It was night and the road across the flat Illinois plains was lonely and monotonous. The weary driver of the little car followed mechanically the long ribbon of concrete.
Anxious to reach her destination before midnight she had just stepped on the gas. Suddenly a red light roused her to a sense of something unusual on the road. Applying the brakes, she slowed until she could discern a man swinging a hand lantern in a frantic arc. As she stopped in obedience to his signal she became aware of a slow freight train crossing the highway. The automatic flasher was out of order, and the signalman had been obliged to resort to his hand lantern. Thus he had warned of danger and had prevented a fatal accident.
Was the driver of the car angry at this interruption of her journey? How foolish, you say. Of course she was only grateful for the warning.
Yet, dear fellow-traveler on the highway of life, you too are hastening toward an eternal destruction. Have you heeded the warning of "danger ahead"? Or, furious with those who would humbly and earnestly warn you, are you rushing headlong into the blackness of darkness forever?
Surely the railroad watchman at the crossing had no feeling of heroism as he stood with his red lantern between the speeding car and the slowly moving train. To him it was just a duty well done. But God, who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, has given every believer in His dear Son the privilege of holding forth the Word of life to warn men of the wrath to come upon this earth.
Sinner, heed the red lantern of "danger ahead." See the signal flash! Have you not heard God's warnings in the gospel hall, in your home, on the street corner? Have you not read the tracts, the gospel stories that warn you of danger on your life course? They tell you of Him who is mighty to save. Will you not believe His message? Accept God's Word to the saving of your soul! Heedless of these urgent warnings your way will end in eternal punishment.