Posted on 06/06/2021 9:00:09 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
These are the final words of Christians and Christ-rejecters at death. CHOOSE WISELY . . . Heaven or Hell.
John Bacon (1799)—eminent English sculptor, whose monument of Lord Chatham stands in Westminster Abbey: “What I was as an artist seemed to be of some importance while I lived; but what I really was as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only thing of importance to me now.”
George Washington (1799)—first president of the United States of America: “Doctor, I am dying, . . . but I am not afraid to die.”
Lady Powerscourt (1800)— “One needs a great many Scriptures to live by, but the only Scripture that a person needs to die by is I John 1:7; and that verse never was sweeter to me than at this moment”: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Sir Walter Scott (1832)—famous author, on his deathbed begged his son-in-law to read to him. “What shall I read?” said Lockhart. “Can you ask?” replied the dying man; “there is only one Book.”
William Wilberforce (1833)— “My affections are so much in Heaven that I can leave you all without a regret; yet I do not love you less, but God more.”
Captain Hedley Vicars (1855)—Crimean War hero: “The Lord has kept me in perfect peace and made me glad with the light of His countenance. In the Lord Jesus, I find all I want of happiness and enjoyment.”
Sir Henry Havelock (1857)—When felled by an attack of cholera and told that he could not survive, he calmly replied, “I have prepared for this for forty years.” Then he added to those around him, “Prepare to meet thy God.”
Paul the apostle (A.D. 66)— “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
Polycarp (A.D. 155)—Christian martyr and disciple of John: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me nothing but good. How could I curse Him, my Lord and Saviour?”
Philip Melanchthon (1560)—When several portions of Scripture had been read to him, he was asked by his son-in-law if he would have anything else, and his reply was in these emphatic words: “Nothing else but Heaven!”
Samuel Rutherford (1615)— “Mine eyes shall see my Redeemer. He has pardoned, loved, washed me and given me joy unspeakable and full of glory. I feed on manna. Glory, glory, glory to my Creator and Redeemer forever! Glory, glory shines in Immanuel’s land!”
John Bunyan (1688)—author of The Pilgrim’s Progress: “Weep not for me, but for yourselves. I go to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who will, through the mediation of His blessed Son, receive me, though a sinner, where I hope we shall meet to sing the new song and remain everlastingly happy, world without end.”
David Brainerd (1747)—well-known missionary: “I am going into eternity, and it is sweet to me to think of eternity; the endlessness of it makes it sweet. But, oh! what shall I say of the eternity of the wicked? I cannot mention it nor think of it; the thought is too dreadful!”
Michael Faraday (1867)—chemist, electrician and philosopher. A distinguished scientist, calling on him, put to him this question: “Have you conceived to yourself what will be your occupation in the next world?” Hesitating awhile, Faraday answered, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” And then he added, in his own words, “I shall be with Christ, and that is enough.”
Brownlow North (1875)—profligate nobleman who became a preacher, said, “‘The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin’—that is the verse on which I am now dying. One wants no more.”
Henry Moorehouse (1880)— “If it were God’s will to raise me up, I should like to preach from the text John 3:16. Praise be to the Lord.”
John Nelson Darby (1882)— “Well, it will be strange to find myself in Heaven, but it won’t be a strange Christ—One I have known these many years. I am glad He knows me. I am a demonstrative man, but I have a deep, deep peace, which you know.”
Earl Cairns (1885)—Lord High Chancellor of England: “God loves me and cares for me. He has pardoned all my sins for Christ’s sake, and I look forward to the future with no dread.”
Lord Congleton (1893)—Irish Christian worker: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Sidney Cooper (1902)—Royal Academician, wrote when 98: “I have full faith in Thy atonement, and I am confident of Thy help. The precious blood I fully rely on. Thou art the source of my comfort. I have no other. I want no other.”
John Pierpont Morgan (1913)—American millionaire, first paragraph of his will: “I commit my soul into the hands of my Saviour, in full confidence that having redeemed it and washed it in His most precious blood, He will present it faultless before the throne of my Heavenly Father. I entreat my children to maintain and defend at all hazards and at any cost of personal sacrifice the blessed doctrine of the complete atonement for sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, once offered, and through that alone.”
Lord Roberts, V. C. (1914), who died among his loved Indians in France, commending the Bible to his troops, said, “I ask you to put your trust in God. You will find in this Book guidance when you are in health, comfort when you are in sickness, and strength when you are in adversity.”
William Pitt (1778)—Earl of Chatham, statesman and orator: “I throw myself on the mercy of God through the merits of Christ.”
Augustus Toplady (1778)—author of “Rock of Ages”: “The consolations of God to such an unworthy wretch are so abundant that He leaves me nothing to pray for but a continuance of them. I enjoy Heaven already in my soul.”
