Year: 1872

Day OF Repentance and Preparation


for Atoncment-Truc Rcpentance-Ser-


mon by DIR. Gutheim.


This day, said the Doctor is set apart for repent
ance and returning to God, as indicated by the
prophet in Isaiah w., 7-"Seek ye the Lord while
He may be found; call ye upon Him while He Is
near; let the wicked forsake his way and the un-
righteous man his thoughts, and let him return
unto the Lord, who will have mercy upon him, and
unto our Cod, who will abundantly pardon" The
most faithful condition In which can be blest Is
in cOnfiict with himself and whatever encourages
man to remain in sin il in conflict with his better
self, and must be painful to him In his efforts to
return. Sin is ever opposed to that inward con-
victiOn which we have found to be good. and which
draws us toward God. And thus every sin which
we commit drives us INTO conflict with our
better natures and the dsquiet which forces itself
God is an evidence of this conflict between sin and
righteousness. The sincere desire OF the heart to
return to G0d-this Is repentance, and every man
feels this spirit OF repentance at some time. The
man VINO is addicted to open and gross crimes feels
this sentiment Of repentance perhaps very rarely
But our blessed religion comes to our help and 1t
has appointed


A SEASON FOR REPENTANCE


and returning to God. But woe unto him who
repents whenever he feels he has s done wrong. He
returns to God at once Repentance should not
require special admOnitions, as some persons
day OF atonement will bring us repentance, and
that after that day we may continue in sin as
before. 1s 1t right to think that this day will atone
for all our sins and we continue as before Men
argue that they can do this and that wrong act be-
cause they have another chance to repent or
the day Of atonement is coming. But It is a
mistake to think the day of atOnement
will cover our sins. 1t is the inspiration OF the
heart which God requires-truth In our lives, not
very plainly what God requires IN the Fiftyeighth
chapter:-'ls it such Q fast that have chosen q
day for man to affiict his soul Is it to bow down
ashes under him wilt thou call this fast and an
acceptable day unto the Lord Is not this the fast
that have chosen to loose the bands OF wicked
ness, to undo the heavy burdens and to


LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE


and that ye break every yoke Is it not to deal
thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the
poor that cast out to thy house when thou
seest the naked that thou cover him. ana that
thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh Then
health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteous
ness shall go before thee and the glory Of the
Lord shall be thy reward" Sincere re-.
the neart, and is not inspired by fear II we
were not called to account for our sins we should
not do them, because they are injurious to our
selves. But repentance that Is the result OF fear
can be lasting. But if II be called forth by a love
for truth, virtue and our Father in heaven, 1t will
cause & US TO our steps 2. once But every
dOeth good and sim tn not. But the turning to
God must spring from the heart, and then we shall
amend our ways as the text suggests, by returning
unto the Lord, who will have mercy, and to our
God, who will abundanty pardon. And thus shall
we gain strength not to commit those sins that
need to be repented Of In regard to injuries to
n slghbOrs, the Doctor called special attention to
the moral code and the commandments and the in
terests OF humanity, which should bind men to each
other In love. He encouraged his hearers to that
repentance which needed not to be repented Of
and promised them the blessing OF the Lord there
with as made in the chapters from which he had