Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-03-23
FORGIVENESS OF SIM
THE ESSENCE OF FAITH
The Rev. Edward Dering Evans
Delivers His Second Message
in His Mission at Saint
Anne's Church.
WHY CHRIST CAN FORGIVE.
Victory Over Satan Makes Jesus the
Universal Saviour

Universal Saviour
Last night the second in his series of
four Wednesday mission services in
ST. Annes Church was conducted by
the Rev. Edward Dering Evans. Rector
of st. Luke's Church, Baltimore.
The manner of the mission is very
Informal. and somewhat unusual as
The missioner at intervals invites the
whole congregation to Join him in re-
peating aloud the main points OF his
discourse.
forgiveness of sin is an essential
part Of the Christian religion" This
was the first point enunciated by the
congregation with him He declared
that all men acknowledge sin as a fact
In the world no matter how much they
may excuse or nickname it. Some
call i "heredity," or environment" or
what not. but there IL is-evident TO
all men rebellion against God.
However. all men do not acknowl-
edge sin. 1t is vital truth which too
many ignore. The Indifferent sinner
does not wish to consider it Many
church people view religion as consist
ing of church services and saying
prayers, but they do not grasp the
great doctrine of divine forgiveness.
Indeed, many persons. ike many ma
tons, are Christians in name only.
Mr., Evans then read a clipping from
an English paper OF recent date de-
scribing an incident in the trenches in
Flanders. a young Christian soldier
was listening TO a conversation of his
comrades, in which every speaker re-
pmliated religion as practically use
less. He then took the other view told
them to consider the essential needs of
humaniy-God and His Providence
and His glorious forgiveness After
a pause, an old sergeant said: We'll,
| wish ] could believe il. but it is too
good 10 be true"
This incident in the trenches is
miniature of the worlds. attitude. Yet.
If men would only look at nature IT,
self. they would find forgiveness writ
ten large everywhere. The windstorm
breaks a limb OIL tree; It bleols.
but the flowing sap soon thickens.
hardens and heals. So men wound the
side of a hill by blasting the rock away
and leaving an unsightly gap. But ma
ture soon covers the ugliness with
beautiful fern ana tlowers. Forgive
ness is thus manifest as natures rem
edy This symbolizes the Creators law
of forgiveness.
The second point emphasized by
Mr. Evans was forgiveness is be-
slowed by Jesus Christ In virtue of His
ness cannot remove sin, but Jesus can
because He never sinned. He had
power over Satan Thirdly, Jesus
gift of absolution is conditioned upon
my repentance Just as | must con
fess my sickness before can be bene-
fitted by a physician, so | must ac-
knowledge my sin before ] can be ben
eiittol by the Great Physician Think
what forgiveness cost God--even the
Cross of Calvary. II must cost us
something also, as we are made in His
image. We suffer with Him in the
great struggle for forgiveness. Our
suffering is repentance
Mr.. Evans then gave a most impress
siye and graphic description Of the
contrast between Adams encounter
with sin and that Of Jesus. Adam
when tempted felt a great desire TO
lapse back ino being a mere animal
L would be so easy to do as he pleas
cd. To follow his own will without
restrain, appealed 10 him so strongly
il was SO hard to struggle upward 10
the divine nature.
But see Jesus. the lonely figure
climbing up the crags toward the
wilderness, there to be tempted Of the
devil. We can imagine Satan sum
moning his cohorts of fallen angels to
attack the sinless one. Here is He of
whom God says This is NY beloved
Son. in whom / am well pleased" Sa-
tan claiming victory over every human
being, is determined that Jesus shall
be no exception. He will make Him
fall like all the rest.
But what was in Jesus mind? An
the struggles of humanity, from the
tragedy of Eden TO the present Euro
pean war. Yes, the evils and sorrows
in this city of Annapolis. Jesus took
all human woes into His bosom and
as mans champion, met mans arch
enemy The impression was deeply
stamped upon the congregation that
The hopes and fears
OF all the years
were centered in that great Tempta-
tion. And Jesus proved Himself the
Lord OF righteousness. mighty to save.
aesR