A FEW years ago, the writer, with some friends, was staying at Ilfracombe for a short time. Those who have visited the place will be able to travel, in thought to the rugged rocks and surging sea, and the many attractions which beguile the unwary one for so long a time that he allows the ever-treacherous tide to surprise him, and force him to make a hasty retreat.
On one of the rocks near to the cliff, several of us might have been found sitting, late one evening. After a time, two of us rose to go towards the sea, to watch the dashing waves and enjoy the beautiful air. The tide was swiftly coming in, and we had to be constantly on guard against surprise.
While proceeding on our way, we were astonished to see a human form sitting on a rock already almost cut off by the rapidly advancing tide. We at once perceived his danger, and quick as thought called to him with all our might, but without effect, and it seemed vain even to try to make our voices heard above the roaring waves. Again and again we endeavored to do so, but as often as we tried we were thwarted. But an instant, and the man’s return might be prevented! Should we succeed in making him hear? It was a critical moment, increasing in danger as wave after wave rushed in between him and us, drowning our voices, and lessening the chances of attracting his attention.
Once more we made an effort, and shouted “He!” as if our lives depended on it. Successful at last! The man rose, at once perceived his danger, and, waiting for the receding wave, gave a tremendous leap, and stood safely on our rock. To us it was a breathless moment, as we watched him jump, as one false step, or slip, would have buried him in the chasm below.
How profuse were his thanks, and how warm his expressions of gratitude, as he accompanied us to the rest of our party. As he lingered, talking, my friend put some pointed questions to him as to his soul’s salvation. On hearing our shout he had manifested great eagerness to save himself, but would he show as great interest in the welfare of his immortal soul? He had thankfully accepted our warning, would he be warned of the immeasurably greater danger in which all who have not found a Saviour stand? These questions, however, only drew from the man the fact that he was a skeptic.
Yes! he was quite ready to heed a friendly voice of warning when in temporal danger, but he would not be aroused by any voice, equally friendly, desiring to point out the awful fate towards which he was carelessly allowing himself to be borne.
My reader, what answer would you give if I were to address such questions to you? Do you still stand among those “condemned already”? (John 3:88The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8).) Are you still standing with the sentence of “Guilty” hanging over you, and your mouth stopped from saying anything in your own defense in the presence of a holy God? (Rom. 3:1919Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19).) If so, I would sound an alarm in your ears today. “He, traveler to eternity, see you not that chasm before you? another step, and you may be over!”
When our voices reached the heedless man on the rocks, do you think, my reader, that he sat still and began to philosophize, and bring up his skeptical arguments? Did he begin to reason, “Am I really in danger”? No; he saw his need of safety, and availed himself of the only way of escape.
But perhaps you say― “I do not see that I am in any danger.” Shall I tell you why that is? It is because the god of this world, Satan, has blinded the eyes of all that believe not (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)); and you, unsaved reader, are among that number.
Yes, I admit fully that you cannot see your danger. Blind eyes cannot see. But have you ears to hear? If so, hear the testimony of God to the fact that you ARE in danger. Set speculations, reasonings, and the like, aside, and get you from your present place of insecurity unto Christ, who has died to provide a place of safety for such as you. Own that you are lost, the Shepherd will find you (Luke 15), and then you will realize the blessedness of knowing that His sheep (of which you will then be one) shall never perish (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)).
But to return to my narrative. On parting from our friend, we invited him to a gospel meeting to be held the next Lord’s Day afternoon, in a public hall in the town. He came, and a second time was earnestly begged, in common with all present, to think of the eternity that is before all. But he heard more; for the preacher, besides pressing the importance of escaping from present danger, sought to show his hearers, from God’s Word, how they might avail themselves of the one and only means of safety.
If this little paper should ever meet the eye of the man whom my narrative concerns, I would like to remind him of that gospel meeting, and to ask him if he has yet accepted the warning of his second and greater danger; and if not, I would give him hereby this third warning (for the door of grace is not yet closed):― “A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Prov. 27:1212A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. (Proverbs 27:12)).
The last that we saw of him was at the close of the meeting referred to, when, recognizing in the preacher the one who had warned him of temporal danger, he came forwards, and shaking hands, bade him farewell.
Twice have I written the above story, and twice have I withheld it from publication, but this third time, I feel compelled to write it, hoping that some one, who until now has disregarded all warnings, may read it, and be led by it to look into the Scriptures to ascertain the one way of salvation which God has provided. Will you, my reader, be the one to get the blessing?
M. J. R.