A MAN is going down the street at midnight; as he passes a certain house he observes a light flickering through the cracks of the shutters; on looking closer he discovers the lower part of the house to be in flames. In a moment he rushes to the front door and―bang, bang, BANG, BANG, ―at the knocker. Another moment and the windows are thrown up, and heads are thrust out.
“What is the matter?
“Fire! FIRE!” shouts the man. All the people in the house are awakened and rush out and escape from perishing in the flames.
What do you say of the man who gave the alarm? Do you praise or blame him? “Oh,” say you, “he only did his duty.” Suppose he had discovered the fire and then passed on his way, saying, “Nothing to do with me! ‘Tisn’t my business; I’m not a fireman!” What would you say of him? Would you not say he was more like a fiend than a man?
Christian reader! we appeal to you. Do you not see that sinners around you, are in danger of perishing forever in hell, and are you doing anything to warn them of their danger? Do you tell them of Jesus the Mighty to save? You say; “I am not a preacher!” “But you can speak a word to the wayfarer!” Oh, no! I am of such a nervous temperament, I cannot speak to any one on these subjects. “That is a great pity; but you can give away a few copies of this little book and pray God to bless it, can’t you? You can pray for the gospel and for those who preach it; you can take an interest in the agencies for gospel work.
“Really, the gospel is not my work; I do not feel called to it.” What! Five millions of immortal souls in London alone, the greater number of whom are on the road to hell, and you don’t “feel called” to speak one word of warning, nor to take an interest in helping those who do! ―Think again!
UNSAVED READER! What would you think of the man who should deliberately pass by a house on fire and refuse to awaken the sleeping inmates on the plea of avoiding undue excitement? Would you not think him mad? And yet when we lift up our voices and warn you of the impending wrath of God which must, sooner or later, fall on unrepentant sinners, you charge us with enthusiasm, fanaticism, madness! But it is nothing of the sort. What we tell you is the sober truth of God. God has spoken to men by His prophets, by His Son, by His apostles and by His Holy Spirit in His Word, and they all solemnly assure us that the unrepentant sinner shall eternally perish; but that the sinner who will simply cast himself or herself upon Jesus as the all-sufficient Saviour shall be eternally saved.
Will you not then trust this precious Saviour who died for sinners? Or do you prefer to slumber on in your sins, without God, without Christ, without hope; on the very brink of everlasting ruin to your precious soul?
Sinner! awake up! you are in danger! H. C. C.