29 Sermon Illustrations on Confession

“When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.” Psalm 32:3

There is nothing that so takes the joy out of life like unconfessed sin on the conscience.

I once heard the late Dr. F. E. Marsh tell that on one occasion he was preaching on this question and urging upon his hearers the importance of confession of sin and wherever possible, of restitution for wrong done to others.

At the close a young man, a member of the church, came up to him with a troubled countenance. “Pastor,” he explained, “you have put me in a sad fix. I have wronged another and I am ashamed to confess it or to try to put it right. You see, I am a boatbuilder and the man I work for is an infidel. I have talked to him often about his need of Christ and have urged him to come and hear you preach, but he scoffs and ridicules it all. Now, I have been guilty of something that, if I should acknowledge it to him, will ruin my testimony forever.”

He then went on to say that sometime ago he started to build a boat for himself in his own yard. In this work copper nails are used because they do not rust in the water. These nails are quite expensive and the young man had been carrying home quantities of them to use on the job. He knew it was stealing, but he tried to salve his conscience by telling himself that the master had so many he would never miss them and besides he was not being paid all that he thought he deserved. But this sermon had brought him to face the fact that he was just a common thief, for whose dishonest actions there was no excuse.

“But,” said he, “I cannot go to my boss and tell him what I have done or offer to pay for those I have used and return the rest. If I do he will think I am just a hypocrite. And yet those copper nails are digging into my conscience and I know I shall never have peace until I put this matter right.”

For weeks the struggle went on. Then one night he came to Dr. Marsh and exclaimed, “Pastor, I’ve settled for the copper nails and my conscience is relieved at last.”

“What happened when you confessed to your employer what you had done?” asked the pastor.

“Oh,” he answered, “he looked queerly at me, then exclaimed, ‘George, I always did think you were just a hypocrite, but now I begin to feel there’s something in this Christianity after all. Any religion that would make a dishonest workman come back and confess that he had been stealing copper nails and offer to settle for them, must be worth having.’”

Dr. Marsh asked if he might use the story, and was granted permission.

Sometime afterward, he told it in another city. The next day a lady came up and said, “Doctor, I have had ‘copper nails’ on my conscience too.” “Why, surely, you are not a boatbuilder!” “No, but I am a book-lover and I have stolen a number of books from a friend of mine who gets far more than I could ever afford. I decided last night I must get rid of the ‘copper nails,’ so I took them all back to her today and confessed my sin. I can’t tell you how relieved I am. She forgave me, and God has forgiven me … I am so thankful the ‘copper nails’ are not digging into my conscience any more.”

I have told this story many times and almost invariably people have come to me afterward telling of “copper nails” in one form or another that they had to get rid of. On one occasion, I told it at a High School chapel service. The next day the principal saw me and said, “As a result of that ‘copper nails’ story, ever so many stolen fountain pens and other things have been returned to their rightful owners.”

Reformation and restitution do not save. But where one is truly repentant and has come to God in sincere confession, he will want to the best of his ability to put things right with others.

I heard a story about two young men who came to New York City from the country on a visit. They went to the same boarding-house to stay and took a room together. Well, when they came to go to bed each felt ashamed to go down on his knees before his companion first. So they sat watching each other. In fact, to express the situation in one word, they were both cowards--yes, cowards! But at last one of them mustered up a little courage, and with burning blushes, as if he was about to do something wrong and wicked, he sunk down on his knees to say his prayers. As soon as the second saw that, he also knelt. And then, after they had said their prayers, each waited for the other to get up. When they did manage to get up one said to the other: "I really am glad to see that you knelt; I was afraid of you." "Well," said the other, "and I was afraid of you." So it turned out that both were Christians, and yet they were afraid of each other. You smile at that, but how many times have you done the same thing--perhaps not in that way, but the same thing in effect. Henceforth, then, be not ashamed, but let everyone know you are His.

