THESE were a mother's words to me respecting her eldest son, who had a short time before met with a fatal accident. He was returning home from a sale he had been attending, one very dark night, about eleven o'clock. He had two companions with him in the light dogcart he was driving, and all three were very intoxicated. In this condition they were rushing along, urging on the poor horse with curses and oaths, and with frequent cruel lashings of the whip. They had no lights, and were therefore quite unable to see any obstruction in their path. Suddenly the off wheel collided with a stone wall, and the three occupants of the trap were all thrown violently out on to the hard road. The pony was also thrown and stunned. It was some distance from any habitation, and no help was nigh. One of the men, only very slightly injured, sprang to his feet, and by the aid of a match he struck took a hasty look at his fellow-travelers. What he saw was sufficient to make him start of for assistance, which was obtained with some difficulty. Lanterns were brought, and a ghastly sight met the gaze of those who had been so ready to respond to the cry for help. One poor fellow's head was literally in pieces, and death must have been instantaneous.
The other man was so seriously hurt that for weeks his life was despaired of.
I saw the mother of the dead man a day or two after the burial. It is impossible to describe her grief. She was a sincere believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, and this made her mourning the more bitter, as she knew what a Savior her son had lost, and what a fearful doom he had found.
“I cannot rest," she said, "I can only leave my trial with the Lord. But I know too well that he's lost forever. There was a hope at one time that he would be led to the light, but those impressions soon wore off, and he is past hope now.
He lived without Christ, and he died without Him, so he must be lost forever.”
Lost forever! What a thought. Lost, and in torment forever! Oh, unsaved reader, let this solemn incident remind you of your condition.
Lost now-will it be forever? If you do not know Christ as your Savior; if you have never yet seen your lost, helpless, ruined state; and have never been to the One who is so "ready to help,”
“ready to save," and "ready to forgive," you are lost; and if you should be as suddenly cut off as this poor fellow was, or if you should die unsaved, you would also be "lost forever!”
Perhaps you do not relish the thought. But it is in full accord with God's Word, for He says—“He that believeth shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:1616He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)).
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Perhaps you think that God will not deal so hardly with you as to cast you into hell because you have always been respectable, pious, honest, and charitable. You may be a regular partaker of the "sacraments"; you may even have your name written upon the roll of church members, and may be a Sunday school teacher, taking a prominent part in all kinds of religious work, and yet—solemn truth— may be still unsaved, unforgiven, lost. Dear reader, do not deceive yourself. You are trying to merit God's salvation. You are working for it; striving to win it, whereas God offers it as a free gift. " The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord "(Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23))." Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:4, 54Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:4‑5)).
Take warning, too, ye despisers, from this terrible incident. I have known this man spurn the gospel message, and repulse those who would speak to him about his eternal welfare. He knew about Christ, but he died without receiving Him. He had often heard the gospel preached, but never believed it to the saving of his soul, and now he is beyond it all. No offer of salvation now. No chance of escape now. He is doomed. Without hope, without Christ, and without God he live and so he died. And such will be his awful state through the everlasting ages. Oh, dear unsaved one, where will you spend eternity? If you die unsaved, it must be in hell, tormented day and night forever. Oh, escape for thy life! Hasten to the sinner's Savior! Flee from the wrath to come! God is inviting, calling, beseeching you.