St. Landry democrat., 1883-03-03

that have been taken from them. Tt is
said of the martyr Stephen that he saw
Heaven opened, and Jesus standing at
the right hand of God.
IS. But the-eyil may see those whom
they have iDjured-a Nero those whom
he has slain, the murderer and adulte-
rer may meet his victims, Charles. IN.
those he has massacred.
10. After this mysterious supreme
outlook beyond, the soul sometimes re-
tains power enough over the body to
speak, and of course its probation is not
over in such cases.
30. In these cases, therefore, there
mustb be probation by the light which
comes to the evil in the supreme mo-
ment, and which must be accepted or
rejected.
81 do not assert shat the soul re-
mains in the body after the breath
leaves it or the eyes giaze, neither , VII VIII
not leave the body precisely when
breath does and when the eyes glaze.
It will be utterly impossible, while
quarter of million readers are looking
at the record of what is said on the
platform for few anonymous cores
pondents to mislead the public as to
these propositions. defy any man to
put his finger on any assertion OF mlne
in print that the soul remains in the
body after the breath leaves it. have
made no such assertion !; SO that all tiilse
talk about after breath and after death
is blow into the air. have simply
opposite. will not undertake to prove
a universal negative, and say that l
know that where there is no breath
there is no soul. I have simply affirmed
that s'it is not safe to assert that the soul
does leave the body precisely when the
breath does.n o
%. Whether rapid or otherwise, death
| is the separation of the soul from the
body, and probation is not over until
death ends.
| 90. Probation in death, however rapid,
includes time for decision for or against
all the light it brings.
breathing does not cease usually until
after the eyes glaze. and the eyes
brighten before they glaze in iaany
cases where the faculties are nnob-
i scured at the last moment of life. There
is time between the glazing of the eyes
I. and the cessation of breath for the soul
to make choice for or against the light
which comes to it in that frightening;
i "a. 1t is rational to- believe that he
who passes through probation by death
seen at a dis stance, aad by death near at
hand, and by death at its supreme mo-
ment, unreD Dentant, will be SO hardened
and blinded by resisting all the light. of
these nigh ty spiritual experiences that
he will ne'5er repent.
i 25. Mere reason therefore makes it
highly pr obable that death ends pro-
4 baton.
/ s6. 1t |, as been shown that what rea-
son.makt ,s probable on this point, the
IScriptur es make certain.
81. Th e supreme dictate OF practical
wisdom comedies, demonstrably, there
fore, wi th the imperative and lncessanC
mandai te of conscience, with all the un-
!, speaka BILE promptings OF the divine love
and m ercy as seen in both Nature and
| revela ton, and with the constantly re-
, iterat ed command OF the Scriptures
and cakes total, affectionate, irreversi.
Eble elf-surrender Of the soul to God
Its d nty this instant.
In venting nonew theory OF probation
4 ba We simply analysed notorious factf
: and found behind them enough to til
> our faces with the whiteness of awe II
the presence of the natural laws which
f | 90, yern character. Shining against tn
i Ilig ht blinds us to the light, and he VIII
= un der the incessant summons OF Got
in conscience to repent, incessantly re
pl les in the negative, and does so on tn
5 a. pproach of death, and in death, ant
: y hen final illumination breaks npo1
8 b i'm, may be expected under natura
. avs, never to repent. "Now, is ,th
!. accepted time, now is the day OF saliva
. tion.'' This is the voice of all the con
= stellations in the merely sky of reason
It is the voice Of all the constellation
= in the sky Of revelation. And ma
God give us wisdom to obey thes
= voices instantly. Many voices, "Amen,
~ HAmenn7