One Hour After Death # 2

One Hour After Death # 2

No wandering thoughts,
no roving imagination, 
no tempting devil,
no corrupt heart, no unhallowed associations -

will interrupt, disturb, or hinder me in my services there. No, all will be pure as the light, as peaceful as the bosom of God, and as happy as the presence of God and the Lamb can make it!

But if satan is my master - if his service suits my taste, and if self-gratification is my end - then my employment will be dismal, dreadful, unspeakably painful! What can I do but inflict torment on myself, and increase the torment of others - but hate myself, and everyone that suffers with me? The mind will be always active; but every exercise of the mind will add to the weight of woe already experienced. Every thought of God, of His justice or His mercy - will be another bitter drop in the cup of suffering. Every thought of the past will only aggravate the agonies of the present. But to look forward will be worst of all. What is before? ETERNITY! Duration without termination. Existence without change for the better. A fearful "forever." The death-knell of hope of sounded. The endless reign of despair has commenced. Time is ended. All through the future, God's judgments must be endured, His threatenings will be fulfilling. How dreadful my employment may be!

One hour after death, what will be my FEELINGS?

If Heaven is gained; if endless happiness is secured; if the approbation of God is realized; if the assurance of unchangeable blessedness is enjoyed - what will be my feelings? What joy, what gratitude, what peace, what holy exultation! No tongue can speak, no pen can write, no language can describe - the feelings of the happy spirit!

The sight of Jesus, the songs of saints, the unveiled glories of God - what, oh, what feelings will these produce! The absence of pain, freedom from sin, full victory over satan, the full realization of all our highest and holiest desires  - what feelings will these produce! But we must die, to fully know what our feelings of gratitude, joy, and love will be - one hour after death.

But if Heaven is lost, if hell is my doom, if everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord is my portion - what, oh, what will my feelings be! What bitter remorse! What agonizing reflections! What terrible apprehensions! What hopeless despair! What awful sufferings! But we must die - die under the curse of God, die rejecting the gospel, die unpardoned - in order to know what will be the feelings of a lost soul - one hour after death!

How many of my readers will die in this state? How many will risk the possibility of dying so - by living in sin, by neglecting  their souls, by presuming on God's mercy, or by hardening themselves in sin?

One hour after death, How shall I THINK?

How differently we shall think of money, pleasure, the indulgence of our lusts, all that we now call great, grand, and desirable - one hour after death! Let us endeavor to think now - as it is probable we shall think then!

Let us place ourselves in Heaven - and try to think there!

Let us place ourselves in hell - and try to think there!

How different will things then appear!

Let us instantly, heartily, importunately, seek a title to Heaven, and a fitness for it, nor rest until we possess them!

~James Smith~

(The End)