When the English troops, at the last war of the Indies, abandoned the town of Luck-now, one man was left behind. The following is an account of an eye witness.
"Captain Waterman, having thrown himself on his bed in some remote place of the camp is overcome with sleep and forgotten about the retreat which took place that night. At two o'clock in the morning he awakes, and upon finding that he has been left alone, is seized with horror. Hoping against hope, he goes from post to post, but all are deserted and silent. What a frightful position to be left alone in an open town, exposed to the rage of thousands of barbarous enemies, which would soon penetrate everywhere. Terror takes hold of him and gives him wings. He runs and runs, until out of breath, in the direction of the retreating army, and almost mad with anguish and entirely exhausted, he finally reaches the rearguard."
He was saved, but he certainly never forgot those terrible moments and his happy deliverance.
Reader, the moment is rapidly approaching when every soul, not having Christ for his Savior, shall find himself in a position, infinitely more terrible than that of Captain Waterman.
At the voice of the archangel and when the trump of God shall sound, all those that are Christ's the raised dead and the changed living-shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:16, 1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17)) Every soul born of God, every saint in whom the Spirit of God dwells, every true child of God, whoever he may be, shall go there to be forever with Jesus, but all who are not, shall be left behind!
Where will you be, dear reader, when there is no more time to flee nor means of escape? ...the hail shall sweep away the refuge if lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." Isa. 28:1717Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. (Isaiah 28:17). The door shall be "shut" (Mat. 25:10).
Left behind—not to the bloodthirsty passions of cruel barbarians, but to the power of "that Wicked One" to be a prey to the great deception of unrighteousness, to the strong delusion to believe a lie, to the dreadful "great tribulation" and the eternal horrors of the "second death.”
Ah, reader, these are not cunningly devised fables, they are solemn realities to come—eternal truths proclaimed by the living God. Captain Waterman's salvation was a temporal deliverance; the gospel proclaims an eternal deliverance through the precious blood of Christ.
The door of mercy is still open, the glorified Savior is still seated at the right hand of God in heaven. After He has arisen to take His own, the door shall be shut forever. The living God speaks to you now through His Word: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb. 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3). "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2). Tomorrow may be too late, and tomorrow you could be left behind!