What a great honor it is to have the opportunity to be with you tonight. We're grateful that we've had the opportunity to visit with your pastor, and we'll look forward to the fellowship this evening and also tomorrow. And thank you so much for praying for the Rock of Ages ministries. And Brother and Sister Keaton are tremendous missionaries. I didn't realize until we arrived this afternoon that they were once members of the church. They're doing a wonderful job, and we're grateful that God has sent to the Rock of Ages such high caliber missionaries and families. Great to be able to be here tonight, and good to be able to see Pastor Decker. He serves on the Board of Directors with the Rock of Ages Ministries. I understand he preached a tremendous message last night, and Dr. Allison, tonight, that's just tremendous. I think we ought to just give an invitation and go to the house after that. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to follow that message. What a tremendous blessing. If we would just take that and put it to practice in our life, it would totally change our lives, our churches, our ministries, and those that we come in contact with. Thank you, Pastor Savage, for allowing us the privilege to be here tonight. Let me, if I may, just mention a couple of things. We do have some of our Rock of Ages study Bibles on the display table just as you exit out of the auditorium into the vestibule area. We have those available tonight to the church, And every Bible that is purchased, you're not only getting a Bible with the notes that you can trust, but also you're helping the Rock of Ages for every Bible that's purchased to be able to provide two Bibles to prisoners here in the United States or somewhere around the world. They're identical. They only accept the cover. The covers that we have on our Bibles that are available tonight are the cask-in. They're very supple, excellent quality Bibles. In fact, in bookstores, Christian bookstores and secular stores, those Bibles sell for $150 to $200 apiece. Bibles of that quality, with that type of leather on them, and we're making them available for $60 tonight. And the Bibles that we make available to the prisoners, as I said, is the exact same Bible with exception. that they have a vinyl cover on them. So those are available. And then also, Pastor Savage was speaking of Dr. Garris. And I do have with us tonight some of his biographies that was written by Pastor Ted Houston, who recently served on the Rock of Ages Board of Directors. And then also we have about a seven-minute video clip of Dr. Garris preaching and some of the background and the history of him. And so I ask that if you're interested in those, we have it in hardbound and also in softbound cover. The hardbound are $25, the softbound are $15. And for every book that's purchased, whether it's the hardbound or the softbound, we will also put in one of our So winning the challenge of the hour by Dr. Leon Maurer. This was our 24th, our 25th anniversary book. And recently when we moved out of our old facility into our new facility, we were amazed at some of the things we found tucked away that we didn't know existed anymore. That was out of inventory and we found several boxes of these and we want to make them available tonight. If you're interested in just the book by itself, we sold those at $20 apiece when we were promoting them. But tonight they're $5 apiece or if you buy one of Dr. Garris's biographies, Wilfo went in for you tonight. So those at the table, please stop by and look at those. We'd be glad to answer any questions that you may have also concerning our ministry. Well, tonight I am grateful that when your pastor called that the Lord gave clear direction As I begin to pray, almost immediately, the Lord laid on our heart the message for this evening. And after hearing Dr. Allison, I wanted to preach something else, and the Holy Spirit of God convicted me and said, you better preach what I laid on your heart. And so I want to be obedient to the Lord tonight. So please take your Bible and turn to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 4, and we'll bring the message from this passage of Scripture tonight. I'm looking forward again to the opportunity to fellowship with you. I'm reminded of the pastor that preached and was standing at the back of the auditorium, and he was shaking hands with folks as they exited out of the auditorium. And a young girl walked up to him, she was just young of age, and shook the pastor's hand and said, Pastor, I want you to know that when I get old, I'm going to get a good job, make a lot of money, and I'm going to see that you get some of it. And so he looked at her and said, Well, that's one of the sweetest things I've ever heard in my life. She said, Pray tell me, what would you want to do that for? And she said, well, I always hear my dad saying, you're the poorest preacher he's ever heard in his life. And so when you leave tonight, don't say when you grow up you're going to get a good job and you're going to give me some of it when you leave. But please do pray for us tonight. Let's stand our feet in reverence to the reading of the scripture. We'll go to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 4, and then we will turn over to Deuteronomy, chapter 