“A LOCKSMITH named S—E—of W—with several companions decided on Sunday morning to have a sprint on the Pick wick football field. After having several runs the men resolved upon having a bathe, and repaired to a swag pool nearby, known as ‘The Devil.’ Divesting themselves of their clothing, the companions of E—dived into the pool, but the latter said he did not think he would venture, as the water was chilly and he did not feel ‘overwell.’ With persuasion he eventually dived, and when reappearing above the surface he exclaimed— ‘It’s all over. I am done for!’ He sank, and his body has not been seen since.
“Information was given to the police, and dragging operations were soon in force. The news of the man’s disappearance quickly spread, and in the afternoon hundreds of persons congregated round the pool. Some missioners, with a Gospel Tent nearby, came on the scene and conducted a religious service. Between three and four o’clock it was computed that there were between 3,000 and 4,000 people present.”
So runs the newspaper notice.
The crowds of people repairing to that pool called “The Devil” gave us to inquire of God as to what we should do, and feeling assured that He had a voice to the people in this calamity, and the chorus appealing to us: —
“Won’t somebody tell them
Tell them of Calvary’s tree!
Tell them the story of Jesus,
Of what a great Saviour is He?”
we abandoned the Tent Meeting and repaired to that pool—not to hold “a religious service” exactly, but to “preach the gospel.”
As we stood there gazing into the still water and pictured the poor fellow lying at the bottom in the icy grip of death, how helpless we felt as to him! His body was there, but his soul—WHERE?
Turning our attention to the hundreds, yea thousands, crowding the banks, we gave out our first hymn: ―
“Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill your latest breath?”
Our prayer next rose to God for the recovery of the body of poor E—and for the bereaved ones, and especially that God’s blessing might rest upon His precious gospel to those standing around. The hymn―
“Where will you spend Eternity?
This question comes to you and me.
Tell me, what shall your answer be?
Where will you spend Eternity?”
having been sung, we sought to show that according to God’s Word it is not “all over,” and how solemn.’ and impressive that word sounded there in the presence of death— “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)). We sought to show that this calamity had not happened by chance, for not a sparrow falls to the ground until God wills it. “The wages of sin is death,” “but after this the judgment.” “So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.”
That poor fellow little thought, as he dived into “The Devil’s Pool,” that he was diving to his doom! It seems highly probable that he had been doing this, virtually all along diving into the devil’s pool of sin, and now the moment had come for him to be paid sin’s wages—death seized hold upon him, “but after this the judgment.”
Alas, alas! how many among that throng were doing likewise, and if God paid them their wages that day, everyone would have to own that He was righteous in all His ways.
We sought to show how Jesus had come down from the glory of God, and how He had entered the cold chilly waters of death to rescue the perishing. How all God’s waves and billows had rolled over Him. Blessed Saviour! Prophetically it had been written of Him, “The waters compassed me about even to the soul; the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountain; the earth with her bars were about me forever: yet hast Thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God” (Jonah 2:3-63For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 5The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 6I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. (Jonah 2:3‑6)). That now as risen and glorified at God’s right hand He could righteously and eternally save all who put their trust in Him, repenting of their sins.
How inviting are the waters of “the devil’s pool”! and how vast is the throng diving into it. Are you, my reader, one of the number? Have you not found out that its water is stagnant, and that “the dead are there,” and millions of its erstwhile bathers “are in the depths of hell”? Are you content with the devil’s stagnant pool while God is inviting you to bathe in “The river of God,” which “is full of water”? “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev. 22:11And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)).
The Gospel is not a stagnant pool, but a rippling river of life-giving waters, fed by the springs of divine righteousness and holy love; and our God’s last invitation in His wonderful book is: “And let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely” (vs. 17). No death is ever found in God’s river. You may drink of it, wade into it, and “swim in” it (Ezek. 47:55Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. (Ezekiel 47:5)), but there is “no death there.”
God is the fountain of living waters, and Christ’s redemption work as the Lamb has, so to speak, removed the dam and waters now gush out.
“The river of His grace,
Through righteousness supplied,
Is flowing o’er the barren place
Where Jesus died.”
Reader, seize your opportunity and respond to the invitation of a God of love now—for remember all that the devil can give you is like a stagnant pool here, and not one drop of water to cool your parched tongue can ever be given in that place where “The worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.”
While we write, the dragging operations are still going on, for the body of E—is not yet recovered. Hundreds again last night had the privilege of listening to the gospel, while we had the joy of telling it out, and warning the neglectors of salvation that it may be their turn next.
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?”
May God use this paper, my reader, to warn you to flee from the devil’s pool to His own river of grace, supplied through One who says: —
“If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me... out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7).
E. E. C.