The Globe-republican., 1894-09-28
Religious Department.
A Mistaken Criminal.


;, The Lord is long suffering, and Of
great mercy, forgiving iniquity and
transgression, and by no means clearing
the guilty. Numb. 14:lS. A prisoner
awaits trial for a terrible crime and bis
sentence and execution are so evident,
from the fact of his known guilt, that
none of the citizens look for his acquital.
The momentous hour arrives, the
grave, solemn-looking judge is in his
place, the arrangements for the trial are
finished; the criminal stands up; the
awful question, ''Guilty, or not guilty. -
is asked.
The prisoner pleads to be heard. and
exelaims, 81 confess l have broken the
laws of my country. have committed
the terrible sin of which am now ac-
cused, but yet am sure the Judge is
merciful, and will never think of punish
ing me. Ihave always been told that,
and though l sinned greatly, 1 cannot
think he will condemn me to dreadful
DEATH
Well may the astOnished judge look
upon the clarified jury, and exclaim in
sympathetic tone, 1.-The poor man must
be insane" "No, am not" replies the
deluded criminal, ''but all say that the
Judge is merciful, and it would be cruel
to punish me with DEATH
The Judge, with fearful solemnity
turns to the prisoner, saying, ''Yau de-
ceived creature, coming to court confess
ing your crime, but holding that the law
must be merciful! The law must rule:
you have broken it, and must pay the
penalty"
Reader, it may be that with the Judge,
you sympathize with the prisoner, and
recognize his claim as mere folly, and |
yet, if out of Christ, you are just such a
person yourself. Yet, if unsaved, not
reconciled to God, you are continually |
violating His law, and when cautioned
of the terrible penalty. like the other
criminal, you in substance claim that
"The Judge is SO merciful.'' ''Be not
deceived; God is not Knocked: for what
sOever man sOweth, that shall he also
6:7.
Let Satan not thus entIap your soul;
seep not upon the brink Of such fatal
delusion, as that you can live in sin care
less, unconcerned and regardless of the
punishment that awaits the finally i'm
penitent with the erroneous thought that
the Judge will be merciful, and allow
you to escape.
No, while God is infinite in love and
mercy, and will now pardon and shelter
the vilest of the vile, because of the
work and merits of Jesus. at the Judge
ment bar He will be to all not clothed in
the righteousness of Christ, "A cOnsum-
ing fire.
Then delay not; Procrastination is the
thief of time.'' To-day if We will hear
His voice, harden not your heart y
Heb. 3:15. Behold, now is the ac-
,epted time; behold. now is the day of
Cor. 6:2.
1t is fearfully dangerous thing to
presume on the mercy of God, without a
saving interest in Jesus. Then ''Seek We
The Lord while He may be found, call
lpOn Him while He is near. lisa. % &c.
For with the heart man believeth I'M
20 righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.'-
Rom. 1910.
"If from thence thou shalt seek the
Lord thy God, thou shaltfind Him if thou
seek Him with all thy sonl.''-Deut.
30.
AS many as received Him, to them
gave He power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on His
lame. John :12.-The Plumbline.