The true northerner., 1900-06-20
liars and the oppressors OF the poor,
and everybody who heard thousand

sermons full OF gospel and despised
them because OF some inperfection i'm
the delivery or elocufion, and all those
men who went through the earth be-
trayers OF the home. and the selfish
politicians who betrayed their country,
and all the men who read the Bible
and believe only the parts that didn't
hurt their sensitive feelings, and the
young men who lived fast lives and
sowed wild oats because a wicked and
false public sentiment made them
think IL was eXcusable- and perhaps
necessary, and ali the other men and
women who lived as they pleased, re-
gardless OF God and eternity. When
all these shall appear before the judg-
ment seat pf Christ, he Will behold
them all as one soul and with a smile
OF gracious pardon will reach out his
almighty arm and sweep them all
alike into n heaven OF eternal bliss.
there to reign with him in glory and
power, world without end!
"But is this what Christ taught the
world? Suppose what we have said Is
true. Ii turns his whole life into n
splendid mockery. Foolishness and
absurdity could go no further than to
create life like his and to put into his
mouth such teachings as we have re-
ceived If at the judgment seat all souls,
regardless of their acts in this world,
are received on an equal footing and all
received into eternal life. And where
Is there any room In the teachings OF
Christ for purgatory? Do we believe
that? Is it not the plain teaching that
after the judgment the destiny Of souls
is fixed forever?
but what could man wish more?
VIII he not have opportunity enough to
accept the mercy of God before that
time? Does he not have opportunity :?
II any soul appears at last and at the
judgment complains that he did not
have fair chance, will that gracious
Judge condemn him If his complaint be
true? We know he will not But the
facts of the judgment are these: At
that time, whenever 1t is, the souls Of
men will be passed for their acts in the
earthly life, a verdict that will deter
mine their everlasting destiny, and
that verdict will be just and it will be
merciful. For the crucfied one could
not do otherwise. But the men who
have despised and neglected and disbe-
lieved and confessed shall be separated
from him forever, and the men who
have confessed and believed and tried
to live like him shall be in his presence
continually.
"There will be division of souls. 1t
will not be basel on wealth or position
or birth or education or genius. but on
Christlikeness-on that divine and eter-
nal thing we call character. Every
thing else shall go away into destruc-
ton, into death, into punishment, into
Punishment from God. And banish-
ment from God will be hell, and it will
be a hell not made by God, but by man
himself, who had an opportunity-nay,
q thousand opportunities-every day Of
his life to accept the bliss of heaven
and of his own selfish choice rejected
every one of them and went to his own
place.
"But some soul starts up and says:
You are not preaching the gospel; you
are preaching fear, hell. torments. Is
this your boasted love of God?' Yes; for
what am l preaching if not the love Of
God when | say. God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten
Son that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting
lifeY Is there no danger of perishing?
Why did Christ come then? Why did
he say the things he did? Why did be
speak of the condemnation of the wick
ed and unbelieving if that were not n
part of the gospel?
"The gospel is glad tidings, but what
makes it glad tidings? Because Of the
danger we are in. What is salvation
1t is the opposite Of being lost We
cannot have one without the other. So
am preaching the gospel here today
when | say, We must all appear be-
fore the judgment seat OF Christi
There will be no fear to us then If we
believe in him, If we have lived his life
here. if the things done in the body are
good. And. more than that. as long as
this earth life continues Gods mercy
is with us every moment.
1T is possible some soul is here who
for years has lived selflshly within his
own little toys Of pleasure. He looks
back on life of uselessness, Of neglect
of all that Christ did for him. He this
day hears the voice of God. He listens,
he repents, he cries out, shifting on his
breast, God be merciful TO me, a sin
nerv Then what will God do? VIII he
reject him because he is old in sin. be-
cause he has wasted beautiful years?
When he appears before the judgment
seat, will Christ say: You repented too
late on earth. You cannot be saved
nowT
mo! Even If after 100 years of shame
and sin a soul with its outgoing breath
In genuine repentance and faith In the
Son of God cries out for mercy that
cry would be answered, and he would
be saved. What less of glory and pow
er such a soul may experience in the
realms OF glory we may not be able to
tell. But he himself will be saved.
"Ts not God merciful, then? Let no