South Bend news-times., 1915-07-26
PASTOR SAYS SIN
CAN 7 Be IGNORED
Rev. G. w. Allison Points Out
FaIIaCy of Attempting
to Deny Evil.

1T is not the business Of religion
10 ignore sin, but TO combat sin. So
called Christian Science saws matter
and evil are unreal or again. mat
ter and evil are false beliefs " said
Rev. George William Allison. pastor
Of the Hope Presbyterian church sun
day morning in his sermon on the
subject. 1.-The Christian Conception Of
Sin.
There seems to be something in
herently perverse I'm man which
makes or allows him 20 violate hu-
manitv's highest standards. In law
we call this crime; in morals vice and
in religion. sin. The definition of
most Of the cateChisms is too cold in
saving that sin is any want Of con-
formity uNto or transgressions Of the
law of God for sin involves personal
relationships. Sin is a personal Of
fense and breach.
Even the ethnic religions had
conception OF sin, low. of course. as
was all of their thinking. The Jew
ish people believed that sin would out.
BE sure your sin will find you out
they said. II was not only a curse to
a man himself, but tainted the lives
of his children and set their teeth on
edge for several generations. If the
sinner were the only one TO suffer, il
were not so bad; but sin is also
social curse.
1T is TO he expected that religious
systems would provide for cOncep-
tions Of sin-but government also has
to recognize il and provide protection
against and punishment for sin. Litera-
ture also tells of the sins of men. And
redemption from it's tolls is the chief
burden of the message Of the Bible
This was also the purpose Of the mis-
sion of Christ. It is also testified
from common experience that there is
sin and evil in the world. And this
is the fundamental problem of re-
ligion. And that religion is practical
which is most efficient in relieving
men from its grip.
Must Combat Sin.
"It is not the business Of religion
to ignore sin. but to combat sin. So
called Christian Science says. Mat
ter and evil are unreal Or again.
Matter and evil are false beliefs This
is as the habit of the ostrich in the
desert. which in the presence Of dan
ger buries its head in the sand and
ignores the peril There is nothing
either more real or more damning
than sin in human life. And that Is
no religion which ignores the chief
end of the existence OF religion.
THE Bible is emphatic upon this
point, If we say that we have no sin.
we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in use Again. If we say
that we have not sinned. we make
Him a liar, and His word is not in
u.s. All have sinned, and come short
Of the glory of Cod Many more quo
tations might be multiplied Common
knowledge of thievery. murder. adul-
terry, hate. envy, greed, testify how
many more words and deeds in our
language also testify to the enormity
of sin.
1.-The Christian religion accepts the
fact of sin as incOntrovertible. And
then sets out TO redeem men from its
power. We should not make the mis-
take Of expecting perfection in any
individual. Salvation is not a mat
ter of the quantity Of your sin. but
the question of whether or not the
sin of your life grows more or less.
Attainment of heaven does not de-
pend upon your distance from il, but
your direction of travel. AS a Chris
tian you ought to grow less sinful and
more Christlike. You ought to do
everything that will help and nothing
that Will hinder yourself and your
! fellOwmen to become more Christlike >
So press on toward the goal of the
prize Of the high calling Of God in
| Christ Jesus. Let us strive TO scotch
the serpent of sin and stop the curse
of the race"