It was on a night of storm and tempest. A railway switchman who lived near a signal tower on the banks of the river had a strange fear of coming calamity. He knew that the evening train had yet to cross the bridge over the river, and would soon be due to start on what proved to be its last run.
Just to see how things were going, the switchman clambered up into the signal tower. There he could hear the clicking of the telegraph instruments and keep the signalman company, for moment by moment the storm raged with increasing fury.
The train came duly into the station, and the passengers took their seats as they had done before. The whistle sounded, and she was out of sight in the darkness, crossing the great bridge, while the worst tempest of many days was at the height of its fury.
The signalman touched the handle of his instrument and signaled, "Train on line" to the tower on the other side of the raging flood. Then both men waited for the telegraphic signal that the train had covered the intervening "block" and had crossed the river in safety.
The silence in that tiny room was unbroken except for the howling of the storm outside. The minutes dragged slowly on, but the telegraph instrument uttered no sound.
"Is the train not due on the other side?" said the switchman.
"Yes," said his companion, "but we will give her a minute or two yet.”
There was silence again, until the stillness became oppressive. "Send a message," said the impatient watcher. "Ask if she has reached the other end of the bridge.”
The operator at once caught the handle of the telegraph instrument to send his message 'across; but the needle did not move. Under ordinary circumstances the needle would have clicked in response to the touch, thus showing that the current had flashed to the other shore and back again in the twinkling of an eye. But the needle was motionless. "Try another instrument," said his companion.
He tried another, and another, but all were silent. There was no message from the other shore. The silent needle told these two men in language more eloquent than words that an awful tragedy had taken place.
They looked at each other in consternation, for in that awful moment they feared that the whole train with its living freight must be engulfed by the raging waters.
"No message from the other shore!" Often these words have reminded us that a day is coming when those who have rejected the Christ of God shall want to send a message to the other shore. Scripture tells us something about this. It tells us of those who shall "stand without" and knock, saying, "Lord, Lord, open unto us." But He from within shall answer, saying, "I know you not whence ye are." Luke 13:2525When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (Luke 13:25).
Unsaved reader, whether you are concerned about your soul just now I know not; but of this I am certain: you will be concerned some day. You may not be in earnest now; but the day is coming when you will be in earnest. Will it be too late? You have had your opportunities to receive the Savior, and you have refused Him. The day draws on when you must meet Him, and meet Him in your sins. Then shall come to pass the Scriptures: "Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer: they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me." Prov. 1:2828Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: (Proverbs 1:28).
Then shall you long for a message from the other shore— a message that can never come, even throughout the ages of eternity!
The two men, fearful that the train had gone to its doom, descended from the signal station. They crept on hands and knees along the bridge to see if they might find any trace of the train. After they had proceeded some distance along the rails, the bridge seemed suddenly to have disappeared. As they crept cautiously forward they could see nothing before them but yawning darkness. Far down beneath them poured the raging waters. They knew now what had happened. The central part of the bridge had collapsed into the river, carrying the whole train into the waters.
Not a single soul survived to tell the tale of that awful night. As the bridge went down, every telegraph wire had been snapped. No current could travel over these broken wires, and this was why no message came back from the other shore.
Friend, have you friends on "the other shore"? How terrible, then, will be your condition if you shall yet cry out for mercy when mercy's day is forever past! There can come then no answer but eternal silence! Are you prepared for this? Have you weighed what it means to be a lost soul for all eternity?
Arouse, unsaved one! Believe the proclamation of God's redeeming love in the gift of His Son. Take your place before Him as a lost and hell-deserving sinner and receive the gift of God, which is eternal life in Jesus Christ the Lord. The moment you receive Him as your Savior you will be in direct communication with "the other shore.”
Christ is the great telegraph wire between heaven and— earth a wire that can never be broken by any accident of time— an everlasting bond that the winds above and the waves below can never move. Are you willing to be saved now on God's terms? Then delay not.