ON THE banks of the Thames in London stands a stone column known as Cleopatra’s Needle.
It is a huge monument of granite, carved 3400 years ago, from the red granite quarries of Syene. It has passed through adventurous days and seen many strange things. It stood erect in Egypt when the children of Israel lived in that land, and Moses must often have gazed up at this pillar. A thousand years or so later it was moved to Alexandria at the request of Queen Cleopatra, whose name it now bears. Here it survived 2000 years and saw the fall of four great empires.
In the year 1878 it was erected in London and what a tremendous task it must have been to transport this huge stone, first across the desert, and then across the sea and the ocean. In the Bay of Biscay the ship, towing the raft which supported this giant needle of rock, got into difficulties. A great storm arose, and the sailors decided to cut away the ropes between their ship and the raft, and so they saved their lives. When the gale subsided the raft and the “needle” were rescued by a Spanish ship.
Eventually it arrived in England, and was placed in the spot where it now stands. Beneath the famous stone, and out of sight to passers-by, is a hollow space, and in it have been placed quite a variety of things in sealed jars—a man’s suit, a lady’s dress, newspapers, coins, and other things. But last of all, before the hollow was sealed up, they put in the most wonderful thing of all—a copy of the Bible in four languages, and one verse from the Scriptures translated into 215 different languages. That verse is John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16): “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The love of God is proclaimed in that wonderful verse, John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16), and those who receive that message by faith into their hearts now will abide and enjoy that love of God forever in new creation glory. But the message of John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) will not always go forth in this world; because God “hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness” by Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)). Do not be too late, dear reader, to receive God’s gift of love. Take Christ now as your Saviour and Lord, while it is yet the day of grace.
ML-06/22/1969