The Washington herald., 1918-01-21


Th.ts : very peculiar ts1t, but !
ga not sslect II because of Its Pc
sgigzrfty- but because II 10 verse
eE SGsipssre oftimes misunderstood
A good many men have given as their
reason for not believing in the Bible
the fact that the statement therein
contained did not appertain to their
idea Of what II ought TO be-
II Is often used by some men TO
Justify them In sneering at God and
mocking at him. for saying Let the
sinners be consumed out OF the earth,
and let the wicked b no more"
Doesn't God want them to be saved7
Now, that verse contains the germ
of the thought that want to develop
this afternoon. have never found II
50 expressed in any other verse Of
Scripture. That IL why select 1t for
my text.
At first It would seem a. though =
righteous man sought to bring the
curse of God down upon all men that
did not believe as he did or see ana
live as he did That would be an
unjust criticism Of David. the author
Of that Psalm because In another
Psalm he says, 30 God. let the wick
edness Of the wicked come to an end"
and "Riyers Of water run down mine
eyes because the people keep not the
law
He said, Il would have tainted II It
hadn't been for the hope that I had
in me that some day would see the
salvation of God. II I thought that
men were going on to live as they
are now and would never repent AN,
turn from their sins, couldn't stand
= n rxyntrId
have tainted II It hadn't been for the
hope that had in me that some day
a man would see that he wrong and
turn from his evil to righteousness.
But there were men that would not
be saved. They were breaking Gods
law as they did that. They rejected
Gods offers of mercy. They turned
to their lusts. They gratifed every
ambition and desire. Wickedness in
creased and David saw sin. He saw
what sin meant, what it meant to
the Individual, to his wife, to his
children. to the nation
1t was a curse and a blight and a
damnation to every one that com
mitted IL or those that they touched
or Influenced He said, well. God. II
men wont do right, II men have made
up their minds that they win live In
sin as long as they live, 7 don't see
any use of letting them livs any ron
ger. Then let those fellows be con-
sumed out of the earth, and let them
be no more"
Then you have said the very same
thing when some good. noble, respect
able man has died sooner than some
God-forsaken, old whisky-soaked lib
ertine. You have said, II don't see
why God didn't kill that old devil and
let the decent man live, because this
fellow. by living. Is cursing people.
That man, by his life. was bene-
diction."
Why Vile Man Lived.
Why did the good man die and the
vile fellow live2 Well, 1t Is because
God knew If the good man died he
would go to heaven and the other
fellow would go to hell, and God was
giving him a chance, my friends, to
repent. for God has no pleasure in
the death Of the wicked. That Is why
David said he couldn't see any use in
letting the old reprobate live. as long
as he had made up his mind he would
be q reprobate as long as he lived,
and you have said the same thing.
Sometimes 1 hear men speak lightly
about sin. have always said, Eth
er that fellow doesn't know what he
is talking about, he doesn't realize
what it Is, or his heart has become
so hard and black and callous because
of his long indulgence, that he has
lost all respect for God and man and
decency. and virtue. He looks upon
wonzan as a sort Of female divine
prerogative by and through whom
he can live and crafty his lusts and
desires"
No fellow would talk Ike that II
he were sane. II he had q good mind.
But listen, II the sinner was the
only one affected. would work Just
as hard as l do, II the man who
committed sin was the only one that
had to suffer for his sin. I'd work
Just as hard as do for the benefit
that would accrue to him.
No man lives in himself alone You
can't confins the results of your sin
to yourself. You will communicate
II to others. You rub elbows with
others In society. In the lodge. in
your home. on the street. Your infiu-
ence will be, blight or q mildew.
Others have To suffer because Of It
Not only for the present generation.
but for generations that have to be
born. and the generations~have right
to be weu born. II 10 thefr inherent
right not to be brought into the
world with their veins soaked fun Of
whisky, for that will make them Q
liability to the community In which
they live, because they are on the
side Of the devil.
Religion Gauges Natioa-
Now. II you want to know what
nation Is, you must ask what the re-
ligion OF that nation Is. Without re-
ligion a nation u not q nation. bur
simply q collection and O conglomer-
ate collection of people. What Is best
in a nation or an individual springs
from the religion. What IL worst in
a nation or individual springs from
lack of religion.
wien Il preach for religion. am
preaching for my country. Occasion
ally, I hear a man who says. "It's
noboAy's dam business how live.
This is q land Of liberty"
/ think that's the most ,cowardly.
unmanly. un-American. lov-down.
hellish. vile sentiment that ever found
q brain rotten enough to conceive II
and Dps and tongue vile enough to ut
ter II
ten you it's everybody's business
what you do. Do you mean to tell me
IL is. nobody's business whether you
are honest or whether you steal or
whether you are pure IN your life?
A fellow says. so long as I pz,
for n 50 long as am satisfied with
my Fay,-~hat IL 1t TO you? What
business have You to infringe upon
my personal liberty. sir7'''' =
Suppose my wife should say to me.
ss7usband. I hear q woman shrieking
and crying IN the house next door. I