Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-10


hated our neighbor and would not for
give an insult. but that is little thing.
It is true when the Holy Spirit pleaded
with us a year or six months ago to
confess Christ in public we told him to
leave us; we were ashamed to do it in
the presence OF men, to confess him
who spread out his arms on 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.
Then let us tear out of the Bible
every line sat speaks of retributlon or
punishment or judgment-for we don't
like those passagess they hurt our feel
end let US leave only those wo-s
'"s .- -. ---
that speak o. iove anu mercy anu Ior-
givencss, 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. for
when the judgment seat is prepared
and Christ sits down there and We ap-
pear before him he will receive us as
we come before him-the pure and the
impure. the selfish and the proud and
the humble and the believer and the
| disbcliever and infi,iels and scofers
and towards and deSpisers Of Gods
! love on the earth, all the class of men
! who fell back on weak and imperfect
| Christians as an excuse for their own
weak lives, and the drunkarC!s and the
Hars and the onpresSCrS Of the poor,
! and everybody who heard thousand
! sermons full Of gospel and u,Spse,l
them because Of some imperftction in
! the delivery or elocut:on. 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
i young men who lived fast lives and
sowed wild oats because a wicked and
false public sentiment made them
think it was excuSahle and perhaps
! necessary, and all the other men aL-'
women who lived as they pleased. re.
! gardless Of COD and eternity When
! all these shall appear before the judg-
ment seat of Christ. he will behold
then, all as one soul and with a smile
Of gracious pardon will reach out his
almighty arm and sweep them all
alike into a 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. 1t turns his whole life into q
splendid mockery. Fooishness anG
absurdity could so no further than te
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 al
received into eternal life. And where
is there any room in the teachings O
Christ for purgatory? Do we believ,
that? Is it not the plain teaching tina
after the judgment the destiny Of soul
is fixed forever?
, But what could man wish more
, Will he not have opportunity enough t
accept the mercy Of God before tina
, ! time: Does he not have opportunity
: If any soul appears at last and at tn
}. judgment complains that he did nc
2 have a fair chance. will that graciou
! Judge condemn him if his complaint t
, true? We know he will not. But til
: facts Of the judgment are these: :,
v, that time. whenever it is, the souls
I men will be passed for their acts in II
# earthly life, verdict that will dete
y mine their everlasting destiny. ar
that verdict will be just and it Will
| , morciful For the crucified one cou
r not do otherwise. But the men wi
o have despissil and neglected and dish
# lieyed and confessed shall be separate
q from him forever, and the men wi
:? have confessed and believed and tri'
is to live like him shall be in his presen
Il continually.
IS There will be division of souls.
,e will not be based on wealth or positi,
It or birth or education or genius, but
IF Christlik eneSs-On that divine and etc
It nal thing we call character. Ever
IT thing else shall so away into destrr
le ton. into death, into punishment, in
a. Punishment from God. And banis
It ment from God will be hell, and it W
h be hell not made by God, but by N;
is himself, who had an opportunity
thousand opportunities-every day
v his life to accept the bliss Of heav
ot and of his own selfish choice reject
is every one of them and went to his ov
)e place.
/? But some soul starts up and say
ze You are not preaching the gospel; =
is are preaching fear, hell, torments.
i'll this your boosted love of GodY Yes; +
so what am preaching if not the love
r God when l say. God so loved t
IL world that he gave his only begott
t. Son that whatsoever believeth in b.
I'd should not perish, but have everlasti
to life?' Is there no danger Of perishin
Why did Christ come then? Why &