lackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Pet. 3:9. It is here
implied if man does not repent he shall perish. Jesus says, "Except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish," even as did those whose blood
Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, and those eighteen on whom the tower
of Siloam fell.

The first round in the ladder that reaches to eternal rest is repentance.
If man never takes this step upon the way he can never reach that happy
end. Because repentance includes so much, many men would gladly overstep
this first round and begin their Christian life on some round higher up.
This they can not do; they must take this first step, or perish. And
should they strive to climb up some other way they are dishonest, and the
Savior calls them "thieves and robbers."

When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to the baptism of John he said unto
them, "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance." Mat. 3:8. There
are fruits of repentance. The tree is known by its fruits. When man really
repents of his sins, by his fruits or manner of life it will be made
known. One of the fruits of repentance is sorrow. We might have said that
repentance is sorrow, for "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation
not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

A well known politician became an embezzler of the county fund, and was
sentenced to a few years in the state's prison. After having received his
sentence he, in the sheriff's charge, passed out of the court-room, and
with tears flowing from his eyes said, "My reputation is gone forever."
That was a sorrow of the world and is not the way to salvation. Had the
tears been flowing because he had sinned against God, who loved him, it
would have been sorrow that "worketh repentance."

The apostle says in 2 Cor. 7:11, "Behold this self-same thing, that ye
sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what
clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what
vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!" These are the fruits
of repentance. The first here mentioned is "carefulness." The impenitent
lives a reckless, careless life; but a watchfulness comes into the heart
of the penitent. He becomes mindful of his acts and carefully avoids the
ways of sin. He turns away from sin. Oh, what carefulness it works in him.
He complies with the commandmen