Dangers Of Procrastination.


TRULY, procrastination  is  the  thief  of 

time.  This life at longest is none too long, 

in  which  to  make  the  necessary  

preparations- 

for that life  that  is  yet  future.  We 

have never yet heard  of  Christians  regretting, 

on  their  death-bed,  that  they  had 

served  God  too  long,  or  that they entered 

his service too soon.  On the contrary, nearly 

every Christian  who  has  his  reason  in  the 

hour of  death,  mourns  that  his  entire  life 

had  not  been  spent  in  serving  God.  "A 

person  converted  in  youth,"  says  John 

Angell James,  " is  like the sun rising on  a 

summer's  morning  to  shine  through  the 

long,  bright day.  But  a  person  converted 

late in life is like the evening star,  a lovely 

object  of  Christian  contemplation,  but not 

appearing  till  the  day is  closing,  and then 

but for  a little while."  Youth is  the  time 

to  serve  the  Lord,  says  one  of  old;  and 

who  shall say  that  he  did  not understand 

what he was talking of?

Let  me  here  relate  an  incident  which 

came  to  my  notice  some  years  ago.  A 

young lady became  acquainted with present 

truth.  In her inmost soul  it found  a lodging 

place,  and she loved  it.  The Lord had 

done much for  her,  and  she  really desired 

to  acknowledge  it,  and  turn  her  feet  into 

his testimonies.  But there were some

 difficulties in the way.  She was surrounded by 

a large  circle  of  young  friends,  for  whom 

she  had  formed  strong  attachments;  but 

among them  all,  there  were  none who    

professed religion.

She  had  three  brothers  and  one  sister

older than herself,  who  were leading members 

of fashionable society.  Could she leave 

all,  and start alone  to  serve  God?  Could 

she have  one friend to go with her, it would 

be a great help.  The struggle was  desperate. 

She  was  halting,  as  she  really  felt, 

between life  and  death.

After  pondering  the  matter  long  and 

well, she introduced the subject to  her sister 

Lou, saying that she would henceforth keep 

all  of  God's  commandments  if  her  sister 

would join her.  That wicked if, was in the 

way, and  came near proving her ruin,  as we 

shall see.  Lou  said  that  she had been   

seriously  thinking  of  the  same  herself;  but 

how could they, she queried, tear themselves 

from the world, and go  in an opposite  direction 

(for  they  knew  that  to  follow  Christ 

fully,  they  must  leave  the  world  behind), 

without their brothers to would  go  too?

Said Lou, the new ball room will be completed 

soon,  and our brothers  are  engaged 

to  play  for  the  opening  ball  (they  were

members  of  a  cotillion  band);  so  it will  be 

useless  to  mention  it  to  them  until that is 

past.

It was  a  sad  conclusion  for them.  The 

Spirit  of  God was striving with  them  both, 

and then was  the time to  yield to  its gentle 

pleadings.  But, alas If  they  let  the  most 

fortunate  season  pass  unimproved.  They 

did  not know the Judgment  alone will  tell 

how  much  good  they might  have  done, 

what  a  powerful  influence  for  good  they 

might have  had over  their numerous

  associates, had  they  not  deferred  the  

day  of  repentance. The night came for the ball.

  It was   pronounced  a  grand  affair.  

The company was 

select;  none  but  the  elite was  there.  The 

two  sisters  were,  as  usual,  the  reigning 

belles,  the pets,  the favorites.  Though at 

first they had hard work to keep their minds 

off from their conviction  of duty,  yet Satan 

well knew that by flattering their pride  and 

love  of applause, he  could win  them to 

 himself.  

He succeeded well.

Several  weeks  passed,  and  no  mention 

was  made  of  the  important  subject  which 

had previously agitated their minds.  Finally, 

as  conscience was still at work,  the subject 

was  again introduced to Lou.  But this time 

she  only laughed,  saying,  "It is  too  late! 

If you had made  me  promise  before  the 

ball, it would have been all right;  but now 

I have no inclination to yield."

Some years have passed, and though they 

have since  given  their  hearts  to  the Lord, 

they cannot labor for the good  of  others to 

such  advantage as  they might when  young, 

and  when  such  strong  attachment  existed 

between them  and their young friends.  As 

they grew  older,  and  were  separated from 

those who  were  formerly  so  dear to  them, 

they lost their influence to  a  great extent.

Young friend, would you secure to yourself 

 a  passport  to  Heaven,  and  aid  your 

associates  in  gaining  an  entrance there,  do 

not put  off  the  day  of repentance.  Seek 

the Lord  to-day.  It will, no doubt, cost 

you  a  struggle  to  give  up the world;  but 

the longer it is  deferred,  the harder  it  will 

be in the  end.  Youth is the time  to serve 

the Lord.  Begin the work today.




YI