32. Deuteronomy, chapter 4. And we'll read one verse and then we'll go to Deuteronomy chapter 32. Notice with us tonight, please, in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 11. The Bible says, And ye came near, and stood under the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. Notice now with me, please, in Deuteronomy chapter 32. We'll read one passage of scripture, we'll read verse 22, Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 22. The Bible says, For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Let us pray. Our Fathers, we bow before You this evening. We love You and we thank You for the opportunity to be here tonight. I would ask You that You may continue to use Thy Word. And Lord, may You speak to hearts tonight if there is one here that is lost without Christ, who has never been saved and birthed into the family of God. May You use the message that's already been preached and the message that lays before us and speak to the heart, convict them, show them their great need of the Savior. I would ask you, Lord, that you'll happen to act upon that need even this very hour and this moment. I would ask you that you'll encourage those that are here tonight that have been saved. They've dedicated themselves to you and they wholeheartedly desire to be committed to the purpose and the will of God for their life. I would ask our Father for those that said unto the sound of our voices that may be discouraged. Lord, may you use thy word tonight to encourage. And for those that have lost their burden to pray and to reach sinners, May you convict them tonight. And God, may you help them to renew their burden, their lives to the Lord. I would ask you tonight that you'll use Thy Word to speak to the heart of this church. We love you and we thank you for Pastor Savage. And I pray you'll continue to bless him in this work and this ministry and encourage your preachers tonight. In Christ's name I pray. Amen and Amen. You may be seated. On May 18, 1980, there was an enormous explosion that took place here in North America. It knocked down timber over 230 square mile region. The atmosphere over it reached over 680 degrees in Fahrenheit. There were superheated gases that reached temperatures exceeding over 1,300 degrees in Fahrenheit. It left settlement in some areas of over 600 feet deep. It destroyed over 4 billion board feet of timber, or enough to build over 300,000 homes. It blew it over 15 miles high into the earth's atmosphere, and it did that within 15 minutes. It hurled over 1.4 billion cubic yards of earth also into the earth's atmosphere. It blew it over 300 miles an hour. There was one area where the winds from the blast merged together through ravines and it is estimated that winds reached speeds of over 600 miles an hour. The blast killed people over 16 miles away. It splintered trees over 200 feet tall and 17 feet thick that were several miles away from the blast zone. The blast was heard for several hundred miles. The explosion was over 24 megatons the thermal energy that was, or 500 times the bomb that was dropped to end the Second World War in 1945. Over 23 square miles of mountain gave way from this blast, come rushing down the side as a gigantic landslide at speeds of over 150 miles per hour. It caused a landslide that literally pushed a lake over 800 feet up an adjacent mountain, and when the water come rushing back down, it lifted the elevation and totally geographically relocated it by over 270 feet. There were settlements left from the blast in an area in a region of over 22,000 square miles. The ash traveled across the United States within three days, and within 15 days circled the entire earth. It destroyed over 27 bridges, 200 homes, 185 miles of highways and roads, and over 15 miles of railway. It left a hole in the side of a mountain 1.2 miles long and 1.8 miles wide. It killed a total of 57 people, And it did all that I just mentioned within 25 seconds. I'm speaking of none other than the eruption of Mount St. Helens on that dreaded morning of May the 18th of 1980. As I began to study the Bible some time ago, I began to realize that the Bible has much to say concerning the winds. There are five winds mentioned in the Bible. You have the North, the South, the East, and the West, and then also the world wind. God uses every wind for a divine purpose. He uses them for a unique purpose to accomplish His will in man's life. We know that the Bible has much to say concerning earthquakes. But I began to wonder, out of all of the natural disasters that are mentioned in the Bible, does the Scripture have anything to say concerning volcanic activity? To my surprise, as I studied the Scripture, I believe the Bible gives us some insight and inroad into one of the most devastating natural disasters known to mankind. I want you to understand tonight as we study the scriptures that there is a direct correlation between hell and volcanoes. Tonight I would like to speak on that subject matter and I trust that if you're here tonight and you're a Christian that the message will be of help and encouragement to you to understand that hell is real. That it is a reminder of our duties and responsibilities as a Christian, as a believer, to serve God and to surrender our life wholeheartedly, without reserve, to