The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1922-10-13

:
the latter part Of the Seventeenth CEN
tury the few Jews in Jerusalem were
distinguished as dyers.
Gods appeal to besoiled and evil
indulging Israel places the contrast In
distinct description; there is scarlet
ever against snow, and crimson ever
against wool. You have seen the rays
Of scarlet, for the moment, as the set
ting sun glorified the banks Of winter
snow beneath them, and you have
seen the crimson there shed Its glory
over the feeding flock of sheep; the
one all colorful, the other all white
ness. Thus does God call to Israel as
If saying "your sins are all apparent.
outstanding. tragic, will make them
unseen even as white handkerchief
would be hidden on bank Of clean
snow" God Is asserting to Israel bis
power and his willingness to cover
sin so that 1t cannot be seen. Not
that God will call wrong right Not
that But that he knows how to
take away SIM" And he wills to do 1t.
Great is the fact Of Gods power to
cancel sin. If someone had discoy-
cred the secret Of coloring scarlet or
a crimson garment white 1t would
soon be announced worldwide, and
great investments would be at COM
mand to use the secret. But far great
er is the secret so persistently set
forth In the Bible that God can make
white, our scarlet and crimson record.
These deeds and habits we rate as
less offensive are SO often classified
with those we rate as decidedly PAD
In the Bible as If to urge upon our at
tention the fact that before God SIN
is sin. The fearful are classed with
adulterers and covetousness Is classed
with idolatry. While this fact may
cause some to be annoyed, you and
may see in 1t the glorious truth that
God can as readily deal with one as
the other, and just as effectively, too.
Gray sins may seem to us easier TO
do away with, but with God those OF
the deepest and most enduring hues
can be put away just as readily. Il
we dwell upon the bad condition we
bring. all will be hopeless. But If we
will but believe his power to produce
whiteness nothing can make us perish.
The Scripture we have selected Is
a call to reason" And Gods call to
reasoning asks men to begin by con-
sidering their relation to him. 1t Is
lust here that sin appears In the way.
The sin question must be settled II we
are to act nationally in his sight. 1t
would not be reasonable to ignore 1t.
| Our tendency to make much OF our
relations with each other and to pro-
ceed as IL God could not be really
known. ignores good reasoning.
Our assumed, ideal accord with
each other when traced to its root
smells "s-e-l-f." Our imaginary broth
erhood ends In egotism. "Disinterest-
ed benevolence" Is unnatural. God
Arstl Goodness. and then brOtherli-
| ness! Right with God, and then the
| square deaI!" No Goddess social vel
fnre possible! Separated from God
and Joined to one another. even civil
JIzation becomes uncivil. Marriages
vows. friendship pledges, contracts IN
business and citizenship loyalty >are
| all too uncertain, too amenable to SEN
timent and emotion to classify as good
rational assurances. apart from right
relations with God.
| Gods cali to reason Is wrapped up
| with the assurance that he can put
sin completely away. How well the
Lords words to Cain flt into the whole
Rible message about sin when trans
| lated: eff thou doest not well the sim
offering croucheth at the door," (Gen-
esis 4:7.) Place alongside this Scrip
| ture the words 81 will remember their
sin no more" (Jer. 81 :34.) Or accom-
napy 1t with these words: I'VE also
-iov IN God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now re-
| ceived the atonement" (Rom. 5:11.}
| Nothing. YOU see, is here left to "per-
hans" or maybe" The voice that
said LET there be light" says: "They
shall be as white as snow" Argu-
ment has nothing further to say.
| NV soul, cling thou to that great
word. "Though" What If. recognize
r. so. 10, awakened to the factI
Though my sins be as scarlet! Worst
has come to worst The discovery.
all but hopeless has been madei O.
let me but believe Gods "they shall
he'll Tell me the worst about myself.
for forthwith, If come to Gods rea-
soning I am the receiver of the best.
'sThey shall be-" What shall be? My
sins. They shall be white as snow.
They shall be as wool. Surely Gods
reasonableness Is effectual "He that
believeth Is not condemned" what
clearing!"
| 'J the chief of sinners am,