Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-03-06

L " - rescue missions
have their field.
That which is referred to is often
spoken of as sin against ones self,
and sad to say, much of the preaching
OF this day is the appeal to self. as
far as sin is concerned, and the
strength of this appeal is in the conse-
quences Of sin that are in this life and
temporal. The words: "1e that SOW
eth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap
corruption" are frequently quoted and
their truth is rarely questioned.
But even in this there is something
forgotten, the consequences of such a
life in the future world. The hell be-
yond this life is not alluded to fire.
quently, except often in a sneering
way as suggesting the hell on earth
into which SO many fall There are
many who work along religious lines,
who appear to have very little in view,
except the consequences of sin as seen
in the present life. Many who are
enthusiastic in the support of foreign
missions are so simply because they
wish to lift up the heather who live
in huts and caves of the earth into
which they crawl as the wild, beasts
crawl into their dens, who are alto
gether unclothed, or slightly clothed,
and subsist on foods that are not prop
erly prepared, to the comforts of sani-
tary homes, modern dress, and the
delicacies of the modern dining table.
The Effect of Sin on Others.
The appeal here is not, as strong as
in the first case, but there are per-
sons who have so much of the better
man in them that they really regard
the welfare of those who are about
them. The husband has regard to his
obligations to his children, and he
provides for their comfort. The son
have deepest love for him, and If he
acts in way that wounds that love
he feels that he has sinned against
them. This is all very worthy, and it
is proper on certain occasions to call
the attention of certain persons to
their shining in this regard.
Sin Against God.
There is another sphere that In
these days needs notice. Harry Mon
roe, the man who in years long gone,
knew the depths of sin, but who for
thirty years at the Pacific Garden
Mission in Chicago has been the
means of leading hundreds of sinful
men and women to God said to the
writer of these words only few days
ago. 1T is not hard to get men and
women to raise their hands, and to
stand up and go forward to the altar
but that is not enough. the trouble
is, there is not enough conviction Of
sin," and he quoted the words Of
David, Against thee, thee only have
l sinned." One of the greatest diff
ficulties that workers for God have to
meet is to get men and women to get
hold of the idea of God A mans
moral degradation may be acknowl-
edged with very little thought Of God.
Even ones sins against others may
be conceded with very little or no
thought of God, and there are many
men and women who are faithful TO
their dependents who do not know
God. But in deeper thinking on sin
practically everything is lost II God
is left out There is no proper ap-
prehension Of sin until God is brought
into the foreground. The man readily
says: TYes, have sinned against
myself, and have sinned against So
ciety," but when asked if he has
sinned against God he is dazed, and
is silent. II the man who acknowl-
edges sins against himself and So
ciety, would only think little, he
would ask the question, who estab-
lished the law that enforced these re-.
sults?" he will soon come to the
place where he must acknowledge
God, and if he does so, the solution
of the problem of his sin is at hand.
David was near that solution when
he said: 81 acknowledge my trans
gressions, and my sin is ever before
me. Against thee, thee only have /
sinned, and done this evil in thy
sight" Job was near it when he said:
Behold, / am vile; what shall an
swer thee? l will lay my hand upon
my mouth" When the prodigal echoed
the words of David, he was near the
same blessing. The cry: God be
merciful to me sinner" comes out
of a clear recognition of God. No
one can confess his sin and forsake
1t without acknowledgment of God.
This is properly called conviction of
sin. 1t is not produced by trial in a
court of justice, nor is it the result
of carrying an abstract proposition
to it's logical conclusion, but to a
sense of personal wrong doing in the
sight of God. A great evangelical
teacher of the last century said that
conviction of sin involves sense OF
wrong doing, distress in view of the
past and an apprehension in view of
what is to come. How much of the
conviction of the present day contains
these elements?