A gospel service had been held some years ago at a hall in the Channel Islands, after which a number of Christian friends, desirous that others should know the Saviour, wended their way to the sea-shore to hold an open-air service.
When near the spot selected, one of the number turned aside to ask a man who was lounging about to come and hear the oft-told story of God’s boundless love to sinners. But alas! he was a hardened sinner, and, twice refused the loving, earnest invitation, supplementing his second refusal with the awful words, “I would rather go to hell than hear the Gospel.”
Did he forecast his own judgment? Did he unthinkingly make his lasting choke between heaven and hell? Be this as it may, the solemn fact remains, that the same evening at ten o’clock, this blasphemous trifler was seized with illness and before the belfry clock chimed the midnight hour he was dead.
2. I’ll Take my Chance for Eternity
Another solemn instance I remember of refusal to come to Christ. A Christian nephew said to his uncle, “Come along, Uncle George, and hear the gospel tonight. There’s a soldier who went through the South, African War to speak, and you’ll hear something to do you good for time and eternity.” The speaker was a fine, stalwart young fisherman, who had just been converted to God, and like all the royal family of heaven, he wanted to see his friends and kindred saved and happy too. But Uncle George had no desire to, hear of things eternal. Long continuance in sin, and several narrow escapes from a watery grave, had hardened the aged fisherman against God and His Gospel. He was the slave of drink and spent most of his earnings and evenings in the public-house.
Looking at his nephew, who stood awaiting his answer, the old man said in a determined tone, “I’ll go to no such place, Johnnie, my lad, and I’ll take my chance for eternity.” Further remonstrance and invitation only drew forth a torrent of angry words, so the young fisherman had to go, heart-sore at his uncle’s indifference to the, things of God.
Three nights after that aged fisherman dropped down dead in the public-house, and was ushered suddenly and without God, into that eternity he had spoken of so lightly.
Reader! Do not trifle with God, or mock His Word. So surely as God has said, “The wicked shall be turned into hell” (Psa. 9:1717The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17).) so surely He will do it. But equally sure is the salvation of the sinner who comes to God, reposing in the merits; the atoning death of Jesus Christ as his only plea for salvation.
3. “I Don’t Believe in God”
“Do you know about the Lord Jesus, friend?” a Christian asked a man who had listened to the open-air preacher, as he handed him a booklet. With a look of disdain he answered, “No, I believe in none of these things; I don’t believe in God, nor do I believe in a hereafter.”
“But there is death, and you know you cannot escape his clutches. Are you not afraid to die?”
“Not I,” he answered boldly.
“Possibly not. You have a good set of nerves; but what ablaut ‘after this the judgment?’”
A slight twitch on his face, and his admission that, “if there was such a thing it was a fearful prospect,” indicated to us that even in his avowed unbelief there was the terror of the judgment before him. “Flee from the wrath to come.”