The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-28
THE PRESENT JUDGMENT.
REWARD AND PUNISHMENT IN Eff
Feet IN THIS LIFE.

Rev. Charles II. Strong Advocates
the Belief of an Ever Present and
Continuous Judgment of Great
er Effect Than the Belief in a Final
Day of Judgment md Eternal Re-
ward or Punishment-MOraI and
Physical Laws Operate Alike to
Enforce the VIII of God.
The sermon of Rev. c. H. Strong at ST.
Johns Church last night was based upon
the article from the creed. He shall come
again TO judge the quick and the dead"
The subject being the Judgment of
Christ, Present or Future"
The position taken by Rev. Mr.. Strong
was that the judgment of Christ is an
ever present and continuing one, not one
deferred TO the final day of the earth's
history, and that such a conception of
the judgment is far more efficacious one
in its results upon mankind than the be-
lief that the judgment of God upon the
good and evil deeds of men is something
reserved to a distant and indefinite time
He referred to this as one of the truths
of the gospel. which had been miscon-
strued and gradually overloaded in the
course of time with The result that to-
tally different Interpretation had been
placed upon it from that which it was in
tended to convey. 1t was the province of
the new theology, he said, to regain these
truths, which have thus become couded
and misunderstood, and to restore to them
their original force and simplicity.
Mr.. Strong dwelt upon the fact that the
belief in the judgment of Christ has but
little influence upon the lives and conduct
of men. They are evidently more swayed
by matters of present moment and by the
public opinion of the day aud are more
concerned in the ordinary affairs of life
The indifference TO this judgment he con-
sldered TO be due TO the manner in which
the subject has been presented. 1t has been
relegated to a distant future. Though
men understand that they must stand
some day before the final judgment seal
this seems to have but little effect upon
them in their daily lives.
There is a most important truth I'M
DERIVING the judgment of Christ" Mr.
Strong said, ''if we can only recover It, 1t
is that we are standing before the judg-
ment seat hourly, momentarily. We are
IN the presence of our Judge every mo-
Inent of our lives"
rms present judgment, he declared, set
ties the question of our human response
bility. Under it we must come to the
judgment seat of Christ for the approval
of every act, every word and thought
Everything transpires before the eyes of
Christ and he Is continually Our Judge
The great effect of this view upon human
life was considered.
The principle by which we are TO be Iudg-
ed he held to be that of whatsoever man
soweth that shall he also reap. Natures
laws are unfaillng whether applied to phys
icai or moral action. Their action is as
certain in one case as in the other. Tie
effect of this law is exempllfied everywhere
around US, he said, by nations in the
home and in the individual life Nations
whose history is characterized by party
discord, by unjust laws and oppression reap
their fruits in national decay The indi-
Vtdual whose life is given up to selfish aims
reaps the reward of a narrowed mind an
empty life and an unregretted death On
the contrary, he whose life is flied with
| the love of oil men, characterized by gen
tie words and kindly deeds. will reap the
exceeding rich reward of a noble mind The
results of this law are the same In human
| character as in the soil of the earth.
This is the only life we know Mr.
| Strong said, and our faculties are fitted
| to comprehend it. The rewards and pun
| ishments of the present Judgment are the
| results of our individual acts and not of
some outside influence. These laws exc
| cute themselves The belief was formerly
! widespread that endless punishment was
the only penalty for all crimes no mai,
| ter what the degree. In the course of time
men have ceased to dread this future pun
| ishment. II is no longer of any effect. The
evidences of the present judgment are con-
stantly with us. No thought or motive
even can escape. We receive an imme-
date sentence. and are our own execu-
TONERS The penalty is proportioned to the
offense and is never separate from the ac,
| itself. The scriptures tell of a great final
judgment when all shall pass in review
before the bar of God. This does not
contradict the fact of the present judg-
ment, which is continually in operation.
| The righteous judgment of God will rec
| ompense every man according 10 his work.