The Penn's Grove record., 1896-08-21
NUMBER 5.

You might Rs yell do that as, after the last
opportunity Of hea ven hHs sped away, try to
get 1t back again. Just think Of it, II came
on me yesterday in my study with over
whelming impressivenass. Just think Of It.
All heaven offered us as a gratuity for Il
whole lifetime, aud yet we wanting to rush
against God, saying: "Give me another
chance!" There ought to he, there win be,
no such thing as posthumous Opportc unity.
You see common. sense agrees with my text
in saying that "if the tree fall toward the
south. or toward the north, in the place
where the tree falleth, there it shall be-"
You see this idea lifts this world from au I'M
important way-station to a platform OF stu
pendous issues, and makes all eternity whirl
around this hour. oh, my SOUL my soul!
Only one trial, aud all the preparation for
that trial 10 be made in this world, or never
made at all. Or. my soul my soul! You SEQ
this piles up all the emphasis and all the
elimaxes and all the d~esttnies into this life.
No other chance. On, how that intenst1es
the value and the importance OF this chan %,
Alexander and his army used to come
around a city and they would kindle a great
light, with the understanding that as long
as that light wa burning the CITY might sur
render, and all would be well, but if they
let that light go out, then the battering rams
would swing against the walls AMI there
would come disaster and demolition.
Oh, my friends. all You and ! need to
DO to prepare for eternal safety Is Just
to surrender to the King and Con
gueror, Christ. Surrender hearts, sur
render life, surrender everything. The
great light keeps burning, light Einlled
by the wood Of the cross, light flaming up
against the dark night of our sin and sOr-
row.. oh, let us surrender before the light
goes out, and with 1t our last opportunity
Of making our peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. oh, my brother, talk
nhOut aDnthpr RhqDpA. thta 10 tia g1tDnrual
chance. In the time Of Edward H., atthe
battle of MusselDurgh, r private soldier saw
the Earl of Huntley hal lost his helmet.
The private soldier took off his helmet and
went up to the Earl of Huntlcy and put the
helmet on his head. Now, the heal of the
private soldier uncovered, he was soon
slain, while his commander rode in
safety through and out Of the battle. But it
Is different In our case. Instead OF a private
offering a helmet to an earl, it is the X ng
OF heaven and earth offering a crown to an
unworthy subject, the KING dying that we
might live. Oh, tell 1t to the points of the
compass, tell 1t TO day and night, tell it to
earth and heaven, tel it to all the centuries
and all the millenniums that God has given
us a magnificent chance in this world aud
that we need no other chance In another!
A dream. l am in the burnisher Judgment
hall OF the last day. The great white throne
Is lifted. but the Judge has not yet taken 1t.
'ht'S wv w "hiNAAS lis L uDhl
the immortals in conversation. "What are
you waiting for?" says a soul that went up
from Madagascar to a soul that went up
from America. Tn latter responds ~ was
In America forty years ago, and | heard the
gospel preached, and l had plenty Of Bibles
In my house. and from the time that | knelt
at my mothers knee in prayer until my last
hour, l had great opportunities; but l did
not improve them, and l am here to-day wait
Ing for another chance. "Strange, strange"
says the soul just come up from Madagascar.
~''Strange; why, | never heard the gospel call
but once In all my life, and / accepted 1t.
aud / don't want another chance" "What
are you waiting fof2" says one who on earth
had very feeble intellect to one who had
great brain and whose voice was silvery, and
who had scepters OF power. The latter re-
piled: 81 had great power on earth. 1
must admit, and l mastered languages
and l mastered libraries. aud colleges con-
ferred upon me learned titles. and my
name was ia synonym for eloquence and
power; but somehow / neglected the mat
ters of my soul and l must confess to
You / am here to-day waiting for another
chance" Now, the ground trembles with
the advancing chariot. The great folding
doors Of the FURNISHED hall OF judgment are
thrown open. "Stand back, " cry the ushers.
land let the Judge of quick and dead
pass through" He takes the throne.
He looks of upon the throngs of ma
tons come to the last judgment, come
to the only judgment, n one fash
from the throne reveals each mans his
tory to himself, and reveals it to all the
others. And then the Judge says; "D-
videg' and the FURNISHED walls echo it, .''Di-
vide!' and the guides angelic answer, obi
videV' and the immortals are rushing this
way and that, until there II an aisle between
them. a great aisle; and then a vacuum,
widening and widening, until the Judge
looks to one side ofthat vacuum, and ad-
dresses the throne and says: Let him that
is righteous be righteous sill, and let him
that is holy be holy still" And then, turn
ing to the throng on the other side OF
the vacuum, He says; LET him that
is unjust be unjust still, aud let him
that Is filthy be filthy still" And then
He stretches out both hands, one toward the
throng OF each side the vacuum, and says:
"If the tree fall toward the south, or toward
the north, in the place where the tree falleth,
there it shall ber' And then / hear some
thing jar with a great sound. # Is the clos
ing OF the Book of Judgment. The Judge
ascends the stairs behind the throne. The
Hall of the last Assize is cleared and shut.
The High Court of Eternity adjourned for.
ever.