Sudden Death in a Fishing Boat.
“Yesterday afternoon, on the arrival at C—of the half-lin boats, in which the short line fishing in the Firth is prosecuted, one of them, owned and skippered by Mr. Robert D—, was lying at the pier. Mr. D—was in the act of shoving it off, when he suddenly fell back into the boat and expired.”
SUCH was the brief announcement contained in the daily newspaper on Wednesday, 3rd January 1906. By the vast majority it would, doubtless, be read in a matter-of-fact fashion, but to the writer, as to many more, the intimation came with startling suddenness.
On Monday, 1St January, there were meetings in at which the dear children of God, to the number of about seven hundred, gathered together for prayer and the ministry of the Word. They came from various parts of the country and as during an interval they exchanged greetings, it was felt that scarcely less precious than the heavenly food, so liberally bestowed by our gracious God, was the fellowship so heartily enjoyed. Some remarked, “If it is so good here, what will it be when we reach the glory-land?”
Amongst this large company it was not difficult to identify the subject of the paragraph which heads this paper. To see him passing up and down the hall, to watch his sunny face, and to receive his cordial hand-shake, was indeed refreshing. We had the privilege of a short conversation with him, and expressed the hope that we should see him soon in his own loved village. Little did we think that our next meeting should be “at Jesus’ feet.” That was on Monday. As our readers have already learned, on Tuesday he got his home-call. He looked forward with great pleasure to another gathering on the Saturday following; but ere then he had gone to that great and glorious meeting which shall never, never end. He was truly “absent from the body, but present with the Lord.”
Long he had known and loved his precious Saviour, faithfully and consistently he had borne testimony to Him in walk and conversation, and dearly he loved all those who love the Lord. We feel the most fitting epitaph that could be written is, “He walked with God, and he was not; for
GOD TOOK HIM.”
We write thus, not to make much of dear Robert D— (none would object more strongly to this than he), but we feel assured that in this event God has something to say to every reader of the Gospel Messenger. In the first place, dear fellow Christians, we may learn a lesson from this. As a beloved brother remarked, the word for us is to be “REDEEMING THE TIME.”
Are we buying up our opportunities? Are we living day by day with the sense that at any moment we may be called home? and are we morally ready for that call?
This should exercise us—not the extent of our intelligence about divine truth, but the extent by which the truth has formed us, and the extent also that it can be said of us, “He walked with God.” Such was the pathway of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. To “follow in His steps” is our great privilege while down here, but it will cease when we are actually with Him.
Then, further, how this should stir us up to increased earnestness in the service of Christ. If an opportunity presents itself of cheering a weary saint, or of telling dying sinners of a living Saviour, how we should seize it; feeling that our sojourn here is momentary, and that such an opportunity may never occur again. The other day I heard this remark, “You have but one life to live—live it for Christ.”
But what of the unsaved? Dear friend, let us address you lovingly yet faithfully. Robert D— ‘s case is by no means a solitary one. Men and women in all parts of the world die suddenly. You MAY GO NEXT. We can imagine some person remarking, “You religious folk always make the most of these things.” Stay I do not fling down this paper yet: consider, dear unsaved reader!
DIE YOU MUST, if out of Christ.
WHEN WILL YOU DIE? Perhaps today.
How WILL YOU DIE? In your sins? Note, the Son of God has said, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:2424I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24)). What then? You will pass on to judgment, for the Holy Scriptures declare that “it is appointed unto men once to die; but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)). And what then? The lake of fire; for the Scriptures further declare that “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). Reader! these are incontestable facts, they concern your eternal welfare; we beseech you, face them now. We need not remind you that DEATH IS DECIDEDLY UNCONVENTIONAL.
He overrides all form and ceremony. He studies not his victim’s convenience, he considers not his wishes. In a moment he sweeps down upon him without warning, he seizes him with relentless grip, and conducts him across “that bourne whence no traveler returns.” Have you thought of this? If not, we pray you consider the matter Now. Ere we close, permit us to tell you yet again the glad tidings of God who loves you; of Jesus who died for you; and of the Holy Spirit who waits to lead you into the present possession and enjoyment of salvation.
Observe then, you can be SAVED ON THE SPOT from your sins, and they are many; from the power of sin, and it is great; from death, and, at present, it is certain; from judgment, and, as you are, it is inevitable; and from the lake of fire which is the everlasting destiny of every unsaved person. You know how all this can be effected. The blessed Lord Jesus Christ has, on the cross at Calvary, shed His precious blood, which once and forever blots out every stain of sin; He has, in His death, removed from before the eye of God the man who committed the sins; He has annulled death; He has exhausted the judgment; He has closed the gates of hell against, and opened wide the door of heaven for everyone who simply trusts in Him. What is the secret of it all? God loves you. In His own beloved Son He found one whose heart beat in unison with His own heart. At Calvary we see divine love manifested in all its Fullness. At the right hand of God we see the One who expressed that love, and we learn that God has been glorified, and that now He is “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)). But we urge this upon your attention, not alone in view of the uncertainty of life, nor yet simply because of that from which you will be delivered, but in order that you may live right down here in this world in the love of God.
For dear Robert D—heaven commenced long years ago, and he but passed to the place with the atmosphere of which he was very familiar, and to be with the One he already knew and loved so well.
We want you to know God and to “joy in God.” We want you to know that you are saved, and that God has saved you in order that, in association with His own beloved Son, He might bring you into relationship with Himself, and by His Holy Spirit—whom He gives to all who believe—lead you into the present enjoyment of the vast wealth of blessing laid up for all who love Him.
Dear reader, young or old, rich or poor, whoever and wherever you be, take a lesson, we pray you—as we desire to do—from the unexpected summons received by our departed brother.
“GET RIGHT WITH GOD! “
Come, here and now, as a needy lost sinner, to Jesus, the sinner’s Saviour. Trust in His peerless name, rest on His finished work, fix your eye upon Him in yonder glory, and LrvE in the conscious sense of His love and in His glorious service. Then soon, together, changed into His likeness, we shall live forever with Him where He is.
“Oh, that will be glory for me,
Glory for me, glory for me,
When by His grace, I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me.”
W. B. D.