With God in the Yellowstone - Alma White

GIANTESS GEYSER IN ACTION © Haynes, St. Paul

Whatever may be involved in the separation of soul and body, it is nevertheless true that the immortal spirit that has not appropriated the atoning blood must dwell in the confines of the bottomless pit, which is described in the Scriptures as being in the center of this earth. Here are the flames by which Dives was tormented when he begged Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop of water to cool his parched tongue, and made an appeal for some one to go to his father's house to warn his five brothers not to come to that place of torment. Abraham had to refuse both requests, saying, "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." Then, when he wanted some one to go to his father's house to warn his brothers, Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." But still the doomed man continued and said, "If one went unto them from the dead, they will repent," but he was told, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." How true this is! After all the influence that can be brought to bear upon people, they rebel against God and follow their own precepts; and true to fallen human nature, ask for greater evidence of His power. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Ps. 9:17). This and other plain scriptures should be sufficient to warn men to flee the wrath to come. Optimism and presumption everywhere characterize the multitudes when it comes to this most important question concerning the future welfare of the soul.

The man who had allowed the devil to deceive him and take him at last to his abode in the regions of torment, was still presumptuous and persistent. He wanted help, which it was impossible for him to receive, and also warning given to his father's house, which they had refused to take through Moses and the prophets.

It is necessary at this period of the world's history to have an object lesson like that of the Yellowstone National Park to convince people of the infallibility of God's word. It is the time of the fulfilment of prophecy concerning the last days, of which Paul says,

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, LOVERS OF PLEASURES MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD" (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

Many pleasure seekers are now thronging Yellowstone Park, and in ten thousand demonstrations are having to face the realities of God's word and the life that is to come. I saw some of them standing near the yawning craters of the geysers under deep conviction, and no doubt silently resolving to live different lives, while others frankly stated that the depths of their beings had been disturbed, and that it was no time to trifle with the soul.

There is no such thing as shirking the responsibility, where Nature co-operates with the Almighty on such a tremendous scale in the display of His power. A person may try to stifle his conscience and refuse to yield to the voice that speaks from above, but he can not evade the fact that the issue must be met; and why not yield to the pressure and make the decision now? Life at best is short, and it is perilous to crowd into some future time the things that should be taken under consideration now.