The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-02-19
Dir. Rees Tells Secret
of a Happy Home
Continued from Page one)

1t is an imperiOus summons; not
suggests, but Commands"
] would urge all to repent, first, be-
cause all have sinned Gladstone
once said zone Of the worst symp-
toms of our age is the decay of the
sense of sinfulness." We minimizessin
by dividing it into sins of Omission,
and sins OF Commission" but God
does not thus discriminate. What
difference does it make to you faith
crs whether your children do what
you tell them not to, or refuse to
do what you tell them? 1t is equal
.disobedience in either case. A Chi
nese statesman was recently asked,
"what arc the three greatest problems
in China today" He replied,
"three? There is only one, the prob
lem of righteousness. If we had no
sin in China we would have no prob
lem" Sin has never seemed to mean
so little in America as since the Arm
istice, for prodigality, sensuality, vio-
lence, disregard of Law, lack of re-
straint, immortality and other forms
OF sin were never so active.
If you think little of sin, go with
me to the Garden, and in reverence
see the Saviour in agonizing prayer
Why this awful agony? 1t was be-
cause of human SIN, your sin and
mine, the sin of all mon. Is sin a
little thing? Walk with me a little
ways "outside the city wall, where
the dear Lord was crucified, who died
to save us all" Look on that face in
the center of the three on the cross.
0 Lamb of God, why this awful
scene? 1t was SIN. Sin is not
imaginary. 1t is the hideous monster
of the ages. 1t is not trivial, but
an awful thing. Now, the secret of
a happy home is repentance from sin,
for no home can have true happiness
where sin rules.
And, again, | urge you to repent,
because "the wages of sin is DEATH"
and, if we do not repent we must
perish, for che that soweth to the
flesh, shall of the flesh reap corlup-
ton | love the Bible. 1t is the
first book | ever remember reading.
| have gone through its sacred pages
again and again, but | cannot find one
ray of hope for the man living in a
Christian community like this who
does not repent. But, sinner, be not
hopeless; though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though the be red like Grim
son, they shall be as wool" Your
heavenly Father loves you with a
mighty love, and can save you-but
you must repent. O, the great love
and longing solcitude of God to set
us free, and only those whom He
makes free are free indeed. Finally,
in the words of our theme, would
urge you to repent for here is the
"Secret of a happy home.
But some may say; "our home is
happy, and we are not Christians"
| Perhaps, in a measure, that may be
true, but none can know the fullest
joy in home where there is no Christ
Ole Bull, the great violinist, and
Erickson, the inventor, were great
friends, but the latter did not care
| for music, and never had heard Bull
play. One day the violinist came to
Erickson's shop and played, and the
scientist was enraptured, and cried,
.:play on, play on, never before
realized what my life lacked" Ono
in a New England city prominent
society woman came to me and said
"Mr. Rees, | am not satised with my
life. / am going first to win my
husband to Christ.
In few nights she had him pres
emit, and when the invitation was
given, she gently lifted his sleeve,
and he rose. Then she sent for her
two fine sons, from college, and they
too, through her influence, came to
Christ. Later she said; "if you had
suggested that my home could be
happier | would have taken issue with
you. But what change since we
never really known happiness until
now"
There are homes represented here
tonight that are not what they used
to be. Fault-fndingb, GOODNESS, self
lshness, sin have crept in. Invite
Christ into your home and see what
difference it will make.
We should repent, because it will
augment the happiness of heaven, +;
for "there is joy in heaven over one
sinner that repenteth." What else