WAS passing through the streets of one of our large northern manufacturing cities, and my steps were arrested by the sound of singing. I advanced to the crowd, and heard the following lines sung—
“Farewell mortality,
Welcome eternity,
Jesus is mine.”
The thought struck me as I heard the two first lines sung,
How is it that any one can say truthfully,
“Farewell mortality,
Welcome eternity"?
How can anyone calmly look forward to the time when they will exchange time for eternity, things fleeting and changing for things invisible and eternal? But the key to the whole thing was in the last line, which was sung with evident joy—
Dear reader, let me ask you the searching question, can you say truthfully, Farewell mortality, welcome eternity? If you can answer with the last line, Jesus is mine, it will be but a bright exchange.
You will leave this dark, dark world, with all its cares, vexations, disappointments, and trials, for the presence of the One who first loved you, and gave Himself for you. It will be, as one old divine said, “exchanging a moment of toil, for an eternity of rest." But, on the other hand, if you are still without Christ, it will be an unwelcome change for you. It will be to leave "this Egypt of your lusts,” where you have perhaps rolled sin as a sweet morsel under your tongue, and where you have spurned the offers of mercy so freely offered by God, for the lake of fire, where there is wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth, where you will never exhaust the wrath of God for your many sins, for mercy spurned, for grace rejected.
Dear reader, if such be your case, let me entreat you to think of God's remedy, God's love to such as you. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can screen you from God's judgment for sin. Your own good doings, your moral living, your philanthropic deeds, your ceaseless efforts to please God, will not avail you in that day when “God shall judge every man according to their works" (Rev. 20:1313And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:13)).
Dear reader, I would say to you from God's Word, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house " (Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30)).