Did you ever stop to think about Eternity? How long is it?
I imagine I hear some one say, "Why, it is so long that if you should begin now, and countevery drop of water there is in every river, lake, and ocean on this globe, when the last drop iscounted it would only be just begun."
I imagine I hear another say: "If you would take every particle of sand and dirt of whichthis earth is made, and count them all, and stop an hundred years between the counting of eachparticle, then, when all were' finally counted, Eternity would be just as long as when you firstbegan."
Both of these answers are true. Eternity means never-ending duration.
Time, with its six thousand years that have passed away, is simply a little comma in theinfinite' volumes of the great Eternity. It is but a small drop in the boundless Ocean of the greatForever.
As sublime as the thought of Eternity is, it becomes all the more majestic when weremember that every soul is to exist through all its ages. "We are, and we can never cease to be."
Where you and I shall spend that Eternity moves all Heaven and stirs all hell.
Satan is determined that we spend it with him, and through demons and wicked men, andour own carnal natures, is doing all that lies in his power to allure us into the fatal Streams of theseRivers and over the Falls of Eternal Despair, into an Eternity of the lost, where we will behopeless and Christless for ever and ever. There, amid the billows of that burning sea, whose firesemit no light, and whose flames never tire nor cease, there will be Eternal separations from Godand all the good. Heaven, with all its infinite and eternal joys, will be lost forever.
There will be no music there; but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Those who have been hated and wronged here' on earth, doubtless there will wreak theirvengeance upon the lost forever.
Wicked men and devils, superintended by Satan himself, doubtless will "torment both dayand night, for evermore."
One of the hottest flames which then will torture the despairing soul doubtless will be thatthis doom was self-chosen. The memory of sins committed, of Christ rejected, of prayers spurnedand duties neglected, like a scorpion, doubtless will sting the soul and deepen its agony ageswithout end.
It is a fearful thing to be lost in outer darkness; lost from God; lost from Heaven; lost fromloved ones, who interceded by their prayers and tears to save us; lost in a black burningwilderness, so far from God's Heaven and His millions of shining, shouting worlds that not one rayof their combined light can even pierce the outer darkness; lost amid the howls of demons, thesarcasm and ridicule of fallen spirits, the fightings and anguish of lost men! All this is awfulbeyond description; but add to this the word Eternal, and remember that this means FOR EVERAND EVER, and there is no language that can express the awfulness of such a loss.
O, Eternity of the lost! May thy infinite horrors and everlasting anguish of despair moveevery reader to drop the sins that may be bearing him to thy murderous bosom, and heed the call ofmercy before it is too late!
"Lo, on a narrow neck of land
'Twixt two unbounded seas we stand,
Secure! insensible!
A breath of time, a moment's space,
Removes us to that heavenly place,
Or shuts us up in hell."
Reader, remember that your decision this very hour may determine where you will spendETERNITY.
"Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into theeternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels." -- Matt. xxv, 41.
"And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." --Rev. xx, 15.
But, thank God! there is another picture!
When Jesus threw back the curtain that intervenes between this and the unseen world, Heshowed us a painting, not only of the Eternity just named, but of a glorious Eternity from which sinwill have been banished forever; an Eternity where there is no pain nor sorrow, nor sickness, norsighing, nor tears; an Eternity where Jesus and His angels, and loved ones who delight to do Hiswill, dwell; an Eternity whose music will thrill, and whose joys will fill increasing capacitieswith inexpressible delights; an Eternity where we may fly on errands of light and love, forevermore doing the bidding of Him whom we adore; an Eternity amid the mansions whosefoundations are sapphire and other priceless jewels; whose gates are pearls; whose temple' is theLord God Almighty, and the light of which is Jesus, our Elder Brother; an Eternity where there isno more curse, and we need "no light of moon, neither light of sun, for the' Lord God shall givethem light, and they shall reign for ever and ever;" a welcome Eternity; a blessed Eternity; avictorious Eternity; an Eternity where usefulness, and honor, and enjoyment, all unite to bear itspeople to heights undreamed of here.
How foolish to barter such an Eternity for earth's honors or pleasures or sins! Is it anywonder that Jesus represents the rich man who sold his soul for money as a fool? He sold anEternity of bliss and purchased a ticket to an Eternity of woe for a little property and a few briefhours of sensuous enjoyment. Let us choose an Eternity where it may be ours to speed on ministriesof love and light from world to world and universe to universe, magnifying the grace of God thatrescued us from the River of Death, and thus transforms. Thank God such an Eternity is real andnear, and may be ours!
Reader, may we not meet there? Whatever else we do, may we live every moment readyfor the ETERNITY of those who are enrolled above.
