Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-26
= Va Va va Va Va Va Va
"AND THE BOOKS
WERE OPENED"
BY REV. S. ADDISON McELROY, D. D.

3
q
A "A ~ "a "a "A "A "A "A "A "a
a theft-every crime in the calendar
all mixed and mingled; but each
attached to the proper name.
There is also much good recorded
on these pages-deeds Of benevolence
deeds of self-sacrifice; deeds Of sym
pathy. Here / see the record Of 6
timid girl speaking. though trembling.
ly. to her ungodly father Of the love
OF Christ. and urging him to become
a Christian. There another who gives
up what she considers a harmless
pleasure for fear It may be a STUN.
bling block In the way of her asso-
ciates Deeds Of love for Christ. Oh
how blessed Is he whose record is
full Of them!
All these with the vision Of the
New Year: and there he sits, still
writing rapidly the good and bad
alike.
Do not deceive yourselves. The
New Year comes, not as a helpless
infant. but as a ready writer. able
to make full record of events. The
Old Year is not In his dotage. as he
passes from your view; but is pow
erful enough to bear away the twelve
month record Of the worlds history
Of good and Ill. Think not that the
Old Years are dead and buried in the
graves of the past. Not one OF them
| Is behind US. They were travelling
on toward the Future: but, at Gods
command, they each halted long
enough to get a load Of earth's rec
ords for the Judgment; and having
laden themselves. they resumed their
march; and when we reach the
great White Throne. and our names
are called, they will be there-every
year-as witnesses, bearing testi-
mony that Is true and irrefutable.
Johns Vision.
1t seems probable that just such a
period as this, upon which we are
now standing, was before the apostle
as he wrote the words recorded In
Rev. 20. He, too, stood just between
the past and the future. But with him
there was no conjecture. With him
there was a direct revelation from
God.
He had been banished by the decree
Of man to the lonely isle of Patmos.
because of his firm adherence to the
faith Of Christ; but banishment by
men for such a cause. was, as 1t ever
Is, attended with marvellous blessings.
Caught up on the wings Of inspira-
tion. his spirit was borne away from
earth: and to his wondering eyes
were revealed the terrors and glories
Of the future. parts of which he re-
counts for our information and warn
Ing,
"And saw" said he. "the dead.
small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and an
other book was opened, which is the
Book nf Life. and the dead wore
judged out Of those things which
were written In the books. according
to their works. And the sea gave up
the dead which were In It; and death
and hell delivered up the dead which
were in them; and they were judged.
every man. according to their works.
-. and whosoever was not found
written in the Book Of Life, was cast
into the lake Of fire."
Tho Books Were Opened.
We are running up an account,
which must be settled by and by In
our dealings with God our good deeds
are simply cash payments for what
we get-what is due at the time and
nothing more.
Every sin we commit-every omis-
sion Of duty-adds to the deficit, or
sum total which we owe, and which
must somehow be met on the Day of
Final Accounts.
Our debt grows larger with each
succeeding day Every year fills 365
volumes, each Of which contains "a
chapters. These chapters are diylded
each into 80 pages, and each page into
so paragraphs.
Here then in 365 volumes, or $3.50
chapters. or 525,600 pages, or 1885,
900 paragraphs, is the record Of your
life, which the year, that was with us
but yesterday. has carried onward
with him to the Judgment.
You know better than anyone else
what that record contains. Are you
satisfied with 1t? Do you think God
Is satisfied with It? Do you think JUS
tice and the law will be satisfied with
1t? If not, what must be the result? ?
You say. II read my Bible every
day"
Do you in truth? Then the account
shows that you owed 1t to God to read
your Bible every day and that you
have paid that obligation in cash pay
ment. But II this duty has been neg
lected. every neglect Is recorded.
You owe 1t. and it must be paid.
1t was your duty to attend divine
service regularly Has that debt been
paid? You do not think Gods book
keeper will charge you with that. You
work hard all the week, and when
Sunday comes you feel that you want
to stay at home with your family that
one day. You deserve the rest
But hold! For whom are you work.
ing all the week? For God? No!
You are in your store, measuring off
goods and selling groceries. In order
to make money for yourself. You
cannot stop your business for a day
to be at home with your family. You
cannot afford 1t. sick or well. But
though you consider only one day out
Of the seven Gods day. you do not
hesitate to use it for your own pleas
ure throughout a great portion Of the
year. l tell you. you ought to be