the cause of Christ for His divine purpose in our life. That we would commit ourselves unto Him and allow Him to use our life. And that we would become expendable for the cause of Christ. If for some reason you're here tonight and you've never named the name of Christ, And if you died tonight, you would spend an eternity in a Christless hell. It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit of God would use this message from the Word of God to show you your need for the Savior and that you will act upon that need this very hour. We must understand in the western part of the United States that there is part of what's known as the Ring of Fire. It is a volcanic range of mountains that circles throughout the western half of the United States, goes up through portions of Asia, and it's known as the Ring of Fire, and it's basically volcanic activity. It is the most active portion of volcanic activity than any geographical location on the planet Earth. A volcano is formed when magma from the heart of the Earth forces its way through the shifting pallets of the earth layers and crust, forcing its way up into the upper crust of the earth, pushing the land mass upwards until finally the pressures are released through a volcanic explosion. I want you to understand something tonight, that the Bible has much to say concerning hell. And I would like to take just a few moments tonight and take you through the scriptures, and let's examine some passages of scripture in the Bible. And I want you to consider this. Have you ever considered where hell is located? Many believe that it is somewhere in the planets, in the galaxies. Some believe that God has a special planet or a galaxy where hell is, and that's where everyone who dies without Jesus Christ is placed. But my friend, both of those are wrong according to the Word of God. And if you've never considered where hell is, tonight I want you to look with me through your Bible and let's examine what the scripture has to say concerning this subject. It is imperative that we understand this in order to understand the driving force behind a volcanic eruption. Notice with me, if you would, tonight, please, in the book of Isaiah, in chapter 14. And I would like to do a brief Bible study, if you'll be patient and run with me through the Scriptures tonight. Notice in the book of Isaiah, chapter 14, I'll begin reading in verse 9. Isaiah 14, in verse 9. Isaiah says this, under the divine inspiration of God, in verse 9, hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming. It stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth. It hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. And all they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave. and the noise of thy vials, the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee." And notice, if you would, in verse 12, "'How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations?' For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into the heaven." Notice, if you would, the five I wills of Satan. Here we find the first one in verse 13. I will ascend into heaven. Secondly, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. Thirdly, I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. By the way, if I may insert this in passing, if you've ever wondered where heaven is, here we have it in the scripture. It is in the north. Satan is saying that he will ascend above the stars of God, the throne of God, and he will sit his seat above the very mount of God. So we find in this passage of scripture, he says, I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. Notice in verse 14. His fourth, I will. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. And notice His final, I will. I will be like the Most High. Yet in verse 15, notice what God says to him. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit. Now may I say to you tonight that Isaiah was standing on the planet earth. He was standing on the earth when God spoke to him, and under the divine inspiration of God, he wrote Isaiah 14, and notice the terminology that he uses concerning the subject matter of hell. Notice, if you would, please, as we look in verse 11, thy pomp is brought down to the grave. Notice, if you would, in verse 12, how art thou fallen from heaven, and then he speaks later of them being cast into the pit. Notice if you would please with me as we begin to study the scripture in verse 15. Yet thou shall be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit. Notice if you would please tonight the correlation. And I'm not going to spend a lot of time here because I have several passages of scripture that I desire to examine tonight. But notice the correlation between the location of hell and the location of the pit. It is often in the Bible when you study the subject matter of hell that you'll find the word hell and the pit mentioned simultaneously in this content of the scripture. And so we find that Isaiah is standing on the planet earth and he says that hell from beneath and that it is down. Notice with me tonight in the book of Psalm. Notice we have David, in the Scriptures in Psalm 55. He says this in Psalm 53. Notice what we have recorded in this passage of Scripture. But thou, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction. Blood