Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-12-22


ng the case to a higher court. Then,
If the higher courts go against MN, !
here is still the hope that mercltui ,
governor might commute the sentence,
even at the last moment when the
criminal has been prepared for eXecu- !
ton. But from the judgment seat OF
Christ there Is no appeal. When the
sentence has once been pronounced IL
stands forever. And on that day
when God, the Judge, shall pronounce
sentence II will not be vindictlve
sentence. but one dictated by MS
righteousness. "As live, satin the
Lord God, | have no pleasure in the
death Of the wicked" Remember the
Judgment seat of Christ is a court OF
law and the spiritual code must pre-
vail.
A Righteous Judgment.
But as | again sound forth the SOL
emn words Of my text, 1--WE shall all
stand before the judgment seat OF
Christ" emphasize still another fact
Not only shall we all then be judged
according to the evidence, but this
evidence will be presented before all
the assembled hosts who shall meet us
at this bar Of unerring justice. Ihls
assertion Of the divine court Is exactly
the same as Of the temporal court. In
order TO appreciate that what l say
Is true. let us assume that you are
freouenter of the courts Of law. A
murder trial is on. The district at
torney has hunted up every incident
Of the defendants life. So on. the
great day of the judgment seat OF
Christ we must face all the evidences
of the evil deeds Of our past lives. we
must face all those people WhOm we
have wronged or led astray. They VIII
all arise. They shall all confront us.
They will all point the condemnatory
fingers Mt us. They will say: Ihere
he is. There Is the man who did IT,
There IS the man who led me Into the
maths Of sin" Oh, the unutterable
horror of it! We shall all face our ac-
cusing witnesses at the judgment seas
Of Christ We shall all face the evil
dences of our evil lives.
Now. as we all must stand Defore
This spiritual tribunal to hear our doom,
do Won not believe we should prepare
for this trial Just as soon as we can,
and do you not also believe we should
get the very best advocate we can 10
Mead our cause? Yes" you answer.
YES YES. But how can prepare! My
record is so black. Who can plead Tor
me. and who would If he couldr must
plead guilty. For me there is no hope"
Yes. my friend. there is hope. VIII you
let me tell it you? want you to know
that YOU can have the greatest OF all
advocates to plead your cause. Ana
before the judgment seat of Christ you
can have the best of all defenses. Turn
first to the second chapter of the hrst
epistle of John. And if any man sin
we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, the righteous" What
does that mean? Why, it means, no
matter how far a prodigal may 90
astray. no matter what sin or crime he
NAV commit, if that sinner will only
throw himself upon Christ's mercy
! Christ will plead his cause before the
Judgment seat OF heaven. Oh, the news
the glorious news. When we go be
fore that judgment seat we need moi
60 friendless. Christ will be by oul
side. There Christ will see that we ge
mercy and pardon.
The Best of Advocates.
But" you say, what is the good oi
my getting a good advocate when
know am guilty? He may plead fol
mitigation of punlshment but mus
be condemned. AS you have said, tha
is to be a righteous court, and In
righteous court there Is no escape To-
me-" Nay, my brother, that Is tn
wonder of our religion. God has de
clared that, while "he Is just, he Il
the iustifer of him who belleveth IL
Jesus" 1t was to work out that sal
vation that Christ came, and now IN
man who acknowledges his guilt, Wn
expresses his repentance and commit
. his case to Christ is pardoned. mon
of the sins that he has committe
shall be mentioned to him." "Ther
:, IS no condemnation to him who is 1
Christ Jesus" See you not the de
, Tense? Can you not now almost hea
the Judge saying: angels, let the prii
oner 90 free On account or Chflst
blood let him go free" The gladlf
9 torial combats of Rome during ID
siege of Emperor Honorius were FOL
S ever stopped because a Chrlstia
S monk. Telemachus by name, entere
s the arena and threw himself betwee
{ the combatants and by them wa
[ struck down dead in his endeayors
$ ston the conflict. The noble sacrihC
s Of a Telemachus worked the miracl
e So the condemnation of Christs 70
f lowers at the judgment seat OF hea
f On shall be changed into acquittal D
f cause Christ himself, the attorney a.
e vocate has suffered death on accoul
II of his clients crimes. Oh, VIII yc
Il not believe it? VIII you not rea(
ont and say: Lord Jesus, be thou n
:. advocated Be thou my defender! ]
:, - thou my Saviour even at the bar
, > eternal justlcew Why not take d.
- as our advocate and turn from our 81
= now? Could there be any better I'LL
- - to call him to our side?
It Saved Her.
:. There is a beautiful story told OF I
" conversion of a poor degenerate OF
cast in one of our penltentiaries. +
- many years this woman had been
carcerated, but the keepers could
~ nothing with her. She would L
- work. When she was punished,
- would take it in sullen silence
> with awful, bloodcurdlng blasphen
). For the most part she was kept
W solitary confinement in a dark c'