HUGH'S NEWS & VIEWS
LOST OPPORTUNITIES
J. D. Tant (1861-1941)
The sun has gone down behind the western hills. The last faint rays are dying upon the purple clouds. Another day is in the past with all its golden opportunities. How many of them have been lost? Little did we think this morning, when the sun sent its glittering arrows of light gleaming through the fleeing clouds, of the sweet possibilities the day held for us, when the moments slipped from us one by one, how they would never return, and how we should improve them, but now the sun has gone down, never to rise again for many, many weary souls, and with it the lost opportunity.
Thus, another year is fast passing off the annals of time. It is almost gone. How have we improved the past days and hours, the opportunities of drawing nearer to God ourselves and others to Him?
In our Sunday School lessons during the past year we have had two good examples of lost opportunities—when Felix said "Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." The more convenient season will never come, and the words of Agrippa: "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Almost saved, but completely lost—how despairing the wail of the lost soul! The last opportunity is forever gone. Why will men and women go carelessly on, day after day, neglecting the opportunities for doing good, absorbed in business and other affairs, and, when the subject is brought to mind, think only of the "convenient season?" Thus the days, months and years pass by, and at last the "grim monster" death closes forever the door upon the last opportunity neglected, leaving the soul unprepared for eternity, and thousands of human souls who, but for their negligence, might have been better.
Those lost opportunities can never return. Let us profit by the example and with the coming of the New Year prepare for ourselves the opportunities that will come through the passing days; speaking words; remembering that "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver'" (Prov. 25:11),doing kindly deeds that help and bless mankind, not forgetting the "cup of water" given in His name, learning the will of the Lord more perfectly, that we may "do those things that are pleasing in His sight." Then when time shall be no more we shall not regret throughout eternity our lost opportunities.
Note: The above article appeared in the Gospel Advocate, Vol. 39, #51, p. 814, 1899, and came to me via David Tant's blog of August 3, 2025. David is the grandson of the article's author. I have known David for several years and am both happy and honored to count him as a friend. His grandfather was a Texas pioneer preacher. Fanning Yater Tant, David's father, wrote an excellent biography of his father: J. D. TANT – TEXAS PREACHER. I first read this book when I was twenty-two or twenty-three years old. Over fifty years later I read it again. It is a fascinating story of the toils and struggles of the people of God in an earlier time, on whose shoulders we stand today. The book is also a sober reminder of how history repeats itself, and how that battles once won in the religious arena often have to be fought again. It will be noted that the article appeared at the very end of the 19th century. One and a quarter centuries have passed since it was written, yet it speaks a solemn truth that needs to be spoken today. As I read the article I intentionally determined to save it for this, the final edition of "Hugh's News & Views" for 2025. It is not often that we get to hear from such a one as J. D. Tant.
Hugh Fulford
