The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-21
For the Central Presbyterian.
Our Record Books.


Revelations is one that has always seemed
to me to be clothed with special solem-
nifty and which should cause us to stop
and reflect whether, in our Journey
through this world, we are walking in
the path that will lead us to eternal life
or eternal death in the world that is to
come. The verse to which refer reads
thus:
And | saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were
opened: and another book was opened
which is the book of life and the dead
were Judged out of those things which
were written In the books, according to
their works." We have here presented
to us picture of the last day when the
dead have been summoned before the bar
of God
What does this reference to books
mean? 1t means the daily record of
our lives, written in imperishable char
acters by ourselves, which shall appear in
Judgment before us. So soon as we have
the power to discriminate between right
and wrong, we become responsible agents
and begin to write down day by day
page in the history of our moral lives :;
and yet how prone we are to become OBJ
livious to the fact that we may be clay
ing up wrath against the day of wrath"
Each day, new leaf, pure as the
driven snow is entrusted to us by the
angels OF God but alas how often we
deliver them up again blotted with the
record OF our sins committed.
Upon these leaves we write our actions
Actions did say? Yea, actions, words
and even our very thoughts are recorded
with unfailing correctness. In our writ
lngs In this world, we can correct mis-
takes, change the words and rewrite
blotted pages: but in our record in
heaven s books we write once for all and
lndellbly. The blots made by sin upon
our lives must remain to bear witness
against us.
In the corrupted currents of this world.
-OHences gllded hand oft shoves by justice.
But tbs not so above. There is no shutting"
When the books are opened in that
day, in the presence of countless thou
sands, the reply, cit is correct" will
go up from every heart. This is no
idle picture to excite passing emo
ton, but terrible reality. In the in
spired word this reference to the iudg
ment of men by their own actions, and
the books from which they are to be
judged, confronts us at every turn.
In Jeremiah xvii: TO- we read I the
Lord search the heart, I try the reins,
even to give every man according to his
ways and according to the fruit of his
doings." In Matt. xvi 81, "For the
Son of man shall come in the glory of his
Father with his angels; and then he
shall reward every man according to his
works." and again in Romans Il: g.
Who will render to every man accord
ing to his deeds"
There is another book mentioned in
Scripture, the thought of which cheers
many Christian heart. 1t is the Lamb
book OF life, in which are written the
names of those who have washed their
robes white in the blood of Christ, and
whose sins are forgiven. In Daniel xii:
l, last clause, we find these words: "And
at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in
the book" Also in Paul's Epistle to the
Philippians iv: 8, And I entreat thee
also, true yoke-fellow, help those women
which labored with me in the gospel,
with Clement also, and with other my
tellow-laborers, whose names are in the
book of life. And again in Luke 20,
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not,
that the spirits are subject unto you; but
rather rejoice, because your names are
written in heaven"
might quote many other passages of
similar import, but what need we more {?
II any ask, how man can be saved, seeing
that he is to be judged by his works, and
being human, his best actions must of ne
cessity be sinful in the sight of God, we
would say, in the words of Paul, believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ" For with God
all things are possible, and "There is
therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit"
When the grim messenger of Death
comes to call US from this world, as we
pass through the valley of the shadows
and are ushered into the presence of al
mighty God, what will our record be?
That time will surely come" for it is
allotted unto man once to die and after
death the Judgment" but of that day
and that hour knoweth no man. no. not
the angels which are in heaven, neither
the Son, but the Father"
GEORGE L. SAMPSON.