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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 29, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 20

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ARE YOU PUTTING OFF THE DAY OF SALVATION?

By Phebe A. Foster

Sinner, backslider, to you these words are addressed; you who are plead with, and prayed for from day to day, by faithful teachers, dear parents, kind friends; you who live, as it were, under the “droppings of the sanctuary,” of you I would ask the question, Are you neglecting to give your heart to the Saviour, while he is pleading with you, and earnestly knocking at the door of your heart, and inviting you to partake of his boundless love? Do you throw open the portals of your soul, and urge him to take up his abode with you? or do you bar its doors against him, and say with the proud Felix, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee!” Strange that poor, wretched mortals as we, should grieve a dear Saviour’s love so shamefully! And, yet strange as it is, these words are no stranger to the ears of the dear Saviour who has given his life for just such worms as we. But the “convenient season” for which we sigh, never comes. We have no account that the proud ruler of the Jews ever fulfilled his promise. And, sinner, it will be so with thee. You will never see the day when you can so easily give your heart to Jesus, as now. Every day the “enemy of souls” is binding the cords of sin tighter and stronger about you, and soon, if you do not take heed to your ways, you will be out of reach of help. For the Lord has said, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” Then beware how you trifle with the means of grace. You know not but this may be the last time Jesus will call upon you to prepare for the “Marriage supper of the Lamb.” Then beware how you defer it to some future time; to-morrow’s sun may shine on your grave.
“Then haste, oh! sinner, to be wise, And stay not for the morrow’s sun, The longer wisdom you despise, The harder is she to be won.”
Do you look to this wicked world for enjoyment? Then, in tones of kindness, I beseech you to relinquish your vain hope; for it will surely fail you. The world with all its pleasures is fast passing away. That awful day for which we all ought to prepare, is hastening on as fast as the wheels of time can move. Are you ready for that day? If you are not, oh! delay not to prepare for the terrible scenes which are just before us. You know not what you do when you slight offered mercy.
PHEBE A. FOSTER.
Washington Co., N. Y.