"And there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abominationand a lie: but only they which are written in the Lamb's book of life:" -- Rev. xxi, 27.
RESCUED FROM THE RIVER
V. E. M.
When a child I had a dread of three things, Death, Hell, and the Judgment-day of God.
Of these divine truths I often thought, and the questions would arise -- how am I going toavoid their terror? Where is a place of refuge? Where can I find a ladder of escape when thisworld shall be on fire, and the elements melting with fervent heat?
Through the conversation of my elder sisters, I learned one day that Christ will come in theclouds with power and great glory; but this fact did not in the least allay my fears, but added terrorto my deep consternation, for something in my heart told me I was not prepared to stand beforeHim.
From the day I heard my sisters say Jesus would come again, I resolved to do good, keepGod's Commandments, and live in such a righteous way that I would not be afraid to meet Him.
With conscientious earnestness of purpose I set about watching my words lest I should tella falsehood, or in jest take the' name of God in vain; with rigorous care I did whatever deed ofkindness came in my way towards others, vainly attempting by good works to obtain Salvation, notthen knowing "that by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift ofGod."
Several years I stumbled on trying to build upon the sand, until one Sunday in theSabbath-school I learned this truth, that "Jesus died not for our sins only, but for the sins of thewhole world."
Doubtless I had read that text of Scripture before, but had not paused to consider carefullythe wonderful importance of those words, "the sins of the whole world."
Who could accurately compute their number, or rightly discern their degree of guilt? How Ibegan to wonder, what ratio my own sins we're to the transgressions of the whole world?
After much perplexing thought, I came to see that my own were but as a drop in the ocean,to the sum total committed by other souls, and yet so great was my condemnation, as I drifted downthe awful River of Death, that I felt that the blood of Jesus must have wonderful efficacy to washaway the sins of the world.
For who can reckon up the oaths, curses and blasphemies, the lying and evil speaking, theSabbath breaking, drunkenness, frauds, injustice, cruel oppression, and much other wickedness thatabound in the lives of the children of men?
Surely, thought I, although my own heart is unclean through sin, since on "Jesus was laidthe iniquities of us all," my own soul is not too hard a subject for the blessed Christ to makewhole.
Although I at last came to comprehend these facts, my attention at that time in life was somuch taken up by my studies in school and the practice of music at home, I drifted along, fullyintending some day to seek the Lord.
But how indefinite was that period of time, and what a risk for my immortal soul to run!What assurance could I claim that God would not permit Death to come and bear me over the Fallsof Eternal Despair towards which I was drifting? For now that I had been brought to a knowledgeof His Word of Divine truth, I was in peril of Hell and the coming Judgment every hour I livedwithout a saving faith in Christ.
But God was merciful unto me, or I could never have been permitted to write this testimonyof Jesus' saving power.
Of late the cares of every-day life had engaged my attention to that extent I but seldomthought of the perils which had seemed so very real to me when a child.
The last time those haunting fears had arisen with all the power of their convicting mightwas while standing beside the casket of one whom God had called away to Heaven in the' days ofher innocent youth. As I looked for the last time on that still, white face, about which clung suchbeautiful curls of auburn hair, I realized, as never before, that the sentence of death, which anoffended God had pronounced upon all flesh, would sooner or later be executed; and so surely ashis Word of truth held good in regard to our frail tenements of clay, I felt convinced it would alsoprove true of our souls having to appear before Him in the Judgment.
As I took my last farewell of dear Katie, a hope sprang up in my heart that we should oneday meet again. That comforting thought stayed my tears, for did not Jesus say, "I am theresurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live?"
By a saving faith in Christ, Katie now possessed this promised inheritance of eternal life. Itonly remained for me to decide whether I would accept of it, and come at last to be with her again.
This I earnestly resolved to do while I turned and walked away; but imperceptibly to meSatan obtained the controlling power over my heart, and led me for a few months to believe I hadno need of being in a hurry about seeking salvation.
Who can rightly estimate the patient forbearance of the Lord? With what longsuffering didHe await my lagging footsteps? Truly His mercy and goodness were great towards me, else mysoul would not have found Him at all.
Time hastened on until when sixteen years of age I attended a revival meeting in the Stateof Ohio. Not with the expectation of benefiting my soul did I go up unto the sanctuary. I thoughtmore of seeing the multitude, than I did of God and His way of salvation.