One week ago I preached on the text, "Christ came to heal the broken-hearted." I told you just before I came down that I had received a letter from a broken-hearted wife. Her husband one night came in, to her surprise, and said he was a defaulter and must flee, and he went, she knew not where. He forsook her and two children. It was a pitiful letter, and the wail of that poor woman seems to ring in my ears yet. That night up in that gallery was a man whose heart began to beat when I told the story, thinking it was him I meant, till I came to the two children. When I got through I found that he had taken money which did not belong to him, intending to replace it, but he failed to do so, and fled. He said: "I have a beautiful wife and three children, but I had to leave her and come to Chicago, where I have been hiding. The Governor of the State has offered a reward for me." My friends, a week ago this poor fellow found out the truth of this text. He was in great agony. He felt as if he could not carry the burden, and he said, "Mr. Moody, I want you to pray with me. Ask God for mercy for me." And down we went on our knees. I don't know as I ever felt so bad for a man in my life. He asked me if I thought he should go back. I told him to ask the Lord, and we prayed over it. That was Sunday evening, and I asked him to meet me on the Monday evening. He told how hard it was to go back to that town and give himself up and disgrace his wife and children. They would give him ten years. Monday came and he met me and said, "Mr. Moody, I have prayed over this matter, and I think that Christ has forgiven me, but I don't belong to myself. I must go back and give myself up. I expect to be sent to the penitentiary; but I must go." He asked me to pray for his wife and children, and he went off. He will be there to-day in the hands of justice. My friends, don't say the way of the transgressor is not hard.

A minister in Brooklyn was recently called upon by a business-man, who said, "I come, sir, to inquire if Jesus Christ will take me into the concern as a silent partner."—"Why do you ask?" said the minister. "Because I wish to be a member of the firm, and do not wish anybody to know it," said the man. The reply was, "Christ takes no silent partners. The firm must be 'Jesus Christ & Co.'; and the names of the 'Co.,' though they may occupy a subordinate place, must all be written out on the signboard."

As a man who hath money to pay is loath to part with it; but, when it is once paid, he is glad that it is discharged: even so men, before they have confessed their sins, are unwilling to disburthen themselves of them; but, when confession is once made, they have eased their hearts, and find such comfort as they could not before conceive. Caudray.

As beggars, if they have any good thing, conceal and hide it, and only show their rags and sores, whereby they may move beholders to pity them; even so it behooveth us not to boast our good deeds before God, as the Pharisee did, but to confess our own evil deeds, if we will provoke the Lord's mercy towards us, as the publican did.

— Cawdray

It is said of the elephant, that, before he drinks in the river, he troubles the water with his feet, that he may not see his own deformity; and it is well for the old not to mind the looking-glass, lest they behold nothing but hollow eyes, pale cheeks, and a wrinkled front, — the ruins of a more beautiful visage. Thus it is that men by nature are hardly drawn to the confession of their sins, but every man is ready to hide his sins by excusing them, with Aaron; by coloring them with fair pretences, as did the Jews; by laying them on others, as Adam did; or by denying them, with Solomon's harlots.

— Spencer

It is mentioned in a fable, how the wolf, the fox, and the ass went to shrift together to do penance. The wolf confesseth to the fox, who easily absolve him; the fox doth the like to the wolf, and receiveth the like favor; after this, the ass comes to confession, and his fault was, that, being hungry, he had taken one straw from the sheaf of a pilgrim travelling to Rome, whereof he was heartily penitent: but that would not serve, the law was executed severely upon him; he was slain and devoured. By the wolf is meant the pope; by the fox, his cardinals, Jesuits, and priests. These quickly absolve one another, how heinous soever their offences are; but when the poor ass, that is the Romish-ridden laity, come to shrift, though his offence be not the weight and worth of a straw, yet on his back shall the rigor of the law be laid: he shall be sure to pay for all.

— Spencer

Washington, when stationed in early life at Alexandria, with a regiment under his command, grew warm at an election, and said something offensive to a Mr. Payne, who, with one blow of his cane, brought him to the ground. On hearing of the insult, the regiment, burning for re-

# CONFESSIO

# HAPPY EFFECTS OF CONFESSION.

# 90. Procures Peace of Mind.

This eminent judge was never ashamed of publicly retracting any wrong opinion he had entertained, when once convinced of his mistake. He used frequently to say, probably after Dean Swift, who has a similar passage in his writings, "That to acknowledge you were wrong yesterday, was but to let the world know that you are wiser today than you were then."

# ON OF SIN.

member of a church in R—township, N. Y., had, according to the practice of the times, been accustomed to indulge in the use of intoxicating drinks. On one occasion he was so overcome as to falter in his step and stammer in his speech. A little time after this, having awakened to a sense of his spiritual declension, he came to the church and made an apparently most sincere and heart-broken confession. 91.92

CONFESSION OF SIN.

He confessed coldness, worldly-mindedness, neglect of prayer, neglect of the church, and almost all manner of backslidings. Yet he sat down without any alleviation of his distress. Conviction and anguish of spirit increased. He confessed again, and still his trouble increased. At three successive meetings his tears and his sad countenance added interest to his humiliating confessions, and still his soul was the more burdened. Finally he arose, and with a full soul, sobbing aloud, said, "I have been drunk. Will you forgive me?" The effect was electrical. Peace and joy filled his soul, and the forgiveness of his brethren and friends beamed on every countenance. Such is the result of a confession that covers the wrong.

