HOW forcibly one is reminded of these words by the small number of those who escaped in the terrible “Elbe” catastrophe.
Only twenty out of about four hundred who started, but a few hours before, on the ill-fated s.s. “Elbe”― doubtless in hopes of a prosperous voyage― only twenty escaped with their lives.
At about half-past five on the morning of 31St January, that fine ocean liner was run into in the pitch darkness, when steaming full speed ahead in fancied security.
The details of that awful scene must be fresh in the minds of many readers. Roused from their berths by the shook of the collision, and the noise of many feet hurrying hither and thither above them, the poor passengers hasted on deck, and terror and panic seized them as they became aware of their imminent peril, and of the necessity of immediate escape from the fast sinking ship. An awful struggle against time for the saving of life ensued. The officers at their posts and all hands at their stations did their utmost to lower the boats. But the tackle was frozen stiff in the bitter north-east gale, and soon their already difficult task was rendered impossible on one side by the lurching of the vessel to the opposite one, where the water was fast rushing into engine-room and hold, through the great gap which had been made by the collision. Two, or perhaps three, of the boats on that side were lowered. One only got clear. A second was dashed against the ship’s side, before the frozen tackle could be loosed, and its occupants were thrown into the water―one only of which, the only lady passenger saved, was afterward picked up. The third boat, if it was ever lowered, was never heard of after.
We forbear entering further into the heartrending account of that scene. Of how wives perished with their husbands, children were torn from a father, sister from brother, shipmates from each other. In twenty minutes all was over. The great vessel with its crowding mass of human beings on deck, disappeared stern first, in the ice-cold sea, and twenty alone out of its four hundred passengers and crew escaped!
How small a proportion, one in twenty! And if we take the passengers alone into account, only four in about 320, or one in eighty, escaped a watery grave!!!
Supposing the proportion of those who obtain eternal salvation is anything like the latter figure, or even the former one, how well worthwhile to be in real earnest to secure it. Reader, are you?
See those men and women struggling, striving, agonizing to get a place in a boat. All intent on one sole object—to escape from the sinking vessel. Apt illustration the latter of the true condition of the vast majority around. Fast sinking into, and about to settle down to eternal perdition. But how are they occupied? Is their one thought to escape? No, it is their last. Deferred often to a dying bed, and often not entertained even then. Instead of seeking salvation the vast majority are fully engaged in their ordinary pursuits, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,” “as in the days that were before the flood,” “until the day that Noah entered into the ark,” “and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Matt. 24:38, 3938For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:38‑39); Luke 17:2727They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:27)). And many are living in reckless sin and defiance of God, and this, spite of the warnings they are constantly getting, both from God’s servants, and such awful visitations as the “Elbe” disaster!
Can you imagine those on board that sinking ship, after they had been aroused and told of their peril, settling down to sleep again, or getting up to pursue their daily occupations, or to follow their favorite sins? And yet this is what millions are doing with a far worse peril impending over them―the danger of perishing eternally, and never giving the future a thought, or if it presses itself upon them for a moment, silencing it forthwith.
But mercifully we are not permitted to know the proportion of those who will be saved. In reply to the possibly idle inquisitiveness of one— “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (Luke 13:2323Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, (Luke 13:23)), our Lord replied in effect―Take care and be saved yourselves. “Agonize to enter in at the strait gate,” or “Strive with an earnestness to enter.” The word is the same in derivation as that employed for the Lord’s “agony” in the garden, when “he sweat as it were great drops of blood.” How it emphasizes the importance He attached to salvation. He who alone knew the real value of a human soul, and said― “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” said also, ― “Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able, when once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door” (Luke 13:24, 2524Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25When 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 13:24‑25)). Men think they have unlimited time before them to seek salvation. Therefore they can put any temporal matter before it, even the most trivial. Did they but know the uncertainty of how soon the day of grace might close, they would be as much is earnest as the occupants of the “Elbe” were to escape.
In the thirteenth of Luke we read of the master of the house rising up and shutting to the door. Scoffers say, “Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:44And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:4)). Men have forgotten that it is plainly foretold in the Bible. But it will none the less surely come. “He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry” (Heb. 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)), and that in “yet a little while.” It will be useless then “to begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; but he shall answer unto you, I know ye 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)).
There are those too who think they are all right―who suppose that the outward observance of religious rites and forms is sufficient; but if they trust to these, they will find out their mistake when it is too late―like some who left the “Elbe” in another boat. They may have thought they had a better chance of escape than those who actually did so. Their boat was larger, their company more numerous, but, alas, it was dashed against the vessel’s side, and only one of their number survived. If you are in the boat of works for salvation, you are in the wrong boat. Change your boat ere it be too late, and rest, by faith on the finished work of Christ, and on that alone for salvation. Listen to what those shut outside the door of salvation plead, and what “the Master of the house” replies (Luke 13:26, 2726Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:26‑27)): “Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I know you not whence ye are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” It will be useless in that day to plead religious observances, sacramental commemorations, and the like, or even the privilege of having sat under the best of teachers. If you had profited by them aright, you would be inside, not outside the door, when it is shut.
But still, thank God, it is open. Still salvation’s day is lengthened out. Still God is beseeching you to be reconciled to Himself. Then be it earnest to obtain salvation while you may,
“To the blood for refuge flee.”
Believe in that once dead, now risen Saviour, exalted at God’s right hand, the unanswerable proof of God’s perfect satisfaction with the work which Jesus accomplished for His glory, and our salvation on the cross. “Be it known unto you... that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).
W. G. B.