December 30

PART III.—Acts 10:42.

ANTICIPATE the arrival of that day, that great day of the Lord, the day for which all other days were made, and with which they are so solemnly connected. The signs predicted by the prophets, are now manifested. Now is the great white throne erected. Christ attended with thousands of thousands of angels, takes his seat upon it. The trumpet is sounded, and the loud shrill blast, echoes the length, and breadth of the world itself. Every inhabitant is awakened: every grave and tomb, is opened. Behold the universal movement of bone to his bone, until at last, there comes forth, the universal family of man. Not an individual is wanting. From Adam, to the last born of our race, all, all are present, and stand before the judge of quick and dead. That Judge is Jesus— the despised Galilean; the reputed impostor of Nazareth. But how altered his mien; how different his appearance — no longer arrayed in the garbs of poverty, no longer the man of sorrows, the companion of publicans and sinners; no longer wearing the mock apparel, the thorny crown, the tantalizing reed. His face shines, as the sun at noon-day: on his head are many crowns, myriads of angels, minister unto him, the heavenly hosts worship before him: the unnumbered crowds of human beings stand in his presence. He opens the books, the believing, whose names are recorded in the book of life, are justified, confessed, and glorified before an assembled world. The wicked and the fearful, and the unbelieving, quake and tremble, before him. They cry to the rocks to fall upon them. But they cry in vain; the rod of judgment is stretched forth, and the attendant officers, bind them hand and foot, and they are cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.