34. Life Uncertain

Life Uncertain

HEEDLESS RULER.—A conspiracy was formed against the life of a ruler. A friend, hearing of it, sent a packet containing the remark: “Read it immediately, for it contains serious matter.” The doomed man was then at a feast and smilingly replied: “Serious affairs tomorrow,” and, putting the packet aside, continued his merriment. That night he was murdered.

ABANDONED QUARRIES.—Travelers and explorers sometimes find in old quarries, long abandoned, or once worked by a vanished race, blocks of stone squared and dressed, that seem to have been intended for palace or shrine. But there they lie neglected and forgotten, and the building for which they were hewn has been reared without them, or perhaps never erected. Some of the implements and remains left in these quarries would seem to indicate that the workers had stopped in the midst of their labor, or had been suddenly called away. IN INN AFTER ALL.—An eastern tale is told of a man who entered a palace and, spreading his bed in one of the rooms, pretended that he had mistaken the palace for an inn. The prince ordered the man to be brought before him and asked him how he had come to make such a mistake. “What is an inn?” the man asked the prince. “A place where travelers rest a little while before proceeding on their journey,” replied the prince. “Who dwelt here before you?” the man asked. “My father,” was the prince’s reply. “And did he remain here?” “No,” was the answer, “he died and went away.” “And who dwelt here before him?” “His ancestors.” “And did they remain?” “No, they also died and went away.” “Then I have made no mistake, for your palace is but an inn after all.”

GRIEVED THE SPIRIT.—During a meeting a young lady had been deeply impressed, but grieved the Spirit. A month after, the minister found her very ill and in deep distress about her soul. “It’s no use,” she said; “I am so sick that I cannot get my mind together, I am too sick to pray or look to Jesus.” And so she died.

TEARS OF XERXES.—Xerxes cast his eyes over his vast army one day, and wept when he came to realize that in a few years that army would be but a million of dead men.

TAKE THIS WATCH.—When Russell was about to be executed, he handed his watch to a friend and said: “Take this watch, I have no more to do with time; my thoughts are about Eternity.”

FAINTING FOR ETERNITY.—When Apelles, the Greek painter, was asked why he bestowed so much labor on his pictures, he replied: “Because I am painting for Eternity.”

RECORDING PEN.—When the Catholic persecutors brought Latimer up for examination, he was not at first particular in the expressions he used, but he soon heard the recorder’s pen going and found that all he said was being written; then he gave more heed to his words.

PIERCED HAND.—It is said that a man once had a dream in which he thought that he had died and stood before the Judgment seat, and that the books were opened. When he saw beneath his name a long dark list of his sins, he was ready to sink with fear. But Jesus cast upon him a gracious look, and saying, “John!” lifted the pierced hand from which oozed drops of blood, and passed it over the black record, leaving only the marks of the blood.