One night, after the benediction had been pronounced, I stood waiting for my friends to getready to return home; while standing within a few seats of the altar a schoolmate accosted me with,"Come, Jennie, join the Church tonight." I emphatically replied: "No, I am not ready! Some othertime I will, but not now. But instead of accepting no for a decided refusal, my friend, who hadlately found Christ, persisted in her determination that I should set my face heavenward at once, asthough I had no more time to lose.
Seeing she would not let me go away without heeding her request, with a feeling ofdesperation I walked up to the pulpit and gave the minister my hand. Then and there the Holy Ghostsealed conviction on my heart, and to my soul I heard a voice speaking: "Jennie, you can not live inthe Church without being a Christian, and you can not be a Christian unless you get your heart rightwith God."
As I turned and walked homeward I began to be persuaded, more than ever, that Hell was aplace of writhing torment, for I was aware that it had suddenly opened before my soul.
What difference to me now, the fact that I had been born and reared in a good home,surrounded all through life with the Christianizing influence which only a godly mother and kindsisters can give; the searchlight of the Holy Spirit discovered to me that unless I found Christ, andmade Him for evermore my place of refuge, I would be lost.
For one long, long night and a day I felt the condemning wrath of God resting on my heart.Turn where I would I could not find comfort in anything, I could think of nothing but how to findrest from the heavy burden of sin that I felt was oppressing my heart. Alone in my room, after muchmeditation I discovered that good morals and works of righteousness which I had tried to dowould not save me from becoming a companion of the vilest wretch who would ever go to Hell.For although there may be degrees of suffering in that place of eternal fire, our Savior taught thereis but one place of punishment to which lost souls will be banished.
Has He not declared "that the Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gatherout of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into afurnace of fire."'
For one night and a day, a day that seemed to be the longest of all my life, I felt the awfulcondemnation of God resting on my heart. What wonder our Savior cried when He came to die'with the guilt of the whole world resting on Him: "My God? my God? why hast thou forsakenMe?"
What agony can surpass the knowledge that your soul is helpless and alone, forsaken ofGod amid the avalanche of sin that has fallen with sudden fury upon you?
Who could endure the ordeal, only that the Word of truth bids us, "Arise! call upon thyGod, if so be thy God will think upon thee, that thou perish not."
I knew there was but one way of obtaining relief, and that was to "believe upon the LordJesus Christ" -- but, O! who was to teach me how to trust Him for the safety of my soul?
My sorrow of heart was too great for words; I could not voice it to others. Prayer was myonly solace. But the more I tried to pray, the farther off from God I seemed to go. "O! hath He notloved me?" I cried. "Hath He not suffered and died to redeem such a lost rebel as I?" But true asthis fact was, I could not by faith step out on the promises of God-they were so very broad andhigh my soul staggered at them.
As the weary day wore away, and the lengthening shadows of evening came on, how Ilonged to hear the sound of the church-bell!
At last its tones pealed out in sweetest music to my ear, it seemed to call to me of
"Peace, sweet peace, that passeth understanding,
Peace, sweet peace, that has no ending,"
until my heart took courage to believe I would find Jesus by going up again to the house of God.
That never-to-be-forgotten night the minister preached from the text, "Yet a little' sleep,a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep."
Never did words of Divine truth so accurately portray the condition of a lost soul as thosedid my own, for had I not for years been slumbering on, intending at some future day to arise andseek Jesus, but had still delayed, until aroused by my friend insisting that I had need to turn to Godjust now?
What gratitude at this distant day wells up in my heart to Jesus that He did not allow myheart to resist the call of the Holy Spirit, for had I refused to hearken then, I must have diedunsaved, for
"There is a lime we know not when, a point we know not where,
That make the destiny of man to glory or despair;
There is a line by us unseen, that crosses ev'ry path,
The hidden boundary between God's patience and his wrath.
How far may we go on in sin, how long will God forbear?
Where does hope end, and where begin the confines of despair?
An answer from the skies is sent, Ye that from God depart,
While it is called 'today' repent, and harden not your heart."
"A little more sleep;" how like dagger strokes did every word drop on my quivering heartas that man of God went on to speak truths analogous to this:
In a comparative sense there are but few who come to a knowledge of the gospel thatintend to be lost.
At some future time they purpose to lay hold by faith upon Christ, but not just now; not untilI see that necessity compels me to make a leap for eternal life, then I hope to make sure of afoothold on the Rock of Ages.
But know ye not, O! slumbering soul, your days on earth may be numbered, and thephantom of death may even now attend your footsteps? Why sleep on, only to find a rudeawakening when your immortal spirit is sinking down, down, over the Falls of Eternal Despair andouter darkness?
Awake! Leap for your life! Stay not to look around you! Do not, as you value your soul,listen to the voice of Satan bidding you to longer delay.
