Heedless of warnings and entreaties in every shape and form. Like men of old in Napoleon’s victorious army, on entering into Moscow they found it empty. The Russians had fired the city or left others to do it after the French had entered. But they must have a ball despite the flames. The dance began. Soon the news reached them, the place is on fire. They heed it not, so engrossed are they in their sinful pleasures. Soon another cry is raised, the magazine is on fire. This seemed to reach some hearts-a dead silence prevailed. Many grew deadly pale at the thought of instant death.
A young officer named Carson, emboldened by Satan, raised his jeweled hand and exclaimed, “One more dance, and defiance to the flames!” As if inspired afresh by his words, they forgot their awful position on the brink of hell, and danced, danced on to the music of the band within, and the crackling of the flames without. The magazine exploded and swept all the dancers into eternity, from the ballroom floor into hell in a moment of time to wail the wail of the lost forever.
So runs the account of the unhappy fate of pleasure lovers in bygone days. But in those days it was never imagined that the dance was the means of salvation from sin and its penalty, but now it is being introduced into so-called churches by men who take the name of being ministers of the Gospel. One minister in New York has introduced dancing into his church as a means to attract people to the service. And now he is followed by another in Seattle, who is going to try the dance in his church.
Men who do not know the power of the Gospel in their own lives cannot preach it. They are unable to say, like the Apostle Paul, “I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received.” (1 Cor. 15:1-41Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:1‑4).) How can they tell of its keeping and saving power. So they introduced the dance.
Yes, dance on, but a lost eternity awaits you, if God does not bring you to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ before the day of grace is over. If they would preach, repent! repent! repent! they would have larger congregations, and more money to carry on the work. They would find it still true of those who believe the Gospel, “They first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God.” (2 Cor. 8:55And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:5).)
Look at those who have the Gospel, and are born again. Some were Mary Magdalenes and Sauls of Tarsus in measure, but see how they spend their money and their time now in trying to bring others to Christ, and seeking to adorn the doctrine by a holy life. They were once in the mad and frantic dance; they went whirling round and round the mouth of the burning pit!
Another and another and another plunge, shrieking into the abyss that stops not the dance which drowns the lost ones. In louder music and giddier whirl they dance on as little deterred by the fate of their fellows as the moths or flies on an autumn evening dash one upon another into the flames of the lamp, and fall to rise no more. They desire to fly once more, but though they have the desire, the ability is gone forever.
Will you wait, dear reader, till the day of grace is gone? Surely not! Now is the day of salvation. “If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; but if thou scornest thou alone shalt bare it.” (Prov. 9:1212If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. (Proverbs 9:12).) Yes, “If thou be wise!” you will turn to Christ this very moment„ and say, “Lord save me, I perish”; but, “if thou scornest thou alone shalt bare it!”
These are the words of the wisest man that ever lived. Take his advice today and “Repent ye, therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:1919Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19).) Reader, do you scorn another warning? Beware, Listen to the solemn words, “Thou alone shalt bear it.” Yes, when no pitying eye shall look upon you. Alone! though many may be in the same plight as yourself. Alone! you will bear your impenitent doom in the Lake of Fire! (Rev. 20:15,15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15) “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,” and “never shall be.” (Mark 9:44, 46, 4844Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44)
46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:46)
48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:48).) “Salted with fire.” Yes, read and understand, yes, preserved by the very fire which you fain would consume you, but, no, the awful reality at last realized. Exist thou must, yes, forever exist; but existence is forever “salted by fire.” (Mark 9:4949For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. (Mark 9:49).)
Repent, beloved reader, ere it is too late. Believe the Gospel that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day.” (1 Cor. 15:44And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:4).) “By which also ye will be saved.” Yes, saved to praise and adore your loving, loving Saviour world without end. But if ye rebel, what a fate awaits you!
“Descend, O sinner to thy woe,
Thy day of hope is done,
Light shall revisit thee no more,
Life with its sanguine dreams is o’er,
Love reaches not you awful shore,
Forever sets they sun.
“Pass down to the eternal dark,
Yet not for rest nor sleep,
Thine is the everlasting tomb,
Thine the inexorable doom,
The moonless, mornless, sunless gloom,
Where souls forever weep.
“Thy songs are at an end, thy harp
Shall solace thee no more,
All mirth has perished at thy grave,
The melody that could not save
Has died upon death’s sullen wave
That flung thee on this shore.”
From Horatius Bonar’s “Lost Soul.”
A. H. S.