Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Sins of Omission
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

Long has humanity been
reminded that honest con-
fession is good for the SOUL"
The inner therapeutic value
Of pouring out ones trans
gressions In the ears Of priest
or minister is attested across
the ages by lives restored, re-
lieved, forgiven and cleansed.
When possible restitution for
wrongs done Is made and
when the determination Of
the one who has missed the
mark (which is the real
meaning of the term SIM is
to go out and sin no more.
confession can be indeed a
means Of fedeeming grace.
But how strange 1t is that
the sins that haunt us most
are the deeds we have done
the things which were evil
the actions which degraded
our best selves and perhaps
hurt others. II we truly and
earnestly repent God will
forgive us however we have
stained the page which once
was so white. But for some
shameful things we can never
really forgive ourselves be-
cause we can never undo
what we have done to the
life Of some other person.
There is a deep poignancy
to the prayer offered every
worship service in cathedral
and church and chapel, Il
have done those things I
ought not to have DONE"
With what an agony Of con-
triton untold millions have
exclaimed with regard to
some deed Of commission
If I could but eradicate that
from my record I'd pay any
price! But what we have
written we have written.
Yet, how little remorSe
there is for that other side
Of every persons record
II have left undone those
things that I ought to have
done" There they are
those sins of omission! They
ought to set the conscience
aflame with gnawing remorse
and regret. Ella Wheeler
Wilcox lifts up a wistful re-
hinder Of lovely things we
have failed to do in her lines.
1t isn't the thing you do.
dear
IT'S the thing you left undone
That gives you a bit OF q
heGrtdche
At the setting OF the sun.
Marguerite Wilkinson, in
her verses entitled Guilty"
speaks of being haunted
night and day by the thought
of her transgressions. What
were they? Was she think
ing Of the fragrant sins which
could be charged against
her in the judgment she was
already facing? No. She is
not being dashed by the
Thou shalt nots" Of the
decalogue-those immutable
laws that wilful men and
women cannot break-for If
defied they break those who
think they break them.
No, the poet wants to make
1t plain. She says, Il never
cut my neighbours throat, I
never stole my neighbours
gold, I never spoiled his home
and land" But, she cries,
God have mercy on my soul
because of all the deeds I
have not DONE" Then at an
altar Of penitence she coins
our topic, 20 uninterrupted
loneliness" In that SOUL
searching confession she is
very near the chief empha-
sis put upon life by the great
est teacher regarding human
behavior who ever trod the
earth. With the Man of
Nazareth it is startling to
find that 1t is not the sins
that men commit which are
mostly singled out for blame
and criticism. 1t is the things
men omit that are mostly
condemned. 1t is "Unat-
tempted loneliness"
During the Christian CEN
turtles there have been
adopted all sorts of man.
ynada othical and doCtrinol