e are other men here who are not at all ready for such a
tremendous event. They may think they are, but they are mistaken. How
can they stand before the greatest Being in all the universe and have
no fear, when they are unprepared to answer His questions: 'Why did you
not confess Me before men? Why did you not do as I commanded and bear
the burdens of the weak instead of pleasing yourself?' What will they
say then?

"It is true that Christ is all-merciful, all-loving. But will it make
no difference with a soul whether it comes up to His judgment seat out
of a life of selfish ease and indulgence or out of a life of
self-sacrifice and restraint? When every possible offer of mercy is
held out to men on earth and they will not accept it, will it be all
the same as if they had availed themselves of it, when they come before
the judgment seat of Christ? Why, that would be to mock at the meaning
of the Incarnation and the Atonement. It would be to cast scorn and
contempt on the agony in the Garden and the Crucifixion. It would make
unnecessary all the prayer and preaching. What possible need is there
for men to preach a gospel of salvation unless there is danger of
condemnation? If we are all going to be saved anyway, no matter
whether we accept God's love in Christ or not, of what use is the
Church? Why should we be anxious any more about our children? What
difference does it make whether they go to the bad here in this world,
if in the world to come they will all be saved? For eternity will be
so much grander and sweeter and more enduring than time, that we might
as well take it easy here and not pay much attention to the message,
'God so loved the world'--that is, if we are going to be saved anyway.

"Why should we care very much if it does say in the revelation of God's
Word that the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, if we
don't believe it? Why, the wicked will stand just as good a chance of
eternal glory as the good, if the judgment seat of Christ does not mean
a separation of the good from the bad. Let us close our churches and
go home. Let us eat and drink and dance and be merry, for to-morrow we
die; and after death the judgment, and after the judgment glory and joy
and power and peace and life eternal in the presence of God. It is
true we scorned Him on earth, but that will make no difference; He will
receive us just the same. It is true we refused to believe in His only
begotten So