Out in our western country, in the autumn, when men go hunting, and
there has not been for months any rain, sometimes the prairie grass
catches fire, and there comes up a very strong wind, and the flames
just roll along twenty feet high over that western desert, and go at
the rate of thirty or forty miles an hour, consuming man and beast.
When the hunters see it coming, what do they do? They know they cannot
run as fast as the fire can run. Not the fleetest horse can escape
from that fire. They just take a match and light the grass around
them, and let the flames sweep, and then they get into the burnt
district and stand safe. They hear the flames roar as they come along,
they see death coming towards them, but they do not fear, they do not
tremble, because the fire has swept over the place where they are, and
there is no danger. There is nothing for the fire to burn. There is
one mountain peak that the wrath of God has swept over--that is, Mount
Calvary, and that fire spent its fury upon the bosom of the Son of
God. Take your stand here by the cross, and you will be safe for time
and eternity. Escape for your life; flee to yon mountain, and you are
saved this very minute. Oh, may God bring you to Calvary under the
shadow of the cross now! Then let death and the grave come. You will
shout, "Glory to God in the highest." We will laugh at death and glory
in the grave, and just know this, that we are safe, sheltered by the
precious blood of the Lamb. There is no condemnation to him that is in
Christ Jesus.
God is coming down and beseeching you to take the pardon. Every man
and woman here has broken the law, and he that has broken the least of
the laws is guilty of all. I am sure I am not talking to one man or
woman in this audience to-night who can say they have not broken the
law.
"NOW AND TO-MORROW."
You have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, but God comes,
and says, "I will pardon you. Come now, and let us reason together."
"Now" is one of the words of the Bible the devil is afraid of. He
says, "Do not be in a hurry; there is plenty of time; do not be saved
now." He knows the influence of that word "now." "To-morrow" is the
devil's word. The Lord's word is "now." God says, "Come now, and let
us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as
wool." Scarlet and crimson are two fast colours; you cannot get the
colour out without destroying the garment. God says, "Though your sins
be as scarlet and crimson, I will make them as wool and snow. I will
do it." That is the way God reasons. He puts the pardon in the face of
the sinner the first thing. That is a queer way of reasoning, but
God's thoughts are not our thoughts; and so, my friends, if you want
to be saved, the Lord says He will pardon you.