and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in thee. So now we have not only Isaiah, referring to hell being down from where he stood. Now we have David referring to hell being down below him. Notice, if you would please, in the book of Proverbs. Bear with me, I know where I'm going. Notice in the book of Proverbs, chapter 15. In the book of Proverbs, we find that Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, is going to give us a reference as to the geographical direction and location of hell. Notice, if you would please, in Proverbs 15 and verse 24. The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath. Notice that here we have Isaiah, David, and Solomon all speaking of the geographical location of hell and they all say that it is down from where they stand on the planet earth. Notice in one of our text verses in Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 22. Notice the Bible says in this passage of scripture, For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. In this passage of Scripture, Moses is writing the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, and this passage of Scripture he says that hell, that God has a kindled a fire in his anger, and it shall burn unto the lowest hell. And notice what the Bible says that this fire that God has started in hell, where it's going to burn. He says that it shall set on fire the foundations of the mountains. And so we know that the fire that is referred to in Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 22 is a fire that will come from the heart of the earth. It is a fire that will work its way up and through the crevices and the shifting of the earth's pallets, which causes what we know as earthquakes, and will set on fire the foundations of the mountains. My friend, may I say to you tonight that one of the reasons that volcanoes are continuously rated as one of the most devastating natural disasters is because their driving force is the very presence of hell. Notice with me tonight, if you would please, in the book of Isaiah, in chapter 5. In the book of Isaiah, in chapter 5, notice if you would please, verse 14. Isaiah 5, 14, Isaiah says again, Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoices shall descend into it. And the mean men shall be brought down, and the mighty men shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. Once again, we have Isaiah referring to hell, saying that it will be down. And those mean men, those who die without Christ, those who are God haters, those who are oppressive toward God's people, that they shall be brought down into hell. Notice in the book of Ezekiel. In the book of Ezekiel tonight, if you'll go with me please to chapter 31, For those who may still be skeptical concerning where hell really is located, may I submit to you tonight on the authority and the study of God's Word that hell is in the heart of the planet Earth. Notice what Ezekiel says in Ezekiel chapter 31, and look with me in some of the passages of Scripture. Let's begin, if you would please, in verse 14. To the end that none of all the trees of the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in the height, all that drink water, for they are all delivered unto death. So here we find those, and we'll not take time to read all the content, but here we find those who are against God, that they die, and the Bible says, for they are all delivered unto death, and to the nether parts of the earth, and in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit. Let me ask you a question tonight. Where is the nether parts of the earth? The word nether parts refers to the womb, the heart or the innermost part of the earth. And what Ezekiel is literally saying is those who died without God, who were God haters, who stood against God, they died through death were taken into the very nether parts of the earth. They went down into the pit. Notice in verse 16. I made the nations to shake to the sound of His fall." That's the fall of Satan, which we read in the book of Isaiah in chapter 14. He said, I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit. Now we have the correlation that's tied together through Ezekiel's writing that the pit that is referred to is hell itself. Notice what he says, they shall descend into the pit and all the trees of Eden and the choices of Lebanon and they that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth. And so here we find that there were cats down in the hell, down into the pit. And may I just say this in passing tonight, men are looking for Eden. They're looking for a land that is flush. A land that is flowing with water and a land that is like it was in the days of Adam and Eve. But may I say to you tonight, they will never find that Eden. Notice what Ezekiel says in this passage of Scripture, that I cast them down to the hell with them that descend into the pit and all the trees of Eden. They are saying that Eden is just outside of Baghdad. It's a barren, desolate place. The Bible very clearly says that all the trees of Eden have been turned into hell. They will never find the plush Eden that you read of in the Bible, the Word of God, for God destroyed it. Notice in this passage of Scripture what he says in verse 18, or excuse me, let's go to verse 