sin? Nothing but the blood OF
Jesus" And when by faith you ac-
cept this cleansing you will know the
truth of what the girl meant when
she said. in answer to the question
"Is anything whittier than snow?"
Eyes, pardoned soul"
Wash me thoroughly from mine
iniquity." Though your sins be as
scarlet they shall be as white as
snow Cleanse me from my sin. ;"
Il will, be thou clean" Look at Da-s
vid's basis of confidence for such a
.prayer according unto the multi,
.tude of thy tender mercies." The
greatest wonder of God is the mercy
of God; and 1t is the sinners only
plea
Sin is the worst word In any Ian
guage and the worst thing in any
soul At the cross you can see Gods
hatred of sin, his love for the sinner.
his fidelity to his promises, and your
opportunity. my sin is greater than
i can bear?" You do not need to
bear it. who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree"
Take your stand by the side of Da.
ivid. and the publican. BE merciful to
me sinner" Ask God, for Christ's
sake, to forgive, 70 pardon, to cleanse.
and TO renew. The answer is yours
already The blood of Jesus Christ
his son cleanseth us from all sim"
Come now, and by faith walk the path
. from sin through penitence, confes.
sion and faith, to pardon, peace and
purity Let the new year in your
calendar be new year in your char
acters your conduct and your career
a life hid with Christ In God
II can, | will. ! do, believe
That Jesus saves me now"