# 91. Prevents Alienation.

In a small country town in Massachusetts, there lived two wealthy farmers, whose lands adjoined each other. On some account or other, they became involved in a lawsuit, which both lessened their money, and promoted a spirit of rancor towards each other. After a time, one of these men was convinced of the sinfulness of his past conduct, when, yielding to the influence of the gospel, he became desirous of reconciliation and friendship with his neighbor. With a trembling heart he rapped at the door of the man he had offended, which he had not before entered for six years. Not suspecting who it was, his neighbor invited him in. He went in, took his seat, acknowledged that he had in the affair been much to blame, and entreated forgiveness. The other was much astonished, but maintained his high ground. "I always knew you were to blame, and I never shall forgive you," with much more to the same purpose, was the reply given to him. He again confessed his wrong, asked the pardon of his neighbor, expressed a hope that the Divine Being would forgive him; and added, "We have been actuated by a wrong spirit; and we shall be afraid to meet each other at the bar of God, where we must soon appear." The other became a little softened, and they parted.

The family, when left to themselves, were filled with astonishment. But the mystery was solved when they learned that their neighbor had become a follower of Christ. "What!" said the farmer, "is S— become a Christian? Why should he come and ask my forgiveness? If religion will humble such a man, it is surely a great thing. He said, 'We shall be afraid to meet each other at the bar of God.'' Such reflections as these, with a consciousness of his own ill conduct, occasioned him great distress for several days. At length, he could smother his feelings no longer—he took his hat, and went to see his once hated neighbor. As he entered the door he received a cordial welcome; they took each other by the hand, and burst into tears. He said, "You came to ask my forgiveness the other day, but I find I have been a thousand times worse than you." They retired and prayed together. They became members of the same church, and lived many years in uninterrupted harmony.

# 93. Heals Divisions and Promotes Revivals.

A Christian minister, writing in 1834, states, that it had been long his practice previously to the commencement of the assizes, which were held in the town of his residence, to preach a sermon applicable to that solemn period. On one of these occasions, his text was 2 Cor. 5: 10: "For we must all appear before the Mr. W. as frankly forgave him, and cordially embraced him as a friend and brother. No sooner had he done this than Mr. D. kneeled down and poured out his soul in an appropriate, humble, penitential prayer. Before he concluded, two-thirds of the audience were bathed in tears. He was followed by addresses and prayers from some of the council; and then another was ready to confess his faults, and then another, to the last of the accused; each one taking Mr. Walker by the hand, and receiving forgiveness. He in turn asked their forgiveness wherein he had expressed himself improperly towards them. Pardon was also asked of the church, and cheerfully granted. This opened the door for Mr. W.'s friends, who, one after another, confessed whatever they had said, in an unchristian manner, against the opposite party. Thus two whole days, with the exception of time occupied in hearing two sermons, was spent in mutual confession and forgiveness. Before the council separated they took the papers which contained the charges on both sides, held them up to the view of the audience, declared they were about to make a burnt sacrifice of them, and committed them to the flames. On the evening of the second day, a conference meeting was held, in which several were so deeply impressed as to ask for prayers. From that time a revival of religion commenced. The above facts occurred in R— in 1819-20.

# OF, WITH THE GUILTY.

judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." A particular reference was made, in the course of the sermon, to the solemn proceedings of the judgment, that things done here in darkness would then be brought to light; and it was observed, "Perhaps there are some present this morning who have been engaged in some dark, dishonest transaction, which they suppose is altogether unknown, and will remain for ever concealed. Vain supposition! Let them know that, even now, every thing relative to that deed is fully exposed, and if unrepented of, will cover them with disgrace and confusion at the day of universal revelation; God will make their crimes to pass before them and set them in order before their eyes."

The next morning a gentleman called on him and requested a private interview, having something of importance to communicate. Having adjourned to a private apartment, he said, "My business with you, sir, is, I confess, singular, and must appear strange. The discourse you delivered last night has produced an extraordinary impression on Phebe T—. She sent for me early this morning, and most earnestly entreated me to wait upon you, and to intercede with you not to send the officers to apprehend her, for the purpose of conducting her to prison; and the only clue I can obtain from her to explain the cause of her excitement is, that 'you know it all.'"

