AT a corner where three roads met, in a Surrey village, there stood an old barn. On one side of it was the farm-yard with the duck pond and haystacks, and there were always a selection of ducks and geese to greet you with their noisy cackle as you passed round the corner. Behind it was the farm-house; and close by, on a rise of the ground, the old, low-towered church stood out prominently. Opposite the barn, across the road, were a pair of pretty cottages nestling under some pine trees.
Dinner was just over, when on looking out of the window I noticed away in the distance unusual clouds of smoke, and remarked that there must be a fire somewhere. Going out into the road, I was met by two boys. "The barn's on fire," they called out, as they ran on; and sure enough it was. By the time I got there the flames were beginning to find their way through one corner; and as soon as the old thatched roof caught, it was all up with the barn; before long it was blazing from end to end. The great flames, twenty feet or more high, fanned by the wind, licked the tall pine trees on the other side of the road, and sparks fell in showers all around. The heat was intense, keeping us at a distance; for by this time half the village had arrived. What a sight it was!
Two little girls, who were brought to see it, ran away home terrified. A bed-ridden, old lady in one of the cottages opposite was carried to a place of safety, but a merciful change of wind saved the cottages.
In spite of the efforts of the local fire brigade, who pumped the pond dry, the barn was utterly destroyed, and in the morning all that remained was a smoldering heap of ruins. All this from a carelessly dropped match! How true it is, as the scripture says, "Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" (James 3:55Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! (James 3:5).)
Constantly throughout the Bible we find "fire" spoken of as a type, or picture, of judgment. All the sacrifices on the altar were consumed by fire. The judgment thus was borne by the victim, and the one who had sinned was forgiven and set free.
You have heard of the prairies of North America—vast plains extending for hundreds of miles, covered with tall, coarse grass as high as a man's shoulder. When traveling across these in summer or autumn, there is great danger should they catch fire. The flames, blown by the wind, travel at a tremendous pace, so fast that it is impossible to get away from them, even on horseback. There is only One Way of Escape: the very thing that threatens to destroy you—"fire"—is the only thing that can save you. As soon as the smoke clouds give warning that the prairie is on fire, and the herds of stampeding animals come rushing by, a small patch of grass is cut and set on fire. The wind blows it on, and rapidly burns up the grass in front of the travelers. They follow it and Stand where the Fire has been. When the big fire reaches the spot there is nothing more for it to burn, so it dies down, and passes round on either side, and the travelers are saved!
Is not this a wonderful picture of the way we are saved? The fire of God's judgment fell on Jesus, and He bore the storm in all its fury; He took our place, and exhausted the judgment.
“The tempest's awful voice was heard-
O Christ, it broke on Thee;
Thy open bosom was my ward;
It bore the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred,
Now cloudless peace for me.”
Are you standing where the fire has been? Give up your own "doings" for salvation-they will not stand the fire-and trust wholly to the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, and you will be safe-safe forever.