DEAR reader, in all affection, I ask you have you wakened up to know “what time it is?" Do you know that though now, as for the last 1800 years, it is " the accepted time," yet are we in the closing moments of the acceptable year of the Lord,'"'
We are living in the "last days," and they, are “perilous times." Perilous, because Satan is putting forth his last and mightiest efforts against the entrance into the hearts of men of “Gods glad tidings." Perilous, too, because time is short; so short, that if you do not now bow to Christ as your Saviour, you may find it too late to do so in five minutes. The master of ate house is about to rise and shut to the door; those that are ready will go in; and the door shall be shut.
Dear reader, do you know your time? Do you discern the signs of the times?
Alt you may be clever about the things of earth, the present things, the things concerning your body; but if your cleverness ends here, hearken to the Lord's voice, "Hypocrite!" "Why," you ask?
Because you pretend to be wise, while you are really a fool. Wise as to earth, a fool as to heaven; wise as to the present, a fool as to the future; wise as to your body, a fool as to your soul! Hypocrite! Poor soul; will you go on any longer in the enjoyment of the passing shadows called pleasure, but which bring no satisfaction, and leave all your future to take bake of itself? Is your soul's welfare of so little importance that you can leave it quite unthought of ' Or are you so certain of remaining here for any number of weeks, months, or years, that you can appoint a time in which you intend to begin to see after your immortal soul's salvation Beware! beware! “Matt knoweth not his time." God's time is NOW. “Procrastination is the thief of time," they say. Yes, and it is Satan's prime minister in dragging down souls to hell I Do you think one amongst the millions of the damned ever intended to be there? Not one I What brought them there? Their good intentions! Good intentions? Yes, because they never went beyond intentions. To intend to do a thing proves that you have not done it. Alas! the way to hell is paved with good intentions.
“Man knoweth not his time." “When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them” (1 Thess. 5:33For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)). What a remarkable illustration of this was the awful end of over 600 souls on board the "Princess Alice," the Steamer which was suddenly run into and sunk by another vessel on the Thames lately.
Coming home after a day's pleasure at the seaside, over 700 light-hearted men, women, and children; a band of music on board, the passengers sitting in crowds, talking, laughing, singing.; was it not a picture of "peace and safety? " But in one moment, before lore than a very few had the least warning, “sudden destruction," indeed, came upon them, Cut down to the water's-edge, the ill-fated steamer sunk in four minutes!
Then what a change from the music and singing of the happy, careless crowd to the “shriek that rose up to heaven with one accord “from over 600 of them, as they struggled in vain for a moment, and then sank together into their watery grave!
Soul! has this terrible catastrophe no voice for thee? If thou hadst been there, how would it have been with thee? If sudden death was to overtake thee, would it bring thee sudden glory? or would it be sudden destruction? “From sudden death, good Lord, deliver us," people pray. But if you are saved, why should you be afraid of sudden death? And if not saved, why put off your salvation to another day? God says "Now.”
The hour of judgment is coming. The hour of grace still lasts. Oh, why will. You not discern the times? “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
Have you realized it? The Lord Jesus still says, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Have you come 'to Him? The Spirit is testifying to the wondrous value, the preciousness to God, of the blood shed on Calvary. Have you hearkened to His voice? Oh, if Jesus has so satisfied and glorified God with respect to the whole question of sin, by the way He met it and answered it all at the cross that God has 'found His rest in Him; can you not come just as you are, and cast yourself upon.
Him, sure that He will in no wise cast you out, but rather will receive you; wash you, cleanse you, save you? Surely you, too, can find your rest in Him, and say:
“Jesus! I rest in Thee,
In Thee myself I hide;
Laden with guilt and misery,
Where can I rest beside?
'Tis on Thy meek and lowly breast
My weary soul alone can rest.”
What rest! what relief what a salvation! out of self, into Christ I Do I now fear the future? Do I now feel all unhappy and unsettled as I think of the possibility of sudden death coming and finding me unprepared?
No, a thousand times no! The perfect love of God has cast out fear. I have boldness in the Day of Judgment, because as He (Christ) is, so am I in this world. In a word, I am saved. I have eternal life. I can never perish. I am ready to depart and be with.
Christ, or, if He comes, ready to go up and meet Him in the air to be forever with Him.
So ready, that I am longing for the moment to come. Are you? I am content meanwhile to wait His time, for it is not for me to know the "times and sea, sons which the Father has put in His own power," but "my times are in His hand," and
"This I shall find,
For such is His mind,
He'll not be in glory, and leave me behind!”
In conclusion, beloved reader, I once more warn thee, “The time is short." It is still the time of grace for thee, but grace despised is judgment ensured. Know then, I beseech thee, “thy time," Trifle it not away. Make sure while you may of, your soul's salvation, yes,
“Return, O wanderer, to thy home,
'Tis madness to delay;
There are no pardons in the tomb,
And brief is mercy's day.
Return! return!”
H. P. A. G.