The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-09-23
WITH THE CITY CHURCHES.


Michael's, preached Sunday morning
from Gal. VIZ: "Be not deceived; God
is not Knocked; for whatsoever man
soweth, that shall he also reap" The
following is brief outline of the SER
mon:
Mr.. Emerson spoke somewhere of
having heard sermon about the year
1850 upon the Last Judgment. The
preacher, man esteemed for his or
thodoxy, assumed that judgment is not
executed in this world that the wicked
are successful that the good are miser-
able; and then urged from reason and
from Scripture compensation to be
made to both parties in the next life.
Something like this has been the cur
rent idea about the judgment. Much
has been made of future reward and
punishment. Little has been said about
present reward and punishment, and
people have been largely taught that all
the punishment could be avoided by a
somewhat languid acceptance of Jesus
Christ as Saviour.
Now, we need to learn the solemn
truth that the final judgment is going
on now. Neither reward nor punish
ment is delayed until a man dies. The
moment the act, the consequence of the
act begins to follow. 1t works itself out
in us to the very limit of it's power-for
good, rendering us happy, if the act was
good for evil, making us miserable, ii
the act was evil. No act is ever made
without an immediate consequence,
which begins at once to register itself in
our character. No act of love was ever
thrown away; no act of sympathy, or
pity, or generosity. On the other hand
no hate, or even pride, was ever left
his punishment. He gets it as he goes
along Nothing ever encouraged sin
more than this false idea that punish
ment comes hereafter instead of now.
You only need to look into some mems
faces to see that they are being pun
ished. You can see at a glance that
other men are being rewarded. One
man is in heaven already, and another
is in hell already. l deny that the bad
are successful, or that the good are
miserable. There is something better
than houses, or lands, or public office,
and this the good man has, and the bad
man never can have it.
We need to lay to heart the great tact
that we Judge ourselves. Bye and bye
God will show us what this judgment
has been, and we shall see how each
day, each moment, it has been register
ing itself in our character. All along
we have reaped as we have sown. 1t is
not hell fire of which we need to be
afraid, but sin, which is itself fire.
Every sin leaves an ineffaceable scar.
We cannot afford to neglect the aids
that are offered to lift us out of the sim
ming habit. The SHINING habit is a dis
ease. We are born with it, and our
surroundings cultivate and develop it.
We persist in it until we are unhealthy
and unclean. We do the things that
hurt us. We ought to be afraid of our
selves. In this age of law and order we
need fear neither man nor beast, but we
do need to fear ourselves. No one else
can harm us, but day after day We 60 on
harming ourselves. There are certain
influences which in their very nature
are powerful antidotes for the sinful
habit. First OF all, the personality of
Jesus Christ, who Himself did no sin,
and who is a rebuke to our past and an
inspiration for the future. Worship of
God in noble language in quiet and holy
church, sweet and pure literature, the
companionship of good men and women,
and clean, healthy surroundings all help
to lift us up above the habit and love
of sin.