A great hotel, recently an ornament and pride in a big city, is now a shapeless mass of ruins. At the dead hour of night, when nearly all the guests were sleeping soundly without a thought of danger, suddenly the cry of "Fire" rang through the halls. On some the spirit of slumber had fallen so heavily that the doors of their rooms had to be broken in before they could be aroused to their peril. Others leaped from their beds only to encounter the blinding, suffocating smoke, and were driven back in terror, or groped their way into the blackest darkness to the stairs. Some slept on into death.
Every part of the vast edifice presented a scene of the wildest confusion and every heart was appalled. Screams, shrieks, groans, curses, and prayers ascended into the gloom, and mingled with the roaring flames that soon burst from the roof. The sirens pealed out their alarm the fire engines dashed through the streets; and in a few minutes an immense crowd had gathered around the doomed building. Far up in the windows of the upper floors men and women were seen standing, stretching forth their hands in imploring appeals for help. Ever and anon someone, frantic with fright, would leap from the windows, to be dashed to death on the stone pavements beneath. Here and there sheets and blankets were torn into strips, and on these several attempted to descend, but usually only to loosen their hold, or to find their frail support failing to bear their weight.
As the policemen were hurrying through the halls, they heard from one of the rooms the report of two pistols, and bursting open the door they discovered a man and his wife dying, having preferred to meet death by their own hands, rather than face the fierce flames.
A man, suspended from a sheet fastened to a window, was heard to cry as he dropped to the earth, "O Lord, forgive my sins for Jesus' sake." Another, rescued by the firemen, was led to a neighboring hotel, and instantly surrounded by a sympathetic throng.
Crazed with anxiety and dread, only one subject could engage his attention. A reporter for a newspaper stood before him with pencil in hand, and said to him, "What is your name?”
"Can I be saved?" was the passionate answer.
"Where do you live?" was the next question.
"Will you save me?" was the immediate reply.
"What is your occupation?" asked the reporter.
"Shall I be saved?" was his only response.
Oh, how his whole being was occupied with one thought! Salvation, salvation from the burning hotel, was worth more to him than name, residence, occupation, and all the world beside.
But what can be said of the day of the Lord? It will come as a thief in the night; "in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:1010But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)). There will be no escape then at the last minute for the ungodly and unbelieving.
"When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9)). "The fearful and unbelieving," as well as "the whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)).
Such is the distinct and solemn testimony of the Holy Ghost, given through inspired Apostles who went everywhere, beseeching men to become reconciled unto God. To this must be added the positive testimony of the compassionate and loving Savior. "The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 13:41, 4241The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:41‑42)); "then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:4141Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41));
"Into the fire that never shall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:43, 4443And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43‑44)); "The same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 7:29,3029And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:29‑30)).
There can be no doubt, therefore, concerning the terrible doom of those who persist in putting away from them the offer of a free and certain salvation, pressed so tenderly and so urgently upon their acceptance now. "Come; for all things are now ready" (Luke 14:1717And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. (Luke 14:17)); "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)); "Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts" (Heb. 4:7, 87Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (Hebrews 4:7‑8)). No time is to be lost, for "behold, the judge standeth before the door" (James 5:99Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. (James 5:9)).
Even while the fire was kindling in that magnificent hotel, a party playing cards in one of the rooms were seeking to forget God and eternity. Many of the guests had spent the evening in revelry, dissipation, and utter worldliness. Thus shall it be at the end, "for as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not, until the flood came, and took them all away; thus shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:38, 3938For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:38‑39)).
Oh, what piercing shrieks will then ring in vain around the globe, "Save me! Save me! Save me!”