HERE is a glimpse of what Central Park was several years ago and which is now the pride and delight of that great city. There is the beautiful blue lake, spanned by a light bridge for foot passengers; the graceful swans, which children love to feed and everybody likes to admire. Here are cliffs and rocks and slopes and winding ways. There is a summer house, to sit down and rest yourself in; and an observatory, where you can see a fine landscape.
Men, women, and children like to go from the dust, and close air, and stifled heat and hot bricks of the city, to walk and ride in the beautiful park. But I wonder how many of them remember that God in His goodness has given us richly all these things to enjoy? Most of them now know like many of the people in San Francisco who were enjoying such things but did not think about God who is the giver. They were going on, taking all they could get without giving God thanks and what is still worse they were thinking nothing of taking God’s name in vain.
God showed His patience with them for a long time, but finally He brought His judgment upon them and all that they were glorying in was brought low. Every sleeper was aroused from his slumber and many who had been careless about their soul’s salvation when everything was peaceful and quiet, cried to God for mercy when He caused the earth to tremble and the beautiful buildings to totter and crash to the ground.
Beautiful as Central Park may be, the time is coming when God will melt the whole earth with fervent heat, so that the present condition of things will not be known throughout eternity. But first the Lord will come to take His own to be with Himself and then will come back with them to execute judgment.
How would it be with you, dear reader, if Christ were to come now and judgments were to be poured out on the earth? Would fear and trembling take hold of you, or would you be one of those who would go to meet. Him and be forever with Him? Ah, don’t be seeking to enjoy all the beautiful things down here and think not of the One who gave it all, or of the awful judgments that are coming on this scene. Take heed to the warnings God has given in His word, of coming judgment. Flee to Christ now, as the only One who is able to save you, and who is still saying, “HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WLL IN NO WISE CAST OUT.”—John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37).
The beautiful scenes may be enjoyed by you, if you have come to Him for salvation, and while enjoying all as the creation of God, remember that all is spoiled in God’s sight on account of sin and therefore He, will change all. May you seek in every way to warn others of the coming judgment.
ML 08/19/1906