Awake and Sin Not, Says Rev. H.G. Harden, Sept. 21, 1921

Awake and Sin Not, Mr. Hardin’s Theme

“Awake to righteousness and sin not,” was the text of a splendid sermon delivered Tuesday night at the meeting in progress at Belmont Park Methodist Church by Rev. H.G. Hardin, pastor of Tryon Street Methodist Church. A large crowd was present despite the rain.

“Reasons why men should refuse to sin are found in the explanation of what sin is, declared Mr. Hardin. He spoke of sin as a transgression, breaking loose from God or rebellion against God.

Sin, in the next place, is an iniquity, departing from the path of right, taking the crooked way, Mr. Hardin said, stating that sin drags a man away from the path of right gradually, until he finally becomes a slave to sin.

Sinning is missing the mark. Mr. Hardin spoke of the tragedy of missing the mark in this life, in which men who fail might have been great successes. He quoted a familiar couplet, slightly changed, saying: “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: He might have been.”

Speaking of missing the mark in the world to come, Mr. Hardin said that heaven is a place of purity and sin is impure. The man who has sin in his heart cannot enter. Righteousness fits a man for heaven, but sin fits him for a demon, declared Mr. Hardin.

From The Charlotte News, Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1921