A selection from a letter by Rev. Edmund Botsford, Baptist pastor in South Carolina and member of the Charleston Association of Churches, to William B. Johnson, an unconverted young man. This is the conclusion to a letter that was hard-hitting about the young man’s sin. Johnson was later converted and became most useful in the kingdom of Christ. The letter was written August 15, 1803.
If you do not turn to him [Christ] with your whole heart, his justice will light on you, he will execute eternal punishment upon you. When I tell you these things, you can evade the force of them, and your natural politeness prevents you from unbecoming behavior; but you go away, and sin again, and do not the things you are required. I tell you, if you continue this practice, the eternal God will be aroused to anger, and swear you shall not enter his rest. When you are summoned to his bar, you must obey; then no evasion will do; you must answer to all that is alleged against you. And how will you answer? In the name of God, how will you answer? O William! If ever grace reaches your poor, blind, hard, unbelieving heart, you will have a worse opinion of it than any other person can. I sincerely wish you may make the discovery in time, but believe me, I greatly fear for you. I consider you in a dangerous situation. I shall not think it strange to see you at the left hand of the Judge, when we shall all make our appearance at his bar. God grant it may be otherwise. If it should be, a great change must take place.
The Memoirs of Elder Edmund Botsford, originally printed by W. Riley Charleston, South Carolonia, 1832, published by Particular Baptist Press, compiled and edited by Charles D. Mallary, with additional footnotes, illustrations and an index, 2004, pp. 124-125.
If you do not turn to him [Christ] with your whole heart, his justice will light on you, he will execute eternal punishment upon you. When I tell you these things, you can evade the force of them, and your natural politeness prevents you from unbecoming behavior; but you go away, and sin again, and do not the things you are required. I tell you, if you continue this practice, the eternal God will be aroused to anger, and swear you shall not enter his rest. When you are summoned to his bar, you must obey; then no evasion will do; you must answer to all that is alleged against you. And how will you answer? In the name of God, how will you answer? O William! If ever grace reaches your poor, blind, hard, unbelieving heart, you will have a worse opinion of it than any other person can. I sincerely wish you may make the discovery in time, but believe me, I greatly fear for you. I consider you in a dangerous situation. I shall not think it strange to see you at the left hand of the Judge, when we shall all make our appearance at his bar. God grant it may be otherwise. If it should be, a great change must take place.
The Memoirs of Elder Edmund Botsford, originally printed by W. Riley Charleston, South Carolonia, 1832, published by Particular Baptist Press, compiled and edited by Charles D. Mallary, with additional footnotes, illustrations and an index, 2004, pp. 124-125.
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