Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-06
WHITEWASHING IS
 NOT WASHING WHITE.
Point Made By Rev. Or. Slocum In
 Crescent Arms Co. Shop Talk


 Thursday noon at the Crescent Arms shop meeting and Rev. Joel B. Slocum addressed the men, choosing for his subject Whitewashing.
 In Part he said:
 I wish that you would imagine that have in my hand a piece of glass, AS I hold it up before you. it can be plainly seen that it is not entirely transparent. There is blotch Of black paint in the very center. How shall I remove that stain? Why, by the application of whitewash, Of course. That is the usual way, isn't it? Whenever we find something in the life of the individual or in the life of the community that is impure the tendency is to get out our white wash brushes. Sometimes after we are all through, there is still the SIs- picion that down underneath the wrong continues to be wrong. But to- day we will put on the whiteWash good and thick. Watch me now in your imaginations; see how I am pill ing on the white; surely it will be a good job. Now I am all through, and pass the piece of glass over to you Yes" you say, that is a fine job. I can't see a particle of the black paint" l am very much pleased with your verdict. I reach over for the thing, and you pass it back to me, you make remark that takes away glass is now opaque. l can't see through it." An. now you have hit on the weak spot. There are times then, when even whitewashing won't do. But a happy thought occurs to me. I take 8 little damp sponge and in a few moments, not only is all the white washing removed, but also the ugly black paint is eliminated Now can you see through the glass? Certainly. There is a difference then, between whitewashing and washing white? Most assuredly; a very vital dierence.
 Stain On Mans Soul.
 If all this appeals to your reason with regard to a little exercise in paints, do you not think there is a tratfon I have used? Man has a stain on his soul. Never mind how it got there; it is surely there. How shall he eradicate the blot? By whitewash? By the application of certain external things like creeds, good resolutions popularity of fellow men, deeds of charity, observance of the laws, at tendance upon the services of the church? These things are all white in themselves. but they cannot cancel te guilt of the soul Lady Macbeth looking at the stain of blood on her hand, cried, Out, damned spot" But 1t didn't out. Finally, she concluded that there wasn't enough water in the ocean to remove that murder mark The trouble was, the stain was not simply that of blood on the hand, but of guilt on the soul
 Deep to be Effective.
 Men, you know as well as I do that the process will have to go deep. if 1t is to be effective. And here is just where l have a message of hope Out of the old book l bring you this pre- scrlption today: Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they snail be as white as snow: though they De red like crimson, they shall be as wool" In other words Jesus has made atonement for our sins through his own blood. Our sins are to be for
 gwen not because we whitewash them put because He washes them white
 There is a, disposition to try to cover up our guilt by the application of some remedy that is purely external ana wholly human. Usually when We start oH on a programme of seIf-cure we make things worse. If a man is caught in lie, he will tell another bv way or avoiding the consequences If the hrst. If one impurity gets into his life, the chances are that another will soon get there to keep it company And so the awful process goes on and on until the soul is all blackened with sin Jesus can make the soul clean present Him to you today as the only saviour who can save; as the only physician who can cure sin.
 Mfs. Lord sang at the conclusion
 wash Me and l Shall be Winter Than Snow N'ii