“Then I must believe whatever God says about sin. Here’s another place where the psychologists and psychiatrists have done us a great injury. They have euphonized sin. They call it a guilt complex. I believe that our trouble these days is that we’ve listened to the blandishments of these children of Adam and that we’re afraid to see anybody get on his knees and get really scared.
Some of you have no doubt read of Peter Cartright, the great Methodist preacher who lived a century or so ago. Well, Peter was quite a preacher – an ignorant fellow, but God was on him. They tell how he once went to a conference and preached. The conference was in the charge of a little fellow from seminary and of course Peter had little time for those boys. When Peter gave the invitation, a lot of men came, including a big logger – a great big brawny fellow with monstrous, apelike arms, a huge fellow. He came down to the front and threw himself down and began to pray.
He’d been a sinner and he told God about it loudly, which scared this little seminary student half to death. He rant to him and said, “Compose yourself, brother, compose yourself.” Peter pushed him aside, slapped the big logger on the back and said, “Pray on, brother, there’s no composure in hell where you’re going.” Finally the man saw the goodness of God and the power of the cross, and the grace of God reached down and saved him. He leaped to his feet with a howl of delight and looked around for someone to hug, and the first fellow he got hold of was the little seminary student. He picked him up and went dancing around at the top of his voice. It was hard on the young student’s dignity, but perfectly right, nevertheless.”