A WILD young man formed one of a set who sometimes derived their sport from ridiculing the Word of God.
One day he came out of a public-house, where he had become excited by profane revelry with his godless companions, mounted his horse, and struck into a gallop.
A venerable saint of God was passing along the road. When the young man overtook him, he drew up the reins, and said, “Venerable sir, how far is it to hell?”
The old Christian calmly replied, “Young man, at the rate you are going you will soon be there.”
The poor reckless sinner struck the flanks of his horse with his spurs, and dashed off on a wild canter. After passing a short distance, his horse stumbled. He fell over its head to the ground, but rose not again.
The old Christian reached him only in time to hear one faint groan, and all was over.
How short the triumphing of the wicked!
What a contrast between the last moment on earth, and the first in eternity! “He stretched out his hand against God, and strengthened himself against the Almighty. He runneth upon him, even upon his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers” (Job 15:2626He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers: (Job 15:26)).
Perhaps many impenitent readers of The Gospel Messenger would not insult an old Christian, or utter blasphemy, but are they not just as truly sporting with damnation as the poor, reckless young man above-mentioned?
Are you one such? Oh, fellow-immortal!
Remember―
“The wrath of God hangs o’er thy head,
And judgment lingers nigh,”
and yet you are up to this moment as oblivious as he of the wrath of God. God, in His goodness, warns you by the startling example of this young man bring suddenly cut off.
Yes, God plainly tells you by His written Word, in the most solemn language you will ever hear this side of the judgment, that “He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Prov. 29:11He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (Proverbs 29:1)).
“Now, now, now, tomorrow too late may be,
Oh, sinner, in true repentance bow,
Confessing―He died for me.”
J. A. D.