For many ages the idol Juggernath, enshrined in his granite temple at Orissa, ruled by his fearful dominion the heathen myriads of the East. Upon the annual festivals he was dragged by hundreds of devotees upon his ponderous car sixty feet high out of his sacred hiding-place, amidst the acclamations of hundreds of thousands gathered to do homage to their wooden monarch, justly termed by some “The Moloch of the East.”
The abominable and blasphemous scenes which take place at such times surpass description; nor are they confined to the vicinity of the temple, but are produced on a smaller scale at innumerable shrines over the whole extent of the vast Hindoo territory. Such wickedness gives a solemn proof of the depths of debasement into which the man has fallen, who once bore the image and likeness of God, so as to be esteemed by the Creator “very good.” But how soon was the fair creation marred through belief of the serpent’s lie! “Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and changed the image of the incorruptible God into an image like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts.”
Millions have perished through their superstitious devotion to Juggernath. Some by cruelly torturing their bodies; others by long pilgrimages beneath a burning sun, until they fell to rise no more; and many by throwing themselves before the murderous wheels of Juggernath’s terrible car were instantaneously crushed, to the admiration and senseless glee of the assembled spectators. Oh, the dire effects of enthralling superstition! Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ, bringing life and incorruptibility to light, can dispel the gross darkness which covers the people.
“Thank God,” you may say, “I am not a poor pagan.” Amen, I heartily respond. But what do you think you are―a Christian? “Of course,” you may reply, “we are all Christians.” Yes, you are in a sense, for you have been baptized unto Jesus Christ, acknowledge the Scriptures as the divine revelation, know about the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent as Savior and Judge. You may even be a clergyman, an office-bearer, or, at least, a communicant at the Lord’s Supper.
“Well,” you may say, “is all this not being a Christian?” As to privilege and profession, it is; but as to reality in God’s sight, no. He must have truth in the inward parts. He looks upon the heart. Have you felt yourself to be “vile,” only fit for the judgment of hell-fire because of your sins? In measure the Holy Spirit always teaches this to those who are saved. To be a Christian, you must know for certain you have believed in Christ crucified; have redemption in His blood, the forgiveness of your sins according to the riches of God’s grace; be united to Jesus risen and glorified at God’s right hand, by the Holy Spirit given you; and have your heart, mind, and life all absorbed by Jesus; your absent and coming Lord.
“Ah, sir,” you may say, “if this is true Christianity, I know nothing about it.” Alas! poor soul, surrounded by light and privilege, your damnation will be greater than the heathen whom you pity, and may even give your donation to send bibles and missionaries to enlighten. Alas! poor soul, for you are a disciple of Felix, and under the power of Satan’s Juggernath.
“Juggernath!” you may exclaim; “there is no such horrible thing here.” There is an influence present, yet more potent, because more delusive; for even now the spell is upon you, a snare by which that old serpent the devil has wooed millions from the very presence of the blessing of God into the curses of never-ending perdition. Satan used idolatry to destroy men in the past, and will again use it with awful results in these Christian lands in the future (Rev. 13); but he has another thing now which he uses with terrible effect.
In order to explain clearly what it is, I shall relate the substance of a dream, dreamed by a servant of Christ, which I read about long ago. It is as follows: He dreamed he saw Satan, his princes, and innumerable demons, convened in counsel. The subject of debate was as to which would be the most efficacious way to ruin the souls of men where the grace of God was saving through belief in the Gospel.
One demon said he would go and be a spirit of infidelity in men’s minds, causing them boldly to deny the existence of a Deity, the immortality of the soul, Satan, or a future state. Diabolus said that would not succeed, for God had not left Himself without a witness. Creation told of His eternal power and Godhead, and within He had placed conscience as an unerring monitor, so that men, though they might live as infidels, would find it hard to die as such.
Another demon said that he would persuade men that there was a God righteous and holy, judgment to come, and an eternal state. That man was a sinner and must work to gain God’s favor, as He required His holy law to be kept; and if he did so, then, perhaps, God would be merciful in the judgment day, and Christ’s death would make up what they failed to accomplish. Or, he would tell others that “God is love,” as it said in the Bible; that He was not strict to mark iniquity, and all would be saved at last; so they must keep themselves decent and easy, all would be well; only enthusiasts preached about sin, hell, and damnation. Diabolus said that would not do either, for most men were too slothful to work for salvation, and those who did in the end would give it up as useless, when they found their hearts as hard as ever and peace afar off; to tell men that God was love was likewise vain, for death was a witness to God’s judgment of sin not to be gainsaid, the Cross of Calvary and the Bible telling the same truth, that God would in no wise clear the guilty.
A third demon now spoke. “I shall go as an angel of light, and will tell men to believe the Bible to be God’s word; Jesus, the Christ, to be His Son, the only sacrifice for sin, and the Judge of the appointed day; that heaven and hell are realities, salvation by faith essential, and the blood of the Lamb the only purifier from guilt. I will persuade men to receive all this as true, but to be in no hurry to believe to the saving of the soul, as there is time enough.”
“Good,” cried Satan. “Go and prosper.”
A dream, yet no dream, for this spirit has succeeded too well. Procrastination is his name.
Satan’s Juggernath, indeed, to the millions deluded by him, hugged as a darling idol by the sons of men, becomes as a fire to burn with an eternal burning. Satan has changed his tactics so as more effectually to delude with all deceivableness of unrighteousness them that perish; even where God works in saving grace: side by side with the evangelists, there he works also.
“Procrastination is the thief of time,” is a true saying. “Procrastination is the thief of souls,” is as true. Awake O sleeper! You may lose your soul; delay is dangerous. You know about God’s Savior, but have not received Him as yours; of eternal life by faith, but have not believed; and of forgiveness through the blood, but have not accepted it yet. Do you still, like Felix, postpone your decision though assured of the truth? Be ware how you tamper with long-suffering mercy. God plainly declares that “now is the accepted time; behold! now is the day of salvation.” “Come now, and let us reason together.”
Now He commands all men everywhere to repent. You are ready for judgment. God is ready to save. You need commit no other sin in order to be lost. You are already in “the broad road.” Just go on as you are, loved by the world, respectable, and even religious, quietly neglecting the great salvation, and you shall certainly be damned. Oh, how shall ye escape? Only by believing in Jesus as your Savior now. “Believe in the Son and live,” are God’s gracious terms. Accept them and be saved. Refuse them, listen to the winning, silvery voice of procrastination, whispering to be in no hurry, but wait a “more convenient season,” and you choose the way which seemeth right in your own eyes, but which ends in the ways of death―the second death, and the lake of fire, with the voice of slighted love to haunt you through the endless ages of eternity, “I would, but ye would not.”