DEAR reader, have you ever seen a house on fire? What a terrible sight it is! In large cities it is not at all an uncommon sight, and if you live in a large city you have certainly seen more than one fire. Well, I will tell you of a fire in London, that large city in England, where such a large number of people live.
On a certain night, when the whole family lay fast asleep—father, mother and children—fire broke out in the kitchen. No one noticed it at the beginning, and the flames began to spread into the passage and from the passage into the other rooms, until they reached the stairs, and now—as if rejoicing that they could do still more damage—with loud crackling and clatter they crept along the banisters to the upper story. The whole stairway was very soon on fire, and there was great danger of the flames reaching the bedrooms, and those sleeping there could not possibly be rescued. The whole house was filled with smoke: and the flames were already trying their strength on the closed doors of the bedrooms, when suddenly the parents awoke, and with terror became aware of the fact that the whole house was on fire, and no means of escape for them. The first thing they did was to open the door of the passage, in order to get at their children, but imagine their horror to find that it was impossible to get at them through the flames. Then all at once, they heard a piercing cry for help, coming from the children’s room. They did not know what to do and were filled with anxiety and dismay realizing that if there was to be any help, it must come from someone who was not in the same danger as they were.
Behold, just then they hear a voice, calling loudly for everybody to come to him. It was a man that stood in the window! He had come up from the street by means of a ladder. Standing on the window-sill he was prepared to save them all.
Well, dear reader! don’t you think, that the parents were glad, when they heard the voice of this man? Without doubt, and when he sprang into the room and took them by the hands to take them in safety to the street you may he sure that they did not turn away from him, but willingly let themselves be carried down. And when a few moments later he went to the children’s room and taking them in his strong arms carried them through smoke and flame into a place of safety. You may be sure that not one of them said: “No, no! I don’t want to! Surely not. No, they trusted him joyfully and always felt grateful afterward to him for rescuing them from such a horrible death.
Now, dear children! does this not remind you of something else—something, that you have often heard of, and too have often read about here in the “Messages of Love”? Like this family in the burning house, you know that everybody, we all, are in great danger, and that a place is waiting for all, where the fire never be quenched. But you know, too that the Lord Jesus came to deliver us from that great danger. He was not in any danger, as we were, for He was the only Son of God, and knew no sin: but He came down from heaven on this earth, and willingly let Himself be nailed to the cruel cross, and was “made sin for us.” And now He is again in heaven; He has been in the grave, but He rose again, and calls now to everyone: “Come unto Me!” The blessed Lord Jesus has often called to you. But have you listened to His friendly voice? Have you gone to Him?
The children in the burning house did not think long about it, if they should listen to that man or not. They went directly to him and were saved. Would you refuse, dear readers! to listen to the Lord Jesus? O, I hope not. Truly, the Lord Jesus loves you; when He was still on earth, He took the children in His arms and blessed them, and now in heaven He still loves them. Trust yourselves entirely to Him, and wait no longer. The Bible says, that whoever believes in the Lord Jesus shall be saved.
ML-10/31/1920