SOME YEARS AGO....

I READ ABOUT A DR. LANGSDALE OF NEW YORK, WHO TOLD THE CASE
OF A CHRISTIAN BUSINESS MAN WHO SUFFERED AN AUTOMOBILE
ACCIDENT AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE FOUND OUT
THAT HE ONLY HAD A FEW HOURS TO LIVE.  HIS FAITH IN GOD'S
PROVIDENCE DID NOT FAIL BECAUSE TO HIM DEATH WAS ONLY A
ROAD TO A SUPERIOR LIFE.  CALLED URGENTLY HIS WIFE AND HIS
CHILDREN, HE TALKED TO THEM IN THIS WAY.

     "MY WIFE, YOU HAVE BEEN MY GREATEST INSPIRATION IN THE
WORLD.  IN BRILLIANT DAYS AND DARKEST HOURS WE HAVE WALKED
TOGETHER.  YOU HAVE INSPIRED ME AND HELPED ME IN ALL THE
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED, ESPECIALLY IN WHAT HAS TO DO WITH
MY RELIGIOUS LIFE.  I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THE DAY WE GOT
MARRIED, BUT I HAVE TO LEAVE YOU FOR A WHILE.  GOOD NIGHT, MY
DARLING.  I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN ON A GLORIOUS MORNING..GOOD
NIGHT!"

     TO HIS OLDER DAUGHTER, HE SAID "MARIA, YOU HAVE BEEN OUR
FIRST, AND YOUR FATHER'S JOY.  YOU ARE SO MUCH LIKE YOUR
MOTHER THAT I HAVE ALWAYS SEEN IN YOU THE PICTURE OF THE
ONE THAT LEFT HER HOME TO BUILD MINE.  LIKE HER, YOU HAVE
BEEN A GREAT CHRISTIAN.  MARIA, NEVER FORGET YOUR FATHER
WHO HAS LOVED YOU SO MUCH.  GOOD .NIGHT, MARIA, GOOD NIGHT!"

     TO HIS OLDEST SON , HE SAID,  "MY SON, YOUR ARRIVAL TO OUR
HOME WAS A GREAT BLESSING. YOU ARE OUR OLDEST SON AND YOU
HAVE BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL MAN. YOU LOVE GOD AND HIS CHURCH.
RECEIVE THE LOVE AND BLESSING OF YOUR FATHER.  GOOD NIGHT,
GUILLERMO!"

     CARLOS WAS HIS THIRD SON, BUT THIS YOUNGSTER HAD FALLEN
UNDER BAD INFLUENCES, BEING HIS PARENTS' NIGHTMARE. THE
DYING MAN PASSED HIM BY AND TALKED TO HIS YOUNGEST
DAUGHTER. "ENGRACIA, YOUR ARRIVAL WAS A RAY OF LIGHT IN
OUR HOME. YOUR SMILES HAVE FILLED WITH MUSIC OUR HEARTS.
WHEN, NOT TOO LONG AGO YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST, YOUR
FATHER'S HEART WAS FILLED WITH HAPPINESS.  GOOD NIGHT,
LITTLE ONE, GOOD NIGHT! WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER IN THE PRESENCE
OF THE LORD.."

THEN, HE CALLED CARLOS TO HIS SIDE AND SAID,  "CARLOS, YOU WERE
A YOUNGSTER FULL OF PROMISE. YOUR MOTHER AND I, BOTH THOUGHT
THAT YOU WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT MAN. WE GAVE YOU AS GOOD AN EDUCATION AS YOUR SIBLINGS AND IF THERE WAS ANY DIFFERENCE,
YOU WELL KNOW IT WAS IN YOUR FAVOR. BUT YOU HAVE DISILLUSIONED
US. YOU HAVE PREFERRED TO FOLLOW THE WIDE ROAD THAT LEADS
TO DAMNATION TURNING AWAY FROM THE FAITH AND PIETY. YOU HAVE
REFUSED TO GUIDE YOURSELF BY OUR ADVICE OR BY THE WARNING OF
THE HOLY WORDS  OF GOD. YOU HAVE HARDENED YOUR HEART TO THE
CALL OF THE SAVIOUR.  BUT I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU, AND LOVE
YOU STILL..ONLY GOD KNOWS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. GOODBYE
FOREVER, CARLOS, GOODBYE!'

     CARLOS GRABBED HIS FATHER'S HAND AND SAID BETWEEN SOBS.
FATHER, WHY HAVE YOU SAID GOOD NIGHT TO THE OTHERS AND TO
ME YOU'VE SAID GOODBYE!"  "FOR THE SIMPLE REASON, CARLOS,
THAT I WILL JOIN THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY IN HEAVEN.
FAITHFUL PROMISES OF THE WORD OF GOD ASSSURE US A HAPPY
REUNION WHEN WE WAKE UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DEATH, BUT I
CANNOT HAVE ANY HOPE OF SEEING YOU IN THAT PLACE. THAT'S WHY
OUR PARTING IS GOODBYE FOREVER."

     CARLOS FELL ON HIS KNEES AT HIS FATHER'S DEATH BED AND
CLAMORED.  "MY GOD, FORGIVE MY SINS BY THE MERIT OF YOUR
SON WHOM I RECEIVE AS MY SAVIOUR AND LORD.  FORGIVE ME,
MY GOD, AND MAKE ME YOUR SON BY THE FAITH IN JESUS!"
"IS IT TRUE, CARLOS, WHAT YOU JUST FINISHED EXPRESSING?".....
"GOD KNOWS IT IS." SAID THE YOUNGSTER..  "WELL, IF IT IS,"  HIS
MOTHER INTERVENED "GOD CANNOT FORGET HIS PROMISES. IF YOU
RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR, YOU ARE GOD'S SON AS TRUE
AS YOU ARE OUR SON. THE HOLY WORD DECLARES IT THAT WAY;
ALL THE ONES THAT RECEIVED HIM; HE GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO
BE CHILDREN OF GOD; THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME.".......
"IN THAT CASE" ADDED THE FATHER. "I DON'T HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE
SINCE WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER ON THAT GLORIOUS MORNING. HOW
HAPPY I AM, CARLOS, THAT OUR PARTING IS NOT A GOODBYE FOREVER,
BUT A GOOD NIGHT.....ONLY A GOODNIGHT!"  HIS WORDS WERE GETTING
WEAKER, BUT MORE JOYOUS.  A LITTLE WHILE LATER HE DIED IN THE
PEACE OF GOD.

                   ...       CARLOS IS TODAY A PREACHER!.....