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What Then?

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 11, 1875

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 2, No. 2.

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“What Then?”

When Philip De Neri, who, in the sixteenth century, renounced the hereditary honors of the Florentine nobility for the service of the living God, was living in an Italian University, a young man ran to him with a face full of delight, and told him he had come to the law school of that place on account of its great fame, and that he intended to spare no pains or labor to get through his studies as soon as possible.
Philip waited for his conclusion with great patience, and then said:—
“Well, and when you have got through your course of studies, what do you mean to do?”
“Then I shall take my Doctor’s degree.”
“And then?” asked Philip again.
“And then,” continued the youth, “I shall have a number of difficult questions to manage, shall catch people’s notice by my eloquence, my zeal, my learning and acuteness, and shall gain a great reputation.”
“And then?” repeated the holy man.
“And then,” replied the youth, “why, there can’t be a question I shall be promoted to some high office or other. Besides I shall make money and grow rich.”
“And then?” repeated Philip.
“And then,” said the young man, “then I shall be comfortably and honorably situated in wealth and dignity.”
“And then?” asked the holy man.
“And then,” “and then—and then—then I shall die.”
Here Philip raised his voice: “AND WHAT THEN?”
Whereupon the young man made no answer, but cast down his head and went away. The last “And then,” had, like lightning, pierced his soul, and he could not get rid of it. Soon after he forsook the law, and gave himself to the ministry of Christ, and spent the remainder of his days in godly words and works.
Is it not well for us all to look to the end of the road we take, whatever it be? Is it pleasure or mirth? Indulgence or excess? Follow it to the end. Ask at every opening scene, “What then?” Do not be deluded or cajoled. Do not deceive yourself. Follow out every plan, and purpose, and device, to its ultimate termination, and inquire, “What then?” Do not rest in uncertainties. Do not deceive yourself with temporary expedients. Travel onward to the journey’s end. Watch the final result. “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.” May that end to us be blessedness and peace.
An end will come—youth and beauty, mirth and joy, fame and honor, wealth and pomp, riot and hilarity, life and health, time and opportunity all must pass away, and what will follow at the end?” What then? Ah, yes, “What then?”
“After the joys of earth, After its songs of mirth, After its hours of light, After its dreams so bright,— What then? Only an empty name; Only a weary frame; Only a ceaseless smart; Only an aching heart.
After this empty name, After this weary frame, After this conscious smart, After this aching heart,— What then? Only a sad farewell To a world loved too well; Only a silent bed With the forgotten dead.
After this sad farewell To a world loved too well, After this silent bed With the forgotten dead,— What then? Oh, then—the Judgment throne! Oh, then—the last hope gone! Oh, then—the day of wrath! Oh, then—the second death!”