Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-08-18
re to tbeytwo trials, andethe first trial

are to be7two trials, and 1.-the first trial
does not amount to much. the second
trial being everything, everything de-
pending upon that l must have the
most eloquent attorney, and / must
have all my witnesses present, and !
will expend my money on that" II
these men who are impenitent and who
are wicked felt there were two trials.
and the first was of no very great inn
portance, and the second trial was the
one of vast and infinite importance,
all the preparations for eternity would
be post7mortem, post-funeral, post
sepulchrai, and this world would be
jerked off.)into impenitency and god7
lessness. Another chance in another
world means the domilition Of thts
world
A dream. I am in the FURNISHED
Judgment hall on the last day. The
great white throne is lifted, but the
Judge has not yet taken it. While we
ares waiting for his arrival | hear the
immortals in conversation. What are
you waiting for?" says soul that went
up from Madagascar to a soul that went
I'D from America. The latter responds:
81 was in America forty years ago,
and heard the Gospel preached, and
had plenty Of Bibles in my house, and
from the time that knelt at my moth
ers knee in prayer until my last hour,
| had great opportunities; but ] did
not improve them, and / am here to-
day waiting 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 IL
and l don't want another chance.
What are you waiting for?" says one
who on earth had very feeble intellect
to one who had great brain and whose
voice was silvery. and who had scep'
tres of power. The latter replies: y
had great power on earth, must admit,
and / mastered languages and | mas
tered libraries. and colleges conferred
upon me learned titles, and my name
was a synonym for eloquence and
power; but somehow | neglected the
matters of my soul, and l must con.
fess to you am here to-day waiting fol
another chance" Now, the ground
trembles with the advancing chariot.
The great folding doors of the bur!
nished 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 off upon the throngs of ma
tions come to the last judgment, come
to the only judgment, and one flash
from the throne reveals each mans
history to himself, and reveals it to all
the others. And then the Judge says,
Divide" and the FURNISHED walls echo
it, "Divide" and the guides angelic an
swer. Divide" and the immortaIs are
rushing this way and that until there
is an aisle between them, a great aisle:
and then vacuum, widening, and
widening and widening, until the Judge
looks to one side Of that vacuum, and
addresses the throng, and says: Let
him that is righteous be righteous still
and let him that is holy be holy STILL,
And then, turning to the throng on the
other side of the vacuum, he says:
LET him that is unjust be unjust still,
and let him that is filthy be filthy still.n
And then he stretches out both hands,
one toward the throng on each side of
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 be-! And then / hear
something jar with a great sound; it Is
the closing Of the Book of Judgment
The Judge ascends the stairs behind the
throne. The Hall of the last Assize id
cleared and shut. The High Court OF
Eternity adjourned forever.