The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1893-08-17
The Immortal Life.
From the New York Herald

For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or
bad. IL Corinthians, 5, 10.
There is something startling in the
thought that we shall be judged ac-
cording to our merits, and that in
the Court of trial there is neither
prosecuting attorney to make the
worst of our case nor defending at
torney to make the best off it. Exact
knowledge of what we have done will
be followed by sentence SO plainly
just that we ourselves shall not be
able to complain.
But there is another fact, and it
involves all moral impulses and
motives. If we are to be Judged, then
death is not an eternal sleep When
the ftful fever of life has spent itself
the body will go one way and the
soul another. The two occupy for
time, and also for purpose, the rela-
ton which subsists between a man
and the house in which he lives
When the house becomes unfit for
residence the man simply moves out.
When the body has reached the limit
of its usefulness the soul steps boldly
across the threshold into a world
which up to that moment was invisi-
BILE.
Behind the dread of being judged,
therefore, lies the inspiring fact of
continued existence under other con
ditions. Once possessed of that we
can SO plan our lives that they will be
blessing prolonged through eter-
nifty.
A firm conviction of this immortal
ity makes life discipline and means
of development. If mans nature
is about evenly balanced between
evil and good tendencies belief or
disbelief holds the balance of power
and throws it's vote for an honorable
or a selfish life.
1t is not the fear of judgment which
makes the Christian virtuous but the
principles which underlie an existence
with other chapters when the first
chapter is finished. If we are to die
does it pay to sacrifice willingly and
to yield a part of our enjoyment to
others? If we are to live we have nc
doubt on that point We resemble
the business man who is tempted by
an opportunity of large profits, but
who puts the temptation aside or
sound business principles, because i
the firm is to last for years its repu
tation would be seriously injured By
an act which would endanger it!
credit. The man who believes il
death can perhaps afford to indulge
in crooked ways to get all he can b,
whatever means and to keep what ht
gets no matter who suffers. But tht
man who believes in continued lift
so governs himself that he shall b,
successful Gin the long run" as vel
as in the present.
John Ruskin argued that if this lif
: is all there is the more reason for fill
ing it with as much good as possible
The Christian, lie declared, has
chance to rectify in another world tn
mistakes committed in this, but a
the unbeliever has no such chanc
he ought to be all the more carefu
to do his very best in the short year
he is sure of.
The logic Of Ruskin is defective
Such motives for virtuous action d
( not operate on human nature. W
are not made of the stuff which
affected in this way. On the eontrt
! ry, if you were to throttle the world
= faith in Immortality you woald inal
: gurate regime of anarchy and plul
:. der. The generation would becon
: generation of bandits. Convinc