The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-08-21


nation, whose ancient honor he has
sullied. impeach him in the name OF
the people of India, whose rights he
has trampled on and whose country he
has turned into a desert And, lastly,
in the name OF human nature. in the
name of both sexes in the name OF
every age and rank, impeach him as
the common enemy and aggressor OF
ALL
But / turn from the recital of
these memorable occasions to q grander
trial, and have to tell you that in
this trial of the Christian, for the life
of his soul, the advocates are mightier,
wiser and more eloquent The evil
dence all being in. severe and stern
justice rises on behalf of the prosecu-
ton to make his plea With
the Bible open in his hand, he
re ads the law, stern and infex-
IDLE, and the penalty: The soul
that sinneth, it shall die" Then he
says: 20 Thou Judge and Lawgiver,
this is Thine own statue, and all the
evidence in earth and Heaven agrees
that the man has sinned against those
ANOM 4CL NhC SHOIO ACdP
from it's scabbard. Shall a man go
through the very flames of Sinai I'M
singed. Let the law be executed. Let
judgment be pronounced. Let him diei
l demand that he diej''
o, Christian, does it not look very
dark for thee? Who will plead on thy
side in so fOrlorn a cause? Sometimes
a man will be brought into a court of
law. and he will have no friends and
no money, and the judge will look over
the bar and say: SIS there anyone
who will volunteer to take this mans
case and defend him?' And some
young man rises up aud says. Il will be
his COUNSEL perhaps starting on from
that very point to a 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; / see One rising.
He is a young man, only 80 years Of
age. l see His cOuutenance suffused
with tears and covered with blood. and
all the gal cries of Heaven are thrilled
with the spectacle. Thanks be unto
God, 1--WE have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ. the righteous"
o, 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 quail,
fed to defend you. He knows al the
law, all its demands, all its penalties.
Courage, o Christian soul! 1 think
that, after all, there may be some
chance for you, for the great Advocate
arises to make His pea. He says: II
admit all that has been proved against
my client. l admit all these sins, av,
more; but look at that wounded hand
of mine and look at that other wound
ed hand, and at nv right foot and at
my left foot By all these wounds 1
plead for his clearance. Count
all the drops of my tears.
Count all the drops of my
blood. By the humiliation of Beth
lehem, by the sweat of Gethsemane,
by the suferings of the Cross, demand
that he go free. On this arm he hath
leaned; to this heart he has flown; in
my tears he hath washed; on nv
righteousness he hath depended. Let
him go free. l am the ransom. Let
him escape the lash; took the scourg-
ingS Let the cup pass from him; 1
drank it to the dregs. Put on him the
crown OF life, for / have worn the
crown of thorns. Over against nv
throne of shame set his throne of tri-
umph!'
Well, the counsel on both sides have
spoken, and there is only one more
thing now remaining and that is the
awarding of the judgment. If you
have ever been in a court room you
know the silence and sOlemnity when
the verdict is about to be rendered or
the judgment about to be given.
About this soul on trial-shall it be
saved or shall it be lost? Attention.
above, around, beneath. All the uni
verse cries, Hear! hearI"
The judge rises and gives this decis-
ion, never to be changed, never to be
revoked: There is, therefore, now no
condemnation ito them who are in
Christ Jesus" But, nv friends, there
is coming a day of trial in which not
only the saint but the sinner must ap-
pear 4hdJ Odt VI Id Will come very
suddenly. The farmer will be at the
pillow. the merchant will be in the
counting room, the woodman will be
ringing his ak on the hickories. the
weaver will have his foot on the
treadle, the manufacturer will be
walking amid the buzz of looms and
the clack of flying machinery, the
council may be at the bar, pleading
the law; the minister may be in the
pulpit pleading the Gospel: the drunk
ard may be Keeling amid his cups, and
the blasphemer with the oath caught
between MS teeth.
Lo! The sun hides. Night comes
down at mid-noon. The stars appear
at noon to-day. The earth shudders
and throbs- There an earthquake opens
and city sinxs as a crocodile would
crunch a child. Mountains roll in
their sockets and send down their
granite cliffs in avalanche of rock.
Rivers pause in their chase for the sea,
and ocean. appearing. cries to flying
Alps and Himalaya. Beasts below