Countess of Huntingdon (1791)— “I have no hope but that which inspired the dying malefactor. And now my work is done; I have nothing to do but go to my Father.”
Benjamin Abbott (1796)— “Glory to God! I see Heaven sweetly opened before me!”
Dwight L. Moody (1899)— “Earth recedes; Heaven opens before me. No, this is no dream, Will. It is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go.”
John Antler— “The chariot has come, and I am ready to step in.”
John Knox (1572)— “Live in Christ, and the flesh need not fear death.”
John A. Lyth (1886)— “Can this be death? Why, it is better than living! Tell them I die happy in Jesus!”
Margaret Prior (1842)— “Eternity rolls before me like a sea of glory!”
Martha McCrackin— “How bright the room! How full of angels!”
Mary Frances— “Oh, that I could tell you what joy I possess! The Lord doth shine with such power upon my soul. He is come! He is come!”
Philip Heck— “How beautiful! The opening heavens around me shine!”
Sir David Brewster (1868)—inventor of the kaleidoscope: “I will see Jesus: I shall see Him as He is. I have had the light for many years. Oh, how bright it is! I feel so safe and satisfied!”
What the Lost Said at Death’s Door
Voltaire (1778) —the famous infidel who spent most of his life fighting Christianity, cried out with his dying breath, “I am abandoned by God and man; I shall go to Hell!”
Mirabeau (1791)—noted French statesman: “Give me more laudanum, that I may not think of eternity!”
Charles IX (1574) —king of France: “What blood, what murders, what evil counsels have I followed! I am lost! I see it well!”
Mazarin (1661) —French cardinal and statesman: “Oh, my poor soul! What will become of thee? Whither wilt thou go?”
Thomas Hobbes (1679)—atheist: “I am about to take a fearful leap in the dark!”
Sir Thomas Scott (1500)—chancellor of England: “Until this moment, I thought there was neither God nor Hell; now I know and feel that there are both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment of the Almighty!”
Edward Gibbon (1794)—author of History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: “All is dark and doubtful!”
Sir Francis Newport (1622)— “Oh, that I was to lie a thousand years upon the fire that never is quenched, to purchase the favor of God and be united to Him again! But it is a fruitless wish. Millions of millions of years would bring me no nearer to the end of my torments than one poor hour. Oh, eternity, eternity! forever and forever! Oh, the insufferable pangs of Hell!”
Oscar Wilde (1900) - “Either that wallpaper goes or I do”
Embrace Jesus now- be spared a hellish hereafter.
Surprising many of these do not mention the very words that Christ uttered himself which were the most profound: “It is finished”.
>>>Surprising many of these do not mention the very words that Christ uttered himself which were the most profound: “It is finished”.<<<
A million years after my final earthly breath, I still will not have come to the place where “it is finished!” For the believer, death is but the beginning. Amen?
Amen.
One of the blessings of heaven will not only being “present with the Lord,” but to be able to sit down with all the great men and women that lived before our time, that shared a common faith in Jesus Christ.
We’ll sit under the vine and fig tree with George Washington, talk with Charles Spurgeon and D. L. Moody about their great evangelistic campaigns, and once again see our own loved ones.
Things that will make Heaven, Heaven.
John Kerry’s mom: “Courage”. He served in Viet Nam btw.
1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Thank you for this list. It's invaluable.
We should all be preparing to meet Him. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Great verse (they all are!)
That put me in mind of this one:
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).
Yes, indeed.
I would like to talk with David Brainard and George Whitefield.
"and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
I have finished the race.
Just noticed Paul was in the list.
I see what you are saying . . . yes, we truly do finish our earthly course. We close the book on this life.
But the sequel is “out of this world!” :)
Surprising many of these do not mention the very words that Christ uttered himself which were the most profound: “It is finished”.
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I feel I must say a few words about this. The Savior, Jesus Christ when He said it was finished was not referring to his life being at an end. He was referring to the plan of salvation that required Him to pay the price for all of our sins. He suffered so much pain in the Garden that He sweat blood and on the cross He suffered the final punishment that we all deserve, death. He was simply mentioning that finally, He had paid the price and now all men that choose to can be redeemed. Praise be to God and The Son for the wonderful work that saves all of us.
So what happened to all the people that died before Jesus?
Instead of lamenting their destinies they should have instead repented and accepted Christ.
Thank you ! Thank you 🙏. Thank you 😊
To remember HIM in all we do !
Truth !!!
For humans the profound thing is in the words of Paul, is that they finished the race, not they did good deeds, or started the race and dropped out. Christ's race finishing point was to be the final perfect sacrifice (unblemished white lamb) for the atonement of sin.
Re your post 15;
Before passing Our Lord and Savior was reported saying’
“Father forgive them for they know what they do”
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