17. They also went down into hell with them that be slain with a sword. Notice in verse 18. To whom art thou thus like in glory and in the greatness among the trees of Eden, yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth. Thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord." Have you ever wondered where Pharaoh went, whether he made it to heaven or not? Ezekiel is very clear that he was turned into hell. According to Ezekiel 31, hell is in the heart of the planet earth. Just beneath where you and I sit tonight, those who die without Jesus Christ are suffering in an eternal hell. Notice, if you would, for those that are yet looking for proof in the Bible that hell is in the heart of the earth, go with me for a biblical example to the book of Numbers. The book of Numbers in chapter 16. In the book of Numbers, chapter 16, we have An example of the earth opening up and allowing people to plunge into the very bowels or midst of hell. Notice in the book of Numbers in chapter 16. Notice with me, beginning in verse 30. You know the context of the Scripture for those that are students of the Word of God. Quorinim have stood against Moses, and God speaks in verse 30, and He says, But if the Lord make a new thing, that the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertaineth unto them, talking of Quorin all of his followers, and they go down quick into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained to Korah, and all their goods." Notice verse 33, "...they and all that appertained to them," now watch this, "...went down alive into the pit." and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation. God says through Moses, if I allow something that normally takes place to happen, they'll not understand that it is an act of God. They'll not understand the severity of standing against God. And so we find that Korah and those 250 that burn incense that God allowed the earth to open up. And the Bible said that Korah and all the followers went down into the pit or down into hell alive. To note the severity of it, notice what Moses says in the following verses. In verse 34, And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them. Here we have Cor and the followers. God has allowed the earth to open up and for hell to receive them. And as they plunge into the very piles and the very pits of hell itself, they are crying to the extent that Israel flees from their life. They too are afraid that God shall consume them. My friend, here is a Bible illustration of those who die without God and are God-haters and provoking the Lord, that die without God, spend an eternity in a Christless hell. May I say to you that suddenly the sound of my voice this evening, who have named the name of Jesus Christ, you have been blood-bought. Christ has saved your soul. And you know that heaven is your eternal home. May I remind you tonight that just as there is a heaven that you and I shall spend in eternity in, that there is a hell where those without Jesus Christ shall die and spend in eternity. And you and I have the commission to go and to warn them to flee the wrath to come. You know what will fill our churches again in America? When God's people began to realize that there is literally a burning hell. If I were to ask you tonight, how many of you believe that there is a real hell? Every hand would probably be lifted. We believe in it. We preach it. We teach it. Sometimes we talk about it, but do we really believe it? Let me ask you this question tonight. How long? If ever have you witnessed to someone and shared Jesus Christ and shared your faith in what God has done in your heart and your life with someone that you work with or go to school with or your neighbors or your loved ones. How long has it been since that one that lives under your roof that is dying and going to hell without Jesus Christ? How long has it been since you got on an altar and you wept and poured your heart and soul out to God on their behalf? How long has it been? You used to leave tears on the altar. Now the altars are dry and barren. I remember a man at the Wyoming State Penitentiary that was on death row. He'd been on death row for 15 years. The day finally came when they would execute him. He had asked me to witness his execution. And at the last moment, he changed his mind. I stood just beyond literally a little sheet or curtain that they put around his gurney that they would strap him on and eventually give him intravenous drugs that would take his life. Just before his execution, only moments before, minutes before, I walked into the death chamber and as I walked back, he was sitting on a little stool in a little barren room that had nothing but the stool in it. I walked in the room, he looked at the officers and he said, there comes that chaplain. He said, if I start looking or even acting religious, he said, slap me off my chair and knock some sense in me. He looked at me and he said to me, he said, Chaplain Ellis, I'll see the devil in about five minutes and I'm going to tell him you said hello. I'd witnessed to Mark. I'd given him a Bible. I'd wrote the plan of salvation personally on handwritten and given it to him. I'd given him several Bible study tools and gospel tracts in great numbers. Within a few moments, he was strapped to the