Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-08-28

no such thing as posthumous opportSnIty:
You see common. sense agrees with my teAe
in saving thai ''lf the tree fall toward tue
south. or toward the north, in the piac1,
where the tree falleth, there 1t snail 10.
You see this idea lifts this world from IN uu-
important way-station to platform OF stu,
pendous issues, and makes all ETERNITY wn 1,i,
around this hour. Oh, my soul! my soul:
Only one trial, and all the preparation IoI
that trial to be made in this world, or never
made at all. Oh, my soul! my soul! You see
this piles up all the emphasis ana all tne
climaxes and all the destinies into TINS ne.
No other chance. Oh, how that intensihes
the value and the importance OF this cnance'
Alexander and his army used to come
around a city and they would k1ndle great
light with tho understanding that as long
as that light was burning the city might sur
render. and all would be well, but If they
let that light 60 out, then the batterlng rams
would swing against the walls and there
would come disaster and demolition.
Oh, my friends, all you and 1 need to
do to prepare for eternal safety is just
to surrender to the King and Con-
queror, Christ. Surrender hearts, sur
render life, surrender everything. The
great light keeps burning, light kindIed
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 it our last opportunity
of making our peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, my brother, talk
about another chance; this is the supernal
chance. In the time of Edward H., at the
battle of MusselDurgh, a private soldier saw
the Earl of Huntley had lost his helmet
The private soldier took of his helmet and
went up to the Earl OF Huntley and put the
helmet on his head. Now. the head OF the
private soldier uncovered, he was soon
slain, while his commander rode IN
safety through and out OF the battle. But II
is different In our case. Instead Of a private
Offering a helmet to an earl, 1t is the King
Of heaven and earth Offering crown to an
unworthy subject, the King dying that we
might live! Oh, tell it to the points OF the
compass. tell it to day and night, tell 1t to
enrth and heaven. tel it to all the centuries
and all the millennums that God has given
us magnificent chancs in this world and
that we need no other chance in another!
A dream. am in the burnisher Judgment
hall or the last day. The great white throne
is lifted, but the Judge has not yet taken H.
While we are waiting for His arrival hear
the immorals in conversation. "What are
YOU waiting for?" says soul that went up
| from Madagascar to soul that went up
from America. The latter responds; u was
in America forty years ago, and heard the
: posnel prsached. and hat plenty Of Bibles
in nv house. and from the time that knelt
at nv mothers knee in prayer until my last
hour, had great opportunities; but did
not improve them, and am here to-day wait
ing for another chance. "Strange, strange,
saws the soul just come up from Madagascar.
.'Strange; why. never heard the gospel call
but once IN all my life. and l accepted It.
and don't want another chance" "Whn
are you waiting for2" says one who on eartn
had very feeble intellect to one who had
great brain and whose voice was silvery, and
who had scepters of power. The latter re-
plied ~ had great power on earth. L
must admit, and I mastered languages
and mastered libraries aud colleges con-
ferred upon me learned titles. and my
name was IA synonym for eloquence and
power; but somehow l neglected the mat
tiers of my soul and l must confess to
YOU I 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 u5hers.
"and 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
from the throne reveals each mans his
tory to himself, and reveals it to all the
others. And then the Judge says: I'D :
yider' and the FURNISHED walls echo it, 'Dl-
vide" and the guides angelic answer, obi
vide" aud the immortals are rushing this
way and that, until there if an aisle between
them, great aisle; and then vacuum.
widening and widening until the Judge
looks to one side ofthat vacuum, and adj
dresses the throne and says: "Let him that
is righteous be righteous still, and let him
! that Is holy be holy STILL" And then. turn.
| ing to the throng on the other side OF
| the vacuum, He saysj ''Let him that
is unjust be unjust still, and let him
that is filthy be filthy STILL" And then
He stretches out both hands, one toward the
throng on 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 be-" And then I hear some
thing Jar with great sound. 1t Is the clos
| ing Of the Book OF judgment. The Judge
| ascends the stairs behind the throne. The
Hall of the last Assze is cleared and shut.
The High Court of Eternity adjourned for
ever.