I hear immortal spirits in conversation. "What
are you waiting here for?" says a soul that went up from Madagascar to
a soul that ascended from America. The latter says: "I came from
America, where forty years I heard the Gospel preached, and Bible
read, and from the prayer that I learned in infancy at my mother's
knee until my last hour I had Gospel advantage, but, for some reason,
I did not make the Christian choice, and I am here waiting for the
Judge to give me a new trial and another chance." "Strange!" says the
other; "I had but one Gospel call in Madagascar, and I accepted it,
and I do not need another chance."

"Why are you here?" says one who on earth had feeblest intellect to
one who had great brain, and silvery tongue, and scepters of
influence. The latter responds: "Oh, I knew more than my fellows. I
mastered libraries, and had learned titles from colleges, and my name
was a synonym for eloquence and power. And yet I neglected my soul,
and I am here waiting for a new trial." "Strange," says the one of the
feeble earthly capacity; "I knew but little of worldly knowledge, but
I knew Christ, and made Him my partner, and I have no need of another
chance."

Now the ground trembles with the approaching chariot. The great
folding-doors of the Hall swing open. "Stand back!" cry the celestial
ushers. "Stand back, and let the Judge of quick and dead pass
through!" He takes the throne, and, looking over the throng of
nations, He says: "Come to judgment, the last judgment, the only
judgment!" By one flash from the throne all the history of each one
flames forth to the vision of himself and all others. "Divide!" says
the Judge to the assembly. "Divide!" echo the walls. "Divide!" cry the
guards angelic.

And now the immortals separate, rushing this way and that, and after
awhile there is a great aisle between them, and a great vacuum
widening and widening, and the Judge, turning to the throng on one
side, says: "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still, and he
that is holy, let him be holy still;" and then, turning toward the
throng on the opposite side, He says: "He that is unjust, let him be
unjust still, and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still;" and
then, lifting one hand toward each group, He declares: "If the tree
fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the
tree falleth, there it shall be." And then I hear something jar with a
great sound. It is the closing of the Book of Jud