gurney. I stepped just behind the veil of the curtain. And within just a few moments, he slipped out into eternity and died and went to hell. As we talked with the officers, the other inmates, the prison had been locked down through the day in preparation for the execution. I walked out of the prison early the next morning, and as I walked by the desk of the maximum security unit. I look over to the left and there was some of Mr. Hopkins' personal items. His family had come and visited with him and they allowed him to spend the last hours with his family just prior to the execution. Then they escorted him off of the state property. They allowed his family to take what they wanted of his possessions. But there on the desk were the possessions that they had left. You know what they left? The only items they left were the items that I had given to him to try to warn him of the hell to come. I have on my shelf in my office at the Rock of Ages the Bible that I signed, hand wrote the plan of salvation and give it to Mark. I have the Smith Bible Dictionary that I gave to him. And inside the Bible are the tracts that I left for him to tell him about Jesus Christ. But he said, Preacher, I'll see the devil in five minutes. I'll tell him you said hi. May I say to you tonight that hell is real. Not only is hell real, but hell is just beneath you and I tonight. We are closer than you think from those who die condemned without Jesus Christ. There are five layers to the earth's crust. There is what's known as the upper crust, that which we build our superhighways, our houses, homes, churches, and our properties that we own. The second layer is known as the upper mantle, and scientists tell us that the upper mantle reaches temperatures of approximately 2,700 degrees in Fahrenheit. Just beneath the crust, where you and I live, and just below the upper mantle, the second layer, we have what's known as the lower mantle. Scientists tell us that those degrees Fahrenheit reach over 5,400 degrees. Just beneath that is the outer molten core, and they tell us that the temperatures exceed 7,000 degrees in Fahrenheit. And then there is the solid iron core, reaching temperatures exceeding 7,800 degrees in Fahrenheit. Now, you and I do not need scientists to tell us that hell is hot and that it is a place of fire and brimstone. For God has already told us that in Luke chapter 16, verses 19-31, when he said there was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and he fared sumptuously every day. And there was a beggar that laid at his gate full of sores, designed to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, and moreover it came to pass. Do you know the story how the dogs came and licked his sores, and the beggar, the rich man died and was killed? cast out into hell, was carried into hell. The beggar died and was carried into Abraham's bosom. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment. And Seth and him, Father Abraham, said, and Lazarus said, and he might dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. And so we know without scientists telling us that hell is a place of fire and brimstone. And may I say to you tonight that those who die and go to the heart of the womb of this earth, who die without Christ, and they spend there in hell and eternity, the Bible says that death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire. It's not that they will be taken out of hell. Hell itself will be cast into the lake of fire and there they shall be forever and ever and ever. May we never forget that. May we ever be reminded that those who die without Christ will spend eternity in hell. It may be a spouse, it may be a child, it may be our sibling, it may be one that we love, it may be a neighbor, it may be a friend or a relative, but the truth of the matter is those who die without Jesus Christ spend an eternity in a crisis hell. I'm persuaded to believe that most Christians have forgotten the reality of hell in our generation. I thank God for America. I've had the privilege on a number of occasions to travel off of American soil into foreign soil. And I thank God for America. But as a nation, as a whole, we are forgetting God. And it's not just the secular world. It is our Christians and our churches. I just received statistics the other day, was released last month in May, that states that one hundred, let me rephrase it, thirty nine percent of America is unchurched. And what they consider to be unchurched is those who have not attended church within six months and do not intend to go back to church. That translates to 125 million people in America that are considered unchurched. The Bible says in the Gospel of Mark chapter 9, verse 44, 46, and 48, that it's a place where the fire is not quenched. In Matthew 18 and verse 9, he says that if an eye offend thee, pluck it out, for it's better to enter into life maimed A tender into hell, having both eyes. In Psalm 11 and 6, and I'll not turn there tonight, but the Bible speaks of fire and brimstone. Isaiah does in Isaiah chapter 34 and verse 9. There was another eruption, and I'd like to share this with you tonight. Then we'll bring everything to a close. On May 8th of 1902, At 7.52 in the morning, there was another massive volcanic eruption. It could be heard several hundred