The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-05-10

weighing them down. and II God
should call them this minute to step up
to the Judgment seat they would be
ready.
But there are other men here who
are not at all ready for such tremen-
dous event. They may think they are,
but they are mistaken. How can they
stand before the greatest being in all
the universe and have no fear when
they are unprepared to answer his ques.
tions: Why did you not confess me be-
fore men? Why did you not do as
commanded and bear the burdens Of
the work instead Of pleasing yourselfY
What will the man say then?
ut is true that Christ is all merciful.
all loving But will 1t make no differ
ence with a soul whether 1t comes up
to his judgment seat out Of life Of
selfish ease and indulgence or out Of
life of self sacrifice and restraint? :?
When every possible offer Of mercy is
held out to men on earth and they will
not accept It. will 1t be all the same as
II they had when they come before the
judgment seat of Christ? Why. that
would be to mock at the meaning Of
the incarnation and the atonement II
would be to cast scorn and contempt
on the agony In the garden and the
crucifxion. 1t would make unnecessa-
ry all the prayer and preaching. What
possible need is there that men preach
a gospel Of salvation unless there is
danger Of the opposite?
IF we are all going to be saved any.
way. no matter whether we accept
Gods love in Christ or not. what use Is
the church? And why should we be
anxious any more about our children?
And what difference does 1t make
whether they 60 to the bad here In this
world II in the world to come they will
all be saved? For eternity will be SO
much grander and sweeter and endur-
ing than time that we might as well
take 1t easy here and not pay much at.
tention to the message. ,God SO loved
the world'-that is, II we are going to
be saved anyway.
"Why should we care very much II II
does say In the revelation Of Gods
word that the wicked shall 60 away
into everlasting punishment II we
don't believe It? Why, the wicked will
stand Just as good chance Of eternal
glory as the good II the judgment seat
Of Christ does not mean a separation
Of the good from the bad. Let US close
our churches and 60 home. Let Us eat
and drink and dance and be merry, for
tomorrow we may die; and after death
the judgment. and after the judgment
glory and Joy and power and peace and
life eternal in the presence Of God.
'It is true we scorned him on earth,
but that won't make any difference;
he will receive us just the same. 1t Is
true we refused to believe in bis only
begotten Son after all he suffered Of
shame and agony for us. but that
makes no difference; he will say, Enter
into the Joy Of thy Lord 1t Is true we
made fun Of Christians and Knocked at
prayer and sneered at faith, but that ID
not much to be afraid Of. 1t Is true we
hated our neighbor and would not for.
give m insult. but that Is little thing.
1t Is true when the Holy Spirit pleaded
with us q year or six months ago to
confess Christ In public we told him to
leave US; we were ashamed to do II In
the presence of men, to confess him
who spread out bis arms on a cross of
bitterest agony for us. but for all that
we feel sure that when we march up to
the judgment seat Of Christ he will
treat us just the same as he treats the
disciples who have laid down their
lives for the Master.
''rhen let us tear out Of the Bible
every line that speaks of retribution or
punishment or judgment-for we don't
like those passages; they hurt our feel.
ings-and let us leave only those words
that speak Of love and mercy and for
giveness, for those words are the only
ones that can be true, for those words
don't make us feel uncomfortable.
Away with everything that hurts
our feelings. that makes Us anxious,
that sends US to our knees In prayer.
that makes us confess Christ and live
. life Of self denial and service. Tor
.