Nation after nation rises, enters and occupies a place among the
nations of the earth, falls, and is only known in the faithful records
of history. Generation after generation comes forth, enters upon the
great theatre of life, throngs the world for a little while, falls
in death and passes into eternity. Upon an average, about once in
thirty-three years, the whole of the inhabitants of the earth, or
as many as are upon it at any one time, over one billion souls, are
carried beyond the reach of all missionary effort—beyond the reach of
all repentance—all gospel invitations, and so many as are not saved,
beyond all possibility of salvation. During the same short period,
the preachers, missionaries, writers and professors of religion of
one generation are all born where no mistakes can be corrected, and
no amendment for wrongs done, or time trifled away, can ever be made.
Taking off from this time, eighteen years for childhood, only leaves
about fifteen years for the vast work of personal preparation, for
a state of boundless duration in the pure and holy society of just
men made perfect, the angels of God, Jesus the mediator of the New
Covenant, and God, the Judge of all. It also leaves about the same
length of time for the good and virtuous, those with the love of God in
their hearts, and lovers of mankind to make an effort to save our race.
In this view of the subject—and no other can be justly taken—it will
readily be perceived that what we do _must be done quickly_. Those who
do anything for mankind, must engage in the work immediately and with
energy. All who intend laying up a good foundation against the time
to come—laying up treasure in heaven to which they can go, and upon
which they can rely when their temporal supports shall all fail, must
commence the work immediately, persevere in it, and abound during the
short space afforded them. There must be no delay, for there is simply
time enough to do what must be done immediately, if done at all. Those
who have never prepared to meet God, have still greater reason to enter
at once upon the examination of the subject. With them, everything
to secure their eternal happiness, so far as their own action is
concerned, is yet to be done.
How short the time, in view of the amount to be done; and how carefully
every moment should be employed by every person who has not been
reconciled to God. What vast multitudes, throng our streets, lanes and
highways, who have never seriously thought upon, much less taken the
elementary steps, to come to God, and who will remain in their present
condition, unless arrested in their thoughtless career, by those who
have already tested the good word of God, and felt the power of the
world to come. What an everlasting reason we find here for a most
energetic, persevering, and godly effort to rescue them and bring them
to God.