Oh! can it be that I must spend eternity in hell,
In misery unutterable, amongst the damn’d to dwell?
No rest, no peace, no light, no love, but never-ending grief,
And this forever, no redress, no prospect of relief?
And ‘tis myself that I must blame for dwelling with the lost;
Pardon was often offered me, I knew what it had cost:
I knew a Saviour gave His life to save our ruin’d race,
But I cared not, I spurned Him oft, and trampled on His grace.
Eternity! oh, what a word I to never, never end;
Will death ne’er come, will mem’ry cease, will any comfort send?
But no, I must live ever on, in madd’ning anguish’d pain,
And listen to the shrieks and groans of those who cry in vain.
Too late, too late, no respite now, the day of mercy’s o’er; [more.
‘Their home they’ve reached here they must dwell in anguish ever-
But, bitter thought, it might have been a home of love and peace,.
Amid the happy and the blest whose praises never cease,
Whence sorrow is forever gone, where tears ne’er fill the eye,
No anguish there, no sorrow, care, not e’en the faintest sigh.
And in this home I might have been, but like a fool would not,
I took my choice, and this, alas! is my most hapless lot.
I lov’d the pleasures of the world, I lov’d its worthless toys,
Though many a time I proved e’en there how fleeting were its joys;
But Satan lur’d me on and on, I listened to his lies,
Persuaded that in following him I proved that I was wise.
He told me it was time enough whene’er I feared to die,
A Christian’s was a gloomy life, he could do naught but sigh.
Give up the world? what foolishness while I was young and gay;
I might be saved some other time, and please myself today,
There was no fear that I would die for many long, long years,
And so I might enjoy myself, dismiss my foolish fears.
He said my friends would laugh at me and turn away in scorn;
I listened to him―heeded all; oh! would I’d ne’er been born!
For now throughout eternity, through never-ending years,
I must endure his taunts and sneers, his mocking and his jeers.
Oh, why did I obey his voice when oft he bade me wait?
He duped me well, I trifled on, until it was too late!
The lake of fire is now my home, here I must ever be,
While years roll by, yes, maddening thought! throughout eternity.
Reader, I ask
Where wilt thou spend eternity, in heaven or in hell?
Wilt thou amongst the blest be found, or with the lost ones dwell?’
Choose now at once, make up thy mind, the Saviour says “Today.”
He loves thee well, He pleads with thee, and wilt thou say Him nay?
Oh, look at Him on Calvary, behold His bleeding side!
It was for thee in deepest love, for thee that Jesus died.
His love’s so great, so boundless, free, Himself He would not spare,
And now that loving heart is pained to see thou (lost not care!
O, scorn Him not, turn not away, reject not love so great,
Nor listen to the tempter’s voice which often bids thee wait;
Reject Him not, the one true Friend, untiring is His love,
Oh! taste its value here on earth, then deeper drink above.