It may be easily supposed that the minister was astonished at such a communication. The sentence in the sermon was an arrow from the bow drawn at a venture, but it was guided by a hand omniscient and powerful. He replied to his friend, that as he knew of nothing against the person in question, he was altogether at a loss to explain the agitation of her mind; but that he might assure her she should have no officers to trouble her. He also requested him to endeavor to find out the real cause of her distressful feelings.

Her subsequent statement of the case was this:—On a dark evening of one market-day, she had occasion to go out for some article of food, and, in her way, stumbled against something that lay in the road: she turned back for a light, and perceived it was a parcel of considerable size, dropped from a cart. She removed it to her apartment, and suffered it to remain for some time without making any inquiry respecting the owner, for she was unable to read. Curiosity excited her to acquaint herself with the contents of this parcel. She soon found it consisted of various articles of linen and woollen. Having, like Eve, looked and admired, she was tempted to take them for her own use; and, by degrees, the parcel was considerably diminished. No one knew but herself—except one, whose piercing eye strikes through the shades of night! and no one was likely to reproach her, except the vicegerent of the Almighty —her conscience!

Phebe T— was convinced that she had acted wrong; but, as confession alone is insufficient without reparation, the next step was to find out the owner of the parcel, in order to its being restored to him. The director soon discovered this, and the invoice forwarded with the goods helped to show the deficiency. In a short time the whole was made up, and forwarded to the owner, without the omission of a single article.

Forty-two years ago, says a writer in the Boston Mercantile Journal of 183—, my father was a poor man, with a wife as industrious as himself, and one child, and he worked early and late for a support. One dollar then in his purse made him feel richer than he now feels with a title to a good farm.

Returning home one day with a purse containing ten silver dollars in his pocket, he lost it on the road. Long and diligent was the search for it, but in vain, as a neighbor had picked it up and appropriated it to his own use. It must, however, have been a fire in his bosom; for how could he travel that road, or pass the house of his neighbor, without feeling the lashes of a guilty conscience?

Recently he has been brought under the influence of that gospel which teaches man to do justly. He went to his neighbor, confessed the injury done, asked his forgiveness, restored the money, promised the accumulated interest of forty two years, and any other remuneration in his power. "Not a wink," said he, "could I sleep last night; nor could I rest till I had made confession and restitution." # 374. R.

A well-dressed man called at the tavern of Mr. B., of W., New Hampshire, and asked the landlord whether he kept that house a year before. Mr. B. told him he did. Then, sir, said he, I want to speak to you aside. The tavern keeper followed the man into the farther part of his barn, when, with shame depicted in his face, and embarrassment in his manner, the stranger took from his pocket a silver spoon, and told him, that about a year before he breakfasted at his house, and stole the spoon he then held in his hand. That he, soon after committing the theft, mounted his horse and rode off; but had not gone far before he was strongly inclined to return and replace the spoon on the table; that fear of being seen prevented his doing it. He rode on, continually looking over his shoulder to see if an officer was not in pursuit of him. At length he alighted and buried the spoon under the bridge, thinking that by so doing he should escape detection, and the landlord would not be much injured by so small a theft. The man went home to Connecticut; but peace of mind he had lost, and could not find it again at home. After enduring mental torment for a whole year; he, "came to himself," and resolved to return to New Hampshire, and confess his fault, and make restitution. The landlord asked the penitent stranger if he was poor. He said he was not—that he possessed a large estate, and needed nothing this world afforded—that now the spoon was restored, he could breathe freely again, if the landlord would forgive him. The inn-keeper gave him his hand, and compelled him to come in and tarry at his house a night without expense.

One Sunday evening, says the Frederictown, Md., Expositor, of 1831, a man, who called himself Daniel Shafer, voluntarily came before Michael Baltsell, a magistrate of this city, and requested to be committed to prison, alleging that he had committed a murder during the last winter, in Marietta, Penn.; and that the reproaches of his conscience had become so severe, that he was unable any longer to endure them. His narrative being perfectly coherent, and he himself appearing entirely sane, the magistrate complied with his request and committed him. Since that time, under his direction, communication has been made with the proper authorities in Marietta, and such intelligence received as confirms the horrid tale. His story is, that during the deep snow of last winter, while in a state of intoxication, he entered the house of a widow named Bowers, then living in Marietta, and after violating her person, put her to death by strangling her. The fact of such a person being found dead in her house, about the time stated, is fully substantiated by the accounts received from Marietta; and the whole demeanor of the prisoner since his confinement, as well as his positive declarations, has induced a general belief in the truth of his singular confession.

# 97. Miscellaneous Examples.