The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-23
A Grand Court.

- 0TdHu COult.
We can have only an inadequate con-
cepton of that scene. We have no guide
to it's solemn proceedings but the scenes
of Judgment courts on earth. Infinitely
greater that must be than our courts,
but l can imagine that there are char
acteristics identical in both. Let us con-
slider those that we may realize some
thing of the majesty and grandeur OF
that universal assize.
My text, in the first place, has legal
ring. BY that I mean this question of
the judgment seat of Christ is not a mat
ter of haphazard chance. Everything
there is done according to the divine Or
der. No man is above the law, no man
below the law, no man independent of the
law The divine law reaches out every
where. places it's sentinels on guard and
says to judge and defendant alike; Il
am master here. We shall all stand be-
fore the judgment seat of Christ
Now comes the practical question
"What is the law of God, or the spiritual
laws which must not be broken?' phe
law in the divine sense is exactly as 1t Is
in the humand sense. ut is according
to the photographer, "the rule estab-
lshed in a community or state for the
guidance and control of the inhabitants.
a rule of civil conduct prescribed by
the supreme power in a state, command
is wrong" In other words, it is rule
established for the protection of all, re-
straining the wrongdoer and providing
pealties for those who violate ii. 1t
says. Another cannot trample upon your
rights; neither are you allowed to trampie
upon another's rights" Thou shalt
and Thou shalt not" are its two COM
mands.
Let me illustrate. Do you see that
of a,.ts with holm q
driven up to the prison doors? Yes"
you answer "Who are these menu They
belong to the chain gang. Those men
have been guilty of misdemeanors, and by
the state laws they are sent to work on
the public roads. If a man steals any
thing of value less than $50, that crime
is classed as a misdemeanor. That young
fellow you see sitting there with big
iron ball riveted to his ankle stole a
bicycle and that other man was arrested
for assault. The law of misdemeanor
says, Thou shalt not steal, and thou
shalt not strike thy neighbor." Do you
see that long row of cells with iron graf
ings for doors? This is not an insane
ASYLUM. yet here we find men Gagged like
wild beasts. Why is this so? | viii tell
you That man there is burglar. That
man yonder is highwayman. That man
still farther on is a kidnaper lie stole
lutte GNU anu a. ldiiopiii u
$4,000 from the parents before he would
give the child up. The criminal law says
Thou shalt NOT steal Thou shalt not
demand the travellers money at the poiat
of the pistol. Thou shalt not steal thy
neighbours child" DO you see the death
instrument being erected within yonder
walls? DO you see those solemn faced
men acending to witness an execution!
Why are they going TO kill that mani
-l,, ,7s,f
kill" and that murderer in cold blood shot
down a woman. He called her to the door
of her home and asked for money. and
because she would not give ii TO him he
shot her down as though she had been
a mad dog BY the old Mosaic law he
must forfeit his life for that life. Law
IL a rule of civil conduct prescribed by
the supreme power in a state commanding
what is right and prohibiting what Is
wrong" The divine code is built up like
every human code. If you obey it, you
ished. what saith the law?' are the
words which Christ asked of the Phaaisee.
what saith the law?" are the words my
text utters to US today. We snail all,
according to the divine law, stand be-
fore the judgment seat. of Christ. We
shall answer for our violation Of tae law
at the judgment seat OF Christ.
Divine Code.
But there is another fact about this
divine code which 1 would emphasize. In
what sense are spiritual laws Identical
with human laws? A man does not have
to break every law in the criminal cdl-
endar to be sent TO Jail. The violation OF
one law is sufficient to render him Il
lawbreaker ard amenable to justice.
whatsoever shall keep the whole law and
vet offend in one he is guilty Of ALL" says
the cpistle of James, and whatsoever shall
keep the whole law of the state or of the
United States and yet shall break one
of those laws shall be amenable to the