miles away. There was a lot of warnings for the city of Saint-Pierre and the Caribbeans as Mount Pelée laid there dormant for years and now became an active volcano. In fact, it was spewing ash and spewing lava for several months before the major eruption. There was an election that was coming up. Politically motivated, they set up a blockade that would not allow anyone to leave port. No one was allowed to leave town, including guests and visitors. They wanted everyone to vote and to cast their lot in the election. As we studied, you'll find that houses, landscape, and human bodies of the eruption bursted instantly into flames. There were warnings given, warnings that were overlooked. One lady wrote home stating that she feared for her life and she felt as if she was living on the very brink of hell itself. Over 30,000 people died in just a very brief moment. Before the eruption on the day leading up to the eruption, there were centipedes over one foot long that came out of the mountain. Swarmed down into the cities and down into the mills, whose venom in numerous bites was enough to kill both human and beast. There were large pit vipers with pink colored bellies. that had not been seen hitherto far, that flooded down into the city, whose venom was enough to kill, again, human and beast in very short relative time. There were so many they called their army, their military out to kill the snakes and the centipedes that were taking over the city. I have with me tonight Some brief testimonies I'd like to share with you. The Bible says in Mark 9.44, again, that it is a place where the worm doth not and the fire is not quenched. The Bible in the book of 2 Chronicles 28 verse 1-4 speaks of the Valley of Hinnom. And in Jeremiah chapter 7 verse 31, it speaks of them burning their sons and offering them as sacrifice at the same place and location. When Jesus said it is a place where the worm doth not and the fire is not quenched, They knew exactly what he was referring to. They knew that he was referring to the Old Testament valley of Hinnom. And there was basically a garbage heap. And it was set on fire. And around the edges of it were dead carcasses were also cast. It was a perpetual burning from the fire both day and night. And the worms worked on the dead carcasses and the surrounding area with all the garbage and the putrid. And so it became known as a place where the worm doth not and the fire is not quenched. And it was a type or a symbolic meaning of hell. And may I say to you tonight that hell is real. And we must have a renewed vision, a renewed burden, a renewed desire as Christians to warn people to flee the wrath to come. Someone says, but preacher, people have been preaching about hell and the second coming of Christ and the coming judgment for decades, and nothing's ever happened. May I remind you of what the old preachers said? The grinding wheels of God's judgment, they grind slow but sure. There were only two people that survived the eruption. There was a man that was actually in prison who was in a dungeon. There was a vent pipe that went up into the Earth's atmosphere, which protected him from the immediate lava flow, but the superheated volcanic gases went down through the vent pipe and burned over 90-something percent of his body. In fact, his body, the flesh literally melted and began to drip off of his body. He was so mangled and marred that he traveled for years with Barnum and Bailey Circus on public display. There was a second person who survived the eruption. It was a young lady that was following a tour guide. They were actually taking tours up to the vents of the volcanic activity and of the volcano itself. And as she followed and tagged along from a distance as they took a tour and a group up to one of the vents, She records in an article that I have from Time Life magazine on natural disasters, that is the approach to the vent, that all of a sudden it opened up and fire came out of the mountains and it's as if it licked them up and as if they were swallowed right into the very bowels of the very pits of hell itself. She ran down the mountain as fast as she could. She ran through the city and she began to scream with all of her might. It's erupting! It's erupting! Run for your lives! It's erupting! She ran through the city. She approached the seashore and she turned and looked and the lava comes streaming down the mountains. Her brother came running out of his home and began to run for his life down the Street of the city. And she said at first it touched his feet and then swallowed him as it's swallowing him into hell. She ran and jumped in her brother's little boat that he had, docked in the shore and the winds carried her into a little crevice in the rocks and her life was spared. There was another gentleman who took his family by night, where they had blockades set up and no one was technically allowed to leave the city. But he took his family in the middle of the night and was just a few ravines away when the explosion took place. After the cloud and dust and ash settled, he made his way back into the city to see if there were any survivors. Let me, if I may, read a direct quote from the gentleman tonight, for I believe he can speak best for himself. As he goes to the city, he begins to visit and he begins