An Awful Awakening
IllustrationStory★★★★It is said that in a town of Switzerland a few years ago, some working men going early to work, walking along the street, saw a white figure on the top of a high house. What was it? A lady in night-apparel; and she was sitting looking down, quite happy, smiling in imaginary security. She was a somnambulist.
She had risen in her sleep without any one in the house knowing it, and had taken her position, and was pleasantly looking about, and no doubt dreaming—dreaming pleasant dreams. The people didn’t know what they could do to save her from her peril. Just as they were talking together, the sun rose. A bright beam fell upon her eyes.
She waked and saw where she was; gazed one moment around, and then fell headlong, and was killed on the spot. It was an awful awakening! Fellow-sinner, if you are out of Christ, and the day of His coming overtakes you—oh, what if the first beam of that bright day be the first moment of your awakening, and it is too late!
D. L. Moody, Anecdotes and Illustrations (©1898, public domain)
The point
A sleepwalking woman feeling secure atop a roof falls to her death the instant she wakes to reality, warning that Christs sudden coming will be fatal for those unprepared.