July 22

And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments. Luke 16, 23.

The day of resurrection is the great Day of Judgment. The Judge will look at the righteous and behold them clothed in His all-sufficient merit. He will look at the wicked and behold them utterly wanting. Then shall He say to these: "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And they shall go into everlasting punishment.

As there are but two classes of people here on earth, the one for Christ, the other against Him, believers and unbelievers, so also on Judgment Day. And as there are but two classes of men, so there are but two abodes for men after death, heaven and hell. As surely as there is a heaven for believers, so surely is there a hell for unbelievers. But hell is the place of torment, of excruciating pain. This agony is caused by the flame of hell-fire. It is a fire adapted to the circumstances there existing and more horrible than any human mind can begin to imagine. The fire of hell will not consume those assigned to it, but will torment them forever and ever. It will cause the most horrible agony, insomuch that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

How great the suffering will be we may glean from the pitiful petition of the rich man in hell, who begged for a single drop of water to cool his parched tongue; but even this was denied him. The time of mercy has ceased, that of punishment, incessant punishment, has begun: anguish and pain of soul and body, with demons and Cains and Judases and Sodomites and all the ungodly as companions, in bitter remorse, hopeless despair, and envious rage. There is no relief, no alleviation. Therefore we should do all in our power to bring to men the Gospel of their salvation, which can save them from eternal damnation.

Prayer.

Lord God, we must confess that most of that which we have done is going to be consumed in the fire on the Last Day, like stubble and straw. To Thee, therefore, we flee and pray Thee, Let it not all be lost. Grant that we may at last be led into the arms of Thy kindness, that we may know that there is One whose mercy is ever new, One whose covenant of peace can never fail, One in whom, when all else fails, the troubled soul can find eternal rest. Let us always realize that every soul dying without Jesus will

suffer the unspeakable torments of the damned. From this preserve us, O Lord, our God! Amen.

So, whenever the signal's given Us from earth to call away, Borne on angels' wings to heaven, Glad the summons to obey, May we ready, may we ready, Rise and reign in endless day!