to see that there were several that had died. And he simply says that, as I entered back into the city, I realized that there was nothing that I could do, for all around me were my loved ones, dying, burning. All was dead. All were gone. There was a boat that immediately burst into flames and some of the shipmates survived. and live to give testimony. There were many boats knocked that day that all was lost. On this particular one, as the volcanic eruption transpired and took place, a ship made by the name of Scott reached the Ramirez captain, who was so badly burned that he could not be recognized. He had to tell Scott who he was. He says in his own words that people burned and lay dying everywhere. He got a bucket brigade and said several others who had lost the flesh off of their hands tried to carry buckets in the crooks of their elbows. And as the fires were brought under control, gradually, he says, we collected the survivors and laid them forward on the deck, all of them crying for water. He goes on to say that as they took water and put it in them, and their mouths to give them something to drink that it choked them and they had to roll them over for they could not take even one drop of water. Doesn't the Bible say in Luke 16, 19-31 that the rich man says he might send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame? Can you imagine tonight just one drop of water? Just one. And yet, Mr. Scott said that it choked them and we had to roll them over to get just one drop of water out of their mouths. May I say to you tonight that those who die without Christ and spend an eternity in a Christless hell, that they shall be in eternal torment and flame and suffering and damnation? Some time ago, We lived in Portland, Oregon at Greater Portland Baptist Church. And our pastor, Rick Adams, and Peggy and the family for our birthday got a trip to what's known as the Ape Caves. They are just outside of Vancouver, Washington. To go into these caves, you have to climb down a ladder. And what it is, basically, it's old lava tubes from previous explosions and eruptions that had taken place. We got our flashlights and we entered into the lava tubes and we readily realized that flashlights were practically useless. For the lava just absorbed the light. What was normally a super bright flashlight where you could see for many feet in front of you, now you could only see just barely enough to even take a step. We went back out and we rented lanterns, which they rented there by the ape caves. And to make a long story short, we made our way through the ape caves, the lava tunnels. We're crawling over boulders and we're rushing up against the sides of the tunnels. It was so black that if you turned the lights off, you could see absolutely nothing. You could put your hand right there and not even know that it was that close. And as we made our way through those ape caves and those lava tunnels, it began to dawn on me and it registered that if hell is in the heart of the earth and it is, and that magna came from the very bowels of the earth, which it did, then there's a very high probability that that lava that we rushed up against and those tubes float by the dead bodies and souls of possibly even a loved one who died and went to hell without Christ. I have with me tonight just a couple small pieces of lava. And it dawned on me. That lava coming from the bowels of the earth had swept by and brushed by the souls of the damned without Christ. I wonder tonight if these may have brushed by a loved one who died without Jesus Christ and will spend eternity in a Christless hell. I fully believe tonight that if we believe in hell like we say we do, our lives will be different. Is it time tonight to wet the altar with our tears and leave our knee prints on the altar tonight. Have you lost your burden? Have you lost your zeal? Have you lost your fervency to serve Christ and one people of the coming judgment? Let us pray. Our Fathers, we bow before You tonight. We pray that You will take Thy Word and may You use it for Thy glory and honor. We ask You that You will tonight, once again, Visit our hearts and our souls and stir us to action that we will warn people to come of the wrath that awaits those without Jesus Christ. Please, I'd ask you tonight to take Thy Word. Use it for Thy glory and Thy honor. Tonight, if there's one here lost, I pray the Holy Spirit of God would convict them, show them their need of Christ. And may you stir our hearts to win others. and to warn others of thy coming judgment. In Christ's name, I pray. Heads bowed. Knives closed tonight. I don't know what your need is tonight. And I don't know at what phase in the services tonight the Holy Spirit of God may have convicted you. But I am persuaded tonight that the altar should be full. Dr. Allison's message. What a tremendous truth tonight. Maybe you need to come tonight as Pastor Savage comes to give the invitation. Maybe you need to come to this altar tonight and say, God, renew my burden and my tears for the lost. Pastor, as you come. While heads are bowed and eyes are closed tonight, I want you to think about it now. Are you absolutely positively sure you're saved? Oh, there's a lot of people going to hell. Oh, but I couldn't bear for one of our church members to go to hell.