The Penn's Grove record., 1896-08-28
NUMBER 5

The evidence on the part of the prosecu-
lion has closed. Now let the defense brthG
on the rebuttal testimony. What have you,
o Christian soul, to bring in reply to this ev-
idence OF the world, of the conscience. ofthe
angel and of the Holy Ghost2 No evidences!
Are all these things true? Yes. U%nrtean,
unciean," says every Christian soul. Whatt
Do you not begin to tremble at the Thought
Of condemnation
We have now come to the most interesting
part ofthis great trial. The evidence all in.
The advocates speak. The profession OF an
advocate is full Of responsibility. In Eng
land and the United States there have arisen
men who in this calling have been honored
by their race and thrown contempt upon
those who in the profession haveb he IN guilty
Of a great many Weaknesses. That protes-
sion will be honorable as long as it has at
tached to it such names as Mansfield, aud
Marshall, and Story, and Kent, AMI South
ard, and William Wirt. The court room has
sometimes been theseene OF very marvellous
and thrilling things. Some OF YOU remem-
Der the famous Girard will case, where one
OF our advocates pleaded the cause Of the
Bible and Christianity Ia mastery Anglo
Saxon. every paragraph athunderholt.
But Turn from the recital Of this memoir
able occasion 20 a grander triai, and | have
to tell you tina In this trial of the Christian.
for the life OF his soul the advocates are
mightier, wiser and mora eloquent. The
evidence all being in. severe and stern
Justice rises on behalf Of the prosecution to
make his plea. With the Bible open ia his
hand, he reads the law, stern aud iuiieNihle,
and the penalty "The soul that sinneth,
1t shall die" Then he says: 20, Thou
Judge and Lawgiver, this is Thine W
statute, aud all the evidence IN earth and
heaven agree that the man has stnuet
against these enactments. Now let the
sword leap from its scabbard- Shall a man
20 through the very flames OF Sinai I'M
singed? Let the law be executed. Let
Judgment be pronounced. Let him die. l
demand that he diel"
o. Christian, does it not look very dark Tor
thee? Who will plead OIL thy side in so Tor
lorn a causay Sometimes a man will be
brought into a court OF law, aud hs viii
have no friends aud no money, and the
Judge will look over the bar aud say; rs
there any one who will volunteer TO take
this mans case and defend him2' Aud some
young man rises up and says: 81 Will bs
his counsel" perhaps starting on from that
very point to u great and brilliant career.
Now, in this matter of the soul, as you have
nothing to pay for counsel, do you think
that any one will volunteer? Yes, yes; | sea
One rising. He is a young man, only thirty
three years OF age. l see His conntenancs
suffused with tears and covered with blood,
and all the galleries OF heaven are thrilled
with the spectacle. Thanks be unto God,
1--WE have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous"
oh, Christian soul, your case begins to
look better. / think, perhaps, after all, you
may not have to die. The best Advocate in
the universe has taken your side. NO one
was ever so qualified to defend you. He
knows all the Iaw. all its demands. all its
penalties. He Is always ready. No new
turn Of the case can surprise Him, and He
will plead for you for nothing as earnestly
as though you brought 4 world OF treasure
to His feet. Besides that, He has under
taken the case of thousands who were as
torlorn as you, and He has never lost a case.
! Courage. o Christian SOUL | think that,
after all, there may be some chance for you,
for the great Advocate rises to make HIS
plea. He says: II admit all that has been
proved against My client. | admit all these
sins. ay, more; but look at that wounded
hand OF Mine and look at that other wound
cd hand, and at My right foot and at My left
foot BY all these wound | plead for his
clearance. Count all the drops OF Ny tears.
Count all the drops of My blood. By the
humiliation of Bethlehem, by the sweat OF
Gethsemane. by the sufferlngs OF the cross, L
demand that he go tree. On this arm he
hath leaned. to this heart he hath flown; in
My tears be hath washed; on My righteous
ness he hath depended. Let him go free.
am the ransom. Let him escape the lash; l
took the scourgings. Let the cup pass from
him; l drank 1t to the dregs. Put on him
the crown of life, for l have worn the crown
Of thorns. Over against my throne OF shame
set his throne of triumph"
Well, the counsel on both sides nave
spoken, and there is only one more thing
now remaining, and that is the awarding of
the Judgment. II you have ever been in a
SQUIRT room you know the silence and SOL
emnity when the verdict is about to be rem
dered, or the Judgment about to be given
About this soul on trial-shali ii be saved or
shall 1t be lost2 Attention! above, around,
beneath. All the universe cries; Hear
heart"
The Judge rises and gives this decision,
never to DO changed, never to be revoked:
"There is, therefore, now no condemnation
to them who are In Christ Jesus"
But. my friends, there is coming a day OF
trial In which not only the saint but the sim
ner must appear. That day OF trial Will
come very suddenly. Tn farmer will be at
the pillow, the merchant will be in the count
ing room, the woodman will bs ringing his
ak on the hickories, the weaver will have
his foot on the treadle, the manufacturer
will be walking amid the buzz of loomsa and
the ciacking of flying machinery, the coun-
sci may % at the bar pleading the law, the
minister may be in the pulpit pleading the
gospel, the drunkard may be Keeling amid
his cups and the b~laSphemer with the oath
caught between his teeth,
Lo! Thu sun hides. Night comes down
at mid noon The stars appear at noon to-
day. The earth shoulders and throbs. There
an earthquake opens aud a city sinks as a
crocodile would crunch a child. Mountains
roll In their sockets aud send dowl their
granite cliffs in avalanche OF rock. Rivers
pause in their chase for the sea. aud ocean,,
appearing, cries TO the flying Alps ltt Him
alaya. Beasts below aud moan and snuff up
the darkness. Clouds fly like Hooks of
swift eagles. Great thunders heat and boom
and burst. Stars shoot and fall. The Al
mighty rising on His throne. declares that
time shall be no longer, and the archangels
trump repeats 1t till all the living hear, and
the continents of dead spring to their feet,
CRYING: "Time shall be NC longer!' Oh, on
on that day will you be ready
have sn,wu you bow weIl the Christian
will get OIL in his trial. WI yIc ger oil As
well in yourtriai? VIII Christ plead on your
side or against youi Ga, what will YOU do
In the last great assiza, If your conscience is
against you, and tha world is against you,
and the angels OF heaven are against YOU,
and the Holy Spirit is against you, and tho
Lard God Almighty is against you? Better
this day secure an Advocate.