Just then, above the noise of the rising congregation, I heard the words in melodious songof
"Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power."
As the first verse of this beautiful invitation hymn rolled away, I became conscious of thefact that much as I knew I needed Christ, there was another force which held me for a timespellbound where I stood.
Presently I heard deep down in my soul: "Time enough, no need to be in a rush aboutstarting for Heaven; wait until another meeting comes round."
But over and above all this at length spoke the blessed Master, "Come unto Me all ye thatlabor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Rest, O! how had I earnestly sought it, andfound it not! All that long, long weary day my heart still cried out for that peace which Christ alonecould give.
To halt between "two opinions" now, was to be lost forever. Realizing this, I began tothink I would give a great deal to be kneeling at the altar just at that moment, calling to God to havemercy upon me. But, O! what a distance I would have to walk up the aisle before all that crowd offriends! Was there no other way I could find Jesus?
Just then the third verse of the hymn rang out in painful distinctness:
"Let not Satan make you linger;
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness Christ requireth
Is to feel your need of Him."
As these melting words fell upon my burdened heart, I felt the Holy Spirit striving again inmighty power with my soul; but just as I was on the point of yielding, Satan -- seeing his grasp onme was broken -- suggested, "Do not kneel at that altar, but go to the front bench."
This quite decided me, and I started up the aisle feeling I would sink down at every step;but when. I drew near the front bench, I found Satan had prevailed upon other souls also to go alittle ways toward God, and what was my dismay to find all the place's occupied.
But the devil found he had overshot his mark, for the Lord prevailed, and I never stoppedgoing until I fell down at His feet, kneeling inside the altar with my face toward the audience.
While I tried to lift my heart to God in prayer, I realized that I was indeed
"Weary, heavy-laden,
Bruised and mangled by the
fall;Had I tarried until better,
I would not have come at all."
What darkness settled down like a thick cloud upon my soul! Not a ray of light could I see.Out of the surrounding gloom to my heart there was a voice speaking, "Look unto Me, and be ye'saved."
But just how to take hold upon Jesus and appropriate to my soul, by faith, the sacrifice Heoffered on Calvary's cross, I knew not, and the more I struggled to find Him, the deeper I plungedinto despair.
Ere long the devil threw his power over me until my sins arose like a towering mountainabove my head, and I was tempted to believe there was no mercy for me.
At this my courage gave way. Helpless, I quailed before Satan's overwhelming charge; butwhile he was following up the great advantage he had gained over my drooping heart, my dearSabbath-school teacher came to my relief. Her tidings of comfort were:
"Jennie, so long as Satan can keep your mind fastened upon your sins, you can not think ofJesus. If you are willing to give up sin, you have nothing more to do with it-God will see tothat-but go to believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal Savior, and He will set you free."
Finding at length my sorrow too great for words, she went on:
"As you by faith look to the cross, believe those dear hands were nailed there for you;believe those feet were spiked down to save your own from slipping into Hell; believe the bloodflowed from that wounded side to wash your sins away."
While my teacher thus encouraged me to take hold by faith upon Jesus, the light of Godbegan to break upon my benighted soul, the power of Satan was broken, and for a few moments
"I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agonies and blood,
Who fixed His languid eyes on me,
As near His cross I stood.
Sure, never till my latest breath,
Can I forget that look;
It seemed to charge me with His death,
Though not a word He spoke.
My conscience felt and owned the guilt,
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had spilt,
And helped to nail him there.
A second look He gave which said,
I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom paid
I die, that you may live."
When at last I reached the point that I could, and did, that moment trust in the blood ofChrist, instantly I felt the crushing burden lifted, and I knew my heart had been "washed" and made"whiter than the snow."
As the saving power of the Holy Spirit fell upon me, I arose to my feet rejoicing in Jesus'forgiving love.
What a transformation had been wrought t My friends never looked so beautiful, and a newlight -- the light of Heaven -- appeared to glow upon the walls of the church and everything aroundme.
How much I loved everybody, and Jesus most of all! O that I could bring every sinner in allthe wide world to seek Him for his own!
Now all fear of Death, Hell, and the Judgment Day of God vanished away. Jesus had comeinto my heart and taken away all dread of the law.
How I rejoiced that I had been led of the Spirit to humble my pride and kneel at that altar!Now it had become the most sacred spot on earth to me, for there I found my Savior. Rightjoyfully did I join in singing:
"O happy day that fixed my choice
On Thee, my Savior and my God;
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
And tell it. raptures all abroad.
'Tis done, the great transaction's done,
I am my Lord's, and He is mine;
He drew me and I followed on,