Read Online Nine Days in Heaven: A True Story by Dennis, Nolene Prince - Free Book Online
Authors: Dennis, Nolene Prince
Tags: Christian
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Below the choir sat a congregation, keenly critical of the things presented to them. In a Gothic pulpit in front of them stood a man wearing priestly robes. He was their minister, but he had dishonored the Redeemer by his hypocrisy and pride. His love for God was a pretense, and his behavior had brought true Christian ministry into disrepute. In this dreadful place he represented all who exploit and abuse religious things.
In front of him was an open book. He tried to read from it but failed at every attempt. His voice was shrill and piercing and his accent hard to understand. His face became distorted, and he writhed and agonized in his efforts to read. He tried again and again but with the same result. His frustration increased until he burst out vehemently, cursing his own being and everyone around him. He then began to blaspheme God, blaming Him for every wrong and sorrow. He even tried to gather together all created intellect to curse the Creator of the universe.
His oaths, his manner, and his insatiable passion made him so desperate that I was afraid he might destroy everything around him. But he suddenly gave up, exhausted, and I realized that his strength was limited, and, to a large extent, he was under the control of his audience.
One glance at the crowd was enough to know why he was suffering like this. Their faces showed deep hatred and maniacal pleasure as they mocked his efforts. They reveled in fiendish delight at his dreadful agonies. But I was aware that their pleasure was like the relief you feel when you rub a bruise, knowing all the time that when you stop, the pain will be much worse.
H IS WHOLE APPEARANCE BESPOKE
AGONIES EQUAL TO THE WORST
CONCEPTIONS OF THE SINNER’S HELL …
As he sank back, the look on his face was that of horror beyond description. Ghostly fires flashed around him, and he writhed with an inner turmoil as tumultuous as a volcano. His agonies were equal to the worst ideas of the sinner’s hell. It reminded me of the words of Jesus, “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth…where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” 3
While he lay there, enveloped in the fires of his own unholy passions, one in his audience stood up and rebuked him.
“You fiend of darkness! You child of hypocrisy! Deceiver! Unrivaled deceiver! You are in the hell reserved for the heartless religious teacher! You can never endure enough punishment! You turned religion and the souls of men into nothing more than a means of making a living. Yes, and for this you were even honored and respected! But you took things easy instead of reaching out to the souls of men and women. You did not seek out ruined hearts, and you never brought them the soul-saving truth of heaven. All you did was tell them what they wanted to hear, and so you magnified their delusions. Now you are being tormented, and so you should be!
“Get up, you false teacher in your silk gown! Get up and show us how great your false apostleship is. Speak smooth words to us, and lead the choir in their ludicrous travesty of a song. Stop your blasphemy and your curses, and stop wishing you could tear God from His throne.” The speaker grated out the words. “Your Maker is just, and you have mocked His majesty. You should have shown the world His glory, and by that light thousands of people should have been led to seek His face.”
At this the minister tried to leave, but the speaker continued, “No, you hypocrite! You want to escape, but you cannot. Look over this crowd of sufferers, and then ask yourself why they are here. Yes, it is true that each of them has sinned and is accountable for their actions. But can you look at them here with a clear conscience, knowing how you have misled them?
“ T HY LEARNED ESSAYS AND ELABORATE
EXPOSITIONS OF THE S ACRED W ORD ,
ADORNED WITH POETIC GENIUS, ADDRESSED
WITH MOST ELOQUENT DISPLAY, DID
THEY NOT LULL
Below the choir sat a congregation, keenly critical of the things presented to them. In a Gothic pulpit in front of them stood a man wearing priestly robes. He was their minister, but he had dishonored the Redeemer by his hypocrisy and pride. His love for God was a pretense, and his behavior had brought true Christian ministry into disrepute. In this dreadful place he represented all who exploit and abuse religious things.
In front of him was an open book. He tried to read from it but failed at every attempt. His voice was shrill and piercing and his accent hard to understand. His face became distorted, and he writhed and agonized in his efforts to read. He tried again and again but with the same result. His frustration increased until he burst out vehemently, cursing his own being and everyone around him. He then began to blaspheme God, blaming Him for every wrong and sorrow. He even tried to gather together all created intellect to curse the Creator of the universe.
His oaths, his manner, and his insatiable passion made him so desperate that I was afraid he might destroy everything around him. But he suddenly gave up, exhausted, and I realized that his strength was limited, and, to a large extent, he was under the control of his audience.
One glance at the crowd was enough to know why he was suffering like this. Their faces showed deep hatred and maniacal pleasure as they mocked his efforts. They reveled in fiendish delight at his dreadful agonies. But I was aware that their pleasure was like the relief you feel when you rub a bruise, knowing all the time that when you stop, the pain will be much worse.
H IS WHOLE APPEARANCE BESPOKE
AGONIES EQUAL TO THE WORST
CONCEPTIONS OF THE SINNER’S HELL …
As he sank back, the look on his face was that of horror beyond description. Ghostly fires flashed around him, and he writhed with an inner turmoil as tumultuous as a volcano. His agonies were equal to the worst ideas of the sinner’s hell. It reminded me of the words of Jesus, “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth…where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” 3
While he lay there, enveloped in the fires of his own unholy passions, one in his audience stood up and rebuked him.
“You fiend of darkness! You child of hypocrisy! Deceiver! Unrivaled deceiver! You are in the hell reserved for the heartless religious teacher! You can never endure enough punishment! You turned religion and the souls of men into nothing more than a means of making a living. Yes, and for this you were even honored and respected! But you took things easy instead of reaching out to the souls of men and women. You did not seek out ruined hearts, and you never brought them the soul-saving truth of heaven. All you did was tell them what they wanted to hear, and so you magnified their delusions. Now you are being tormented, and so you should be!
“Get up, you false teacher in your silk gown! Get up and show us how great your false apostleship is. Speak smooth words to us, and lead the choir in their ludicrous travesty of a song. Stop your blasphemy and your curses, and stop wishing you could tear God from His throne.” The speaker grated out the words. “Your Maker is just, and you have mocked His majesty. You should have shown the world His glory, and by that light thousands of people should have been led to seek His face.”
At this the minister tried to leave, but the speaker continued, “No, you hypocrite! You want to escape, but you cannot. Look over this crowd of sufferers, and then ask yourself why they are here. Yes, it is true that each of them has sinned and is accountable for their actions. But can you look at them here with a clear conscience, knowing how you have misled them?
“ T HY LEARNED ESSAYS AND ELABORATE
EXPOSITIONS OF THE S ACRED W ORD ,
ADORNED WITH POETIC GENIUS, ADDRESSED
WITH MOST ELOQUENT DISPLAY, DID
THEY NOT LULL
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