The Washington herald., 1921-08-15
.The Coniession q 1 Captured Criminal''
Sermon By Rev. Dr.. cIsys G. Chappsl Pastor,
Mt vemsn Place n Z. Church, South.

mon 40. ~ ~ ultler Win lA1 Nttn-
wood OF failure and remorse. Hear
II, "As have done to others, 20
hath God rsquffed me-"
This confession is not com
piaint IT is the statement Of g
law, II IL q law 81 nxed ~ the
fact Of God. when our Lord tells
us what a man sows he reaps. he
~ not srspendfng q .swcrd over our
heads. He Is letting Us know that
this % an ordered world. He 10.
putting In our hands the WONDERFUL
privilege OF Determining what hsr-
vest we shall reap. In . world of
chance you might not be able 70
decide on your own harvest but In
I world over which God reigns you
yourself can decide what harvest
you VIII reap. Having decided IL
no man can rob you of your privi-
lege.
csafe.sed In Despair.
Now. when this man made this
confession he made u in bitterness.
He made il through lips white
with pain. It was o confession ut
tered in the depths of black des-
pair. But he might have said ex-
actly the same words and said
them joyously. He might have
pronounced the same sentence and
have done 80 with joy that was
absolutely unspeakable and full OF
glory.
In that marvellous picture drawn
by Jesus OF the Judgment, the
righteous are told, Come ye blessed
Of Ny Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you" Why? was
hungry, and ye fed Me. ] was
naked. and ye clothed Me. ] was
sick and in prison. and ye visited
me-" And they are bit surprised
and say, Lord. we did not know II
was you And the Master said
'1hasmuch a. ye have done II unto
one OF the least Of these, ye have
done II unto Ne" And when they
were crowned they might have said,
and truly. exactly what this poor.
wretched criminal declared: As
have done to others, so hath God re.
| Quilted me-" ... as
So We shall Ceafess.
So you and I are going to make
this confession one day. We are
going TO make it in JOY or we are
| going TO make it in sorrow. We are
going to make 1t. pleading through
lips choked with sobs or through
| lips meiodious with song. We are
going to make IL as we mt >ouT
crowns upon our brows or We are
going 20 make 1t as we dress our
souls in chains. We will make II
amidst the glad SURPRISES and the
raptures of Heaven or we make II
amidst bitter dlssppointments and
despair. Make Il we will. sometime
som how. as surely as we are here
at this moment. Now, what Is Out
privilege? What 10 our highest wis
dom? II 10 this: Determine that W.
are going to be able to utter thii
confession with the thrill OF eterna
hallelujas. HE that soweth TO tn
flesh shall OF the flesh reap corrup
ton" That is true. The experience
OF all the centuries makes that fac
as clear as q tropical sun at Noon
day. But he that soweth to tn
Spirit shall of the Spirit reap lif'
Everlasting" That Is equally tru
and equally clear. So lay hold o'
this blessed certainty. II yo'
choose Christ as four Maxter--i
you will live for Him.-one day, Jus
az certainly as God lives, you VII
lit your shout among the knight
hood Of God that assemblies aroun
the Round Table OF the King. An
this will be your gladstone cry: "A
have done TO others. SO hath Go
requited me-" There will only b
this difference. that your harves
will be infinitely greater than you
|, sowing. You will learn this as 20
have never learned before. that II
10 able to do exceedingly abundant
above all that We ask or think. o
! heart, I place before you life an
death. blessings and cursings. I be
you. choose life