Some years ago I was waiting one afternoon at the railway station at Edinburgh. I seized the opportunity of speaking to the engine driver of one of the trains, regarding God’s glad tidings. He was a great swarthy man, an possessed not only a strong muscular physique but a vigorous natural intelligence, united to a clear decisive judgment. He could discern at a glance the relation in which he stood to the great system of traffic which was pouring in and out of that busy scene, at one of the busiest hours at the height of the traveling season.
At the time I was speaking to him I saw his eye fixed intently upon some object in the remote distance; while he was speaking, his eye kept scanning from the engine to this place. At length my eye descried the object with which he was occupied. To the engine driver it was the ruling and governing object at present. It was a great high pole some fifty or seventy feet in height, standing midway between the station and the tunnel under the Calton Hill. Near the top of this pole there are telegraph signals attached. He explained to me that no engine driver is allowed to enter the tunnel until he gets the signal that the line is clear, but whenever the signal is given he may at once proceed.
He further described that from the top of this pole there were arms which projected out at right angles, and when the signal was given that the line was clear they were lowered. This is called THE BLOCK TELEGRAPH. Whenever the arm is lowered it is a message to the engine driver that the line is clear, and he may at once proceed with his train. I questioned him upon his faith in this block telegraph, and found he was quite at rest as to any consequences. “Do you not tremble in going into: the dark tunnel for fear the line may not be quite clear?” I asked. He gave such a look of pity and compassion at my suggestion as he answered firmly and very decisively “No, never. I have trusted the signals given by the block telegraph thousands of times, and I know it too well to have any doubts.” I said “Suppose you saw an engine driver of splendid ability, who had received first-rate training as an engineer, and who had much skill in his work, suppose you saw such an one start his train quite regardless of the signals of the block telegraph, what would you say of him?” “I would say he was mad, and would probably pay for his folly with his life, as he clearly deserved to do, and such a case known to the company would be severely punished, and he would be dismissed the company’s service.”
I then pointed him to the cross, I asked him if he had a like faith in Him who said “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”
Christ was the One lifted up upon the cross, and who had made the line unto God’s presence forever clear. Christ had completely and forever settled God’s claims on man; nay more, far more, He had glorified God in the work of redemption, and God had now glorified Him by crowning Him with glory and honor and seating Him at His own right hand (Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)).
What God required of man was faith in Him who was lifted up on the cross of Calvary, and by faith in Him God could now be “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)).
Christ had cleared the way into God’s presence for man, and “by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb. 9:1212Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)). God has, so to speak, lowered the signal for us by receiving His Son into glory, so that by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, we are now with “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Heb. 10:19, 2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20)).
“Looking to the signal of the block telegraph gives your heart perfect rest and confidence that the line is clear. You have no doubts, no fears, when you see the arm of the block telegraph lowered. Why?” “Because I know the signal is true, and reports a fact,” he answered decisively.
“Well, my friend, if God has given a signal for you and now invites you to look to it and be saved, He likewise signals what is true, and reports a fact. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ Why do you believe you signal, and doubt God’s signal? Obviously, you believe man rather than God. ‘But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us’” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). I drew his attention to the sin of disbelieving the signal set up by the railway company, or proceeding in defiance of it.
He was, I saw, convicted in his own mind, and was in deep thought, while his eye turned from time to time to the block telegraph for direction.
Slowly, just then, the arm was lowered, and he received his signal to advance. He gave a farewell look, smiling as he pointed with one hand to the block telegraph, while with the other he turned on the steam, and with a whistle and a bound the train moved out of the station. The Lord was in grace that day seeking this lost sheep, and we can with perfect rest leave it with Him to own the seed sown that day in faith.
Reader, one word with you. You are on the journey of life, and, if you do not know Christ as the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world, then you are like the engine driver who would run in defiance of the signal set up.
There is certain destruction for you. But if you.
“Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,” and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved.”
R. M. C.