A Plain Question

LISTEN, listen, oh, dying men!
What of the years behind you?
How will you settle accounts with God
When His reckoning day shall find you?

I know there are many who lightly speak
Of a general salvation,
And mention heaven as the just reward
Of any who aid the notion.

Not so, not so; there is bitter woe
In the teaching of such deceivers;
There is no word in the Word
Of God Of a heaven for unbelievers!

The way of escape for sinful man
Is shown in the Gospel story,-
Jehovah punished His sinless Son,
And the sinner goes to glory.

But godless souls would be out of place
In a heavenly atmosphere;
The sinner who goeth to glory learns
To live its society here;-

Learns to linger, with grateful love,
Near to the mercy-seat;
Learns to turn, with loathing heart,
From the sin which was once so sweet;

Learns to hope he shall one day see
The face of the God who saved him,
And be for ever beyond the reach
Of the devil who depraved him.

Listen, listen, then, dying men!
Hear as I ask once more:
How will you settle accounts with God
When the Judge is at the door?

Chaplin