ONE day in the city of D—, an elephant was being transferred to one of the parks. As his keeper was taking him through the streets he saw, a little distance off, a milkman, with his wagon full of milk and cream, driving toward him. He called to the man not to come near, but he replied that he wanted to see the elephant, and he continued to drive towards it.
It was not long until the elephant smelled the milk, and hastening up to the wagon, he soon pierced its sides with his strong tusks, then with his trunk lifted the lid from one of the cans, and in a very few minutes emptied it of its contents.
By this time the driver, who was thoroughly frightened, was whipping up his horses and trying to get away from the elephant that he had been so anxious to see. But Mr. Elephant had no notion of losing a dinner that was so much to his liking, and trotting along beside the hurrying wagon, he adroitly twisted his trunk about can after can, and jerked them out one by one, until all were on the ground. Then he made his dinner on the milk and cream that had not been spilled.
In this way forty-five gallons were soon disposed of, greatly to the dismay of the poor milkman. He had had timely warning, but he did not heed it; and because of this he not only had a great fright, but he lost many dollars’ worth of milk and cream.
What lesson do you, dear reader, gather from this story? The attractions that this world offers to keep you from owning yourself a lost sinner and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, may not look more dangerous to you than the elephant did to the milkman. But God’s Word tells us of a yawning lake of fire, a death that never comes to an end, for those who will not be warned of the judgments to come.
The milkman was foolish not to heed the warning given; do not let this worst of all follies be yours—not to heed the warnings of God’s Word to come to Christ. Flee now to Him, the only refuge from the coming wrath, ere it be forever too late.
“As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27). 28.
ML 12/17/1933