|
The sins of our most holy things!
(From Octavius Winslow's "Contrition and Confession")
Beloved, all that we do for God, and for Christ,
and for our fellows, is deformed and tainted by
human infirmity and sin.
A close scrutiny and analysis of our most saintly
act would discover the leprosy of iniquity deeply
hidden beneath its apparent loveliness and sanctity.
How humbling, yet how true!
We have need....
to weep over our tears,
to repent of our repentances, and
to confess our confessions.
And, when our most fervent prayer has been breathed,
and our most self denying act has been performed,
and our most liberal offering has been presented,
and our most powerful sermon has been preached,
and our sweetest anthem has poured forth its music,
we have need to repair to the "blood that cleanses
from ALL sin," even the sins of our most holy things!
How instructive and impressive the type! "You shall
make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like
the engravings of a signet, Holiness to the Lord...
And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron
may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the
children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts;
and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they
may be accepted before the Lord."
Thus has Christ, our true Aaron, made a full Atonement
for the "iniquity of our holy things;" and the mitre is
always upon His head, that our persons and our offerings
may be ever accepted before the Lord.
|