Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 244, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1914 — TO OBTAIN MERCY [ARTICLE]

TO OBTAIN MERCY

Consciousness of Sin and Unwort hioess Must Always Be the First Requisite. It is important to know how mercy may be sought so as to be found. In the familiar wdrds concerning the Pharisee and the publican, we have the way to mercy divinely pointed out The first requisite is a sense of personal guilt—“ God be merciful to me a«slnner.” Individuality, and personal accountability to- God mast be recognized before any acceptable plea for mercy can be presented. “Every man must give an account of himself to God.” “Every soul must bear Its own burden.” “There must be grief on aceount of sin. The Pharisee had no conviction of unworthiness, and, therefore, no sorrow for sin. He did not feel any need of mercy, and did not pray for it Yet he prayed. He prayed with himself, not to God, saying: “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” He felt himself to be “rich, Increased in goods and In need of nothing,” and to all such God. says: “I will spue thee out of my mouth.” How different with the publican! He “smote his breast,” indicating the heart as the seat of grief, on account of the consciousness of sin and unworthiness. The chief element in true repentance is a sense of the offense our sins are offering to God. There can be no “repentance toward God” until the soul feels that: “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.”

“I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight.” True Feeling of Grief. The feeling of grief is produced In recognizing the sinfulness of sin in God’s sight, and in realizing the injury it Inflicts on ourselves and the harmful influence it exerts upon others. The publican “smote his breast” In expression of his passionate grief over his sin against God, his own soul and his fellow-man. He cried for mercy, bowing his heart in humility and shame before God. He stood afar off, denoting that he felt unworthy to draw near to the sacred precincts of the temple, and as though his presence would desecrate the holy place. His humility Is further shone In hie not lifting “up so much as his eyes unto heaven.” The Psalmist expresses this thought in the words: “My sins have taken hold of me so that I am not able to look up.” The perception of divine purity always produces a deep sense of humility In the sinner’s heart and prompts the prayer, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Mercy is the sinner’s only plea. He does not pray for justice. Weighed in the scales of Justice he must be found wanting, and has nothing to expect but punishment. Seeking for Mercy. Note that the publican had conviction of personal guilt, sorrow on account of his unworthiness and deep humility of heart. These are the conditions, for acceptable approach to God Jn prayer. Then note the object and character bf his prayer. The object was “mercy.” Its character waß brief and simpler but sincere and earnest. ' It was a very short prayer. Only seven words, hpt the longings of the soul were in them and they wsre presented in the way of God’s appointment. “He went up to the temple to pray.” He was seeking God where he is always to be found by those of “a broken add contrite heart.” Would you find mercy? Seek It as the publican did in the spirit of humility and with confession of sin, offering unto 6od the sincere and earnest supplication of the heart: “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” There was a very happy result following the publican’s going up to the temple to pray. “He went down to his house Justified." Not so with the proud Pharisee. He went away abashed. “For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exAlted.”