NOW

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, June 24, 1880

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 56, No. 1

“A VESSEL had been thrown upon a rocky coast, and the captain and his wife found themselves on a ledge, scarcely raised above the waves which dashed around them. They were not far from shore, but rugged rocks and boiling surges intervened. Ropes were thrown to them by the people on shore, but unless they took the opportunity of a wave going in, which would carry them over the rocks, they were sure to be dashed in pieces. The captain, of course, wished his wife saved first, and put the rope securely around her, the people on shore standing ready to draw her out. He anxiously watched the waves till he saw a great one rushing in, and he called out to his wife, ‘jump!’ But she hesitated. It was only a moment, but that moment was fatal. She jumped, but it was to meet the returning wave, which dashed her against the sharp rocks, and she was drawn out a corpse.”

The waves of opportunity have come to us hour by hour, day by day, year by year, till by their constant occurrence we seem to think they will always be ours. One of these glorious, saving waves is just now passing us; but we linger, falter, shrink, and still remain in our perilous condition. Another comes, and still we hesitate; another, and still another, till the last has passed; and, dashed upon the rocks of procrastination and unbelief, we sink to a hopeless grave. How many with dying breath have gasped, “Too late, too late!”

Once the weary feet of the Saviour trod the cities, villages, plains, and mountains of Judea. At night the mountains echoed with his prayers; by day he taught in their streets the way of life and peace. Golden opportunity, choicest of centuries—yet not improved. They remained in ignorance and in sin, and

Divinity wept over them, saying, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belonged unto thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes.” Too late! Their doom is sealed, and the desolate city and nation speak to us to-day to beware of neglecting present opportunity. There were things which belonged to their peace. They could not possibly have peace without. They sought them not. There are things which belong to our peace. We may learn what they are. Every day brings such an opportunity, and still of many of us it is said, “The way of peace they have not known;” and shortly humanity and Divinity may weep over us, vainly lamenting that in our day, the time we might have known, we knew not.

Say not, “To-morrow shall be as this day, and more abundant.” Think not a more convenient season will ever come. “Boast not thyself of to-morrow, whereas thou knowest not what the morrow may bring forth.” Think not with any degree of certainty it is yours. There are millions upon millions of slumberers in the dust for whom we may mourn without hope, who have as strongly hoped for the morrow as you. While you plunge deeper and deeper into sin, you are lessening the probabilities of repentance. You are sowing seed that will yield a bitter harvest, and if, through his infinite mercy, you are saved at last, yet you cannot gather with Christ that which while in sin you separate from him. “He that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad.” There are some even now, it may be, who through your influence and example have delayed repentance, who have already passed beyond pleadings, prayers, or mercies.

In a Southern hospital lay a soldier in the agonies of death. A kind friend lingering near, kindly and repeatedly asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?” thinking he might wish some parting word sent to loved ones absent. At first no answer; but at last, fixing his glazed eyes upon her in their agony, he asked, “Can you undo?” Then he told how a praying lad came from a praying mother to the army; how he taught him to swear, and in battle he saw him fall with an oath upon his lips. “Can you undo?” Ah! no; not the loving Father himself could do this. But he can forgive the repentant, the thief, the murderer, she that bathed his feet with tears in the depths of her sorrow; whosoever, any, all may come, if they come now, ere life has fled.

Are you teaching others to swear, to cheat, lie, drink, gamble, join in the pleasures of sin? or by word or example are you teaching them to neglect salvation to-day? While it is called to-day, harden not your heart, but let it soften under the rays of His Spirit, that through its holy influence you may be led safe beyond the wrecks of time to the safety of eternity.—Domestic Journal.