TOO LATE!

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 19, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 12.

It was the minister's dinner hour. As usual, he had callers. At the second response to the bell there were ushered into the parsonage parlor an elderly man and one younger. The minister read their errand in their faces. There was to be a funeral. His surmise was correct. The younger man's father had met a violent death.

The minister consented to serve the strangers. To be sure, he had more work than he could see his way through, but such an opportunity for service must not be lost. Some people never hear the Gospel unless it be at a funeral.

The son referred the preacher to the father's sister for information concerning her brother. It was a sad tale, made sadder by the solemn thought that it might have been otherwise.

The dead man, nearly threescore and ten years of age, had been employed painting a house. The scaffolding had been insecurely fastened. Without a moment's warning the aged painter and a fellow-workman had been hurled to the stone pavement below. One hour of agony, and the old man had passed away.

"Two years ago," said his sister, "one Sunday evening I was starting for church, and I invited my brother to accompany me. To my surprise, he consented. We passed the church nearest home, for it was early.

" 'Isn't the Methodist church open to-night?' he inquired. 'Let's go there.' On the way home he said, 'I liked that sermon. That church is pleasant. I'm going there again.' And that was two years ago, and he's never been since."

Tearful were her eyes, as also her voice. There were words unspoken, but thoughts clearly implied by the woman's manner. She believed her brother had been wakened by God's Spirit. He had determined on a wiser walk in life. Incidents had intervened to weaken the determination. The Spirit of God had been dismissed. And now it was too late! "Too late, too late! ye can not enter now."