ON a recent Saturday night a London minister was announced to take part in a play, described as "that extravagant but ever popular farce, The Swiss Express," in the Crown Theater, Peckham.
He openly said that his purpose was not to advertise himself, but his church. He has succeeded in doing the former at any rate, for his extraordinary appearance as an actor in a farce on a Saturday night as a means for getting an audience on a Sunday night has made him notorious.
Appearing on the stage at 10:50 P.M., he addressed his audience, making a few humorous remarks, when a fustioned laborer in the gallery roared out, "Give us the Glory Song, sir.”
The reporter says: “Immediately the strong voice of the black-garbed man behind the footlights responded. 'When all my trials and labors are o'er,' he commenced. The baton swung to the chorus,
Glory, glory, that will be glory for me.' The pit and gallery started it; the dress circle was dumb for a few minutes, then began to look ashamed of its abstention, and presently plunged wholeheartedly into the song. The orchestra stalls succumbed next, and the boxes could not help themselves, and presently the whole theater was engulfed in the chorus. Altogether it was the most remarkable performance ever seen in a London theater.”
It is no lack of charity to say that probably with few exceptions all in that audience were unconverted. If anyone cares to dispute this statement, let him take his stand outside any theater, and ask as many as he can the all-important question, "Are you converted to God?" and he will be convinced of the truth of our assertion. And any stray Christian in the audience would not be an earnest, bright, right-minded Christian, you may be assured.
Can you not imagine, then, the awful mockery of men and women, some under the influence of drink, some whose lives would bring the blush to the cheek, many, mere pleasure-hunters, unconverted men and women, singing—
“And when by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me!”
A couple of lads were singing this chorus in the streets not long ago. A Christian turned round and asked them the question, "Will it?”
“Will what?" they asked.
“Will seeing His face be glory for you?" was the response.
They walked on, laughing scornfully and rudely at the question. They were utterly careless.
That you will see His face goes without question. God says you will. If you care to prove this, turn up Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7) in your neglected Bible. When the unconverted man sees His face it will not be "glory" but "wailing" for him.
Would that " the whole theater... engulfed in the chorus [of the Glory Song] could be brought to think seriously of the lie that was upon so many singers' lips that night.
If they had sung the truth, they would have sung the lines something like this:
When by His might I shall stand in His sight,
That will be WAILING, be WAILING FOR ME.”
How else will a sinner in his sins meet the Savior, whose grace he has spurned?
We are not going too far when we say that there will be a very rude awakening in such cases.
None will find it "glory" to look upon the Savior’s face but those who have been converted. Will you? And I would as soon go to a haystack to find a needle as go to a theater to find a true Christian.
A famous converted actor's striking testimony is, that in his unconverted actor days, when any of the profession were dying he noticed they took care to send for a minister, who did not patronize them. Does this not, speak volumes?
The other day I knew of an utterly unconverted man singing a solo in a church on a Sunday evening: "I know that my Redeemer liveth.”
Oh! the mockery of unconverted lips singing such words in a church, or singing the “Glory Song" in a theater—it matters little which.
Men and women may sing thus, but the testing time will come, and how will the Savior speak?
The following lines may be seen on a tombstone in Germany. How applicable they will be to many! Alas! that they should be. We warn you that they may not suit your case.
“THUS SPEAKETH CHRIST, our Lord, to us,
Ye call Me Master, and obey Me not;
Ye call Me Light, and see Me Not;
Ye call Me Way, and walk Me not;
Ye call Me Life, and desire Me not;
Ye call Me Wise, and follow Me not;
Ye call Me Fair, and love Me not;
Ye call Me Rich, and ask Me not;
Ye call Me Eternal, and seek Me not;
Ye call Me Gracious, and trust Me not;
Ye call Me Noble, and serve Me not;
Ye call Me Mighty, and honor Me not;
Ye call Me Just, and fear Me not;
IF I CONDEMN YOU, BLAME ME NOT.”
We beg of you, unconverted reader, to turn to God in real repentance of soul, and trust the Lord Jesus as your Savior. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).)
Then you can join with us in heartily and thankfully singing the chorus:
"When by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me.”
It will be "glory" for the believer to look on the face of the Savior, but "wailing" for the unbeliever. Which will it be for you?
A. J. P.