WE were standing on the shore at one of the many lovely seaport places in the Isle of Wight in the month of August. It was a beautiful morning, the sun shining splendidly, and the bright waves glittered in its rays all the more brilliantly from being a little ruffled by a fresh breeze that had just died away, leaving them crested with a light foam. Upon our left, stretching far into the sea, was the bold promontory of the snow-white Culver Cliffs, whilst to the right, in striking contrast, towered majestic heights of dark-brown roc and sand. The loveliness of the morning had enticed a great number of visitors to the water-side, where they were engaged in every variety of pastime so common at seaside resorts. Some, doubtless, were silently adoring the God whose power and goodness were so plainly to be seen in the natural beauties and grandeur of the scene around them; others were enjoying these His gifts, thoughtless of the Giver, when the attention of all was arrested by a solemn circumstance, and those who had an ear to hear listened as it were to a warning voice too plain to pass unheeded with impunity.
From one of the bathers a cry for help was heard, and it was soon evident to those who were gazing in the direction from which it proceeded, that he who had uttered it was being drawn out to sea without power to regain the land, although by some means still keeping his head above the water.
An attempt was made to launch a boat for his rescue, but, either from the roughness of the waves, or through its not being in sea-worthy condition, it was upset, and some little delay resulted. While this was going on at one part of the shore, from another point nearer to tile drowning man two men plunged into the water and struggled towards him, for it was no easy task, still at every stroke they came nearer. All this time the eyes of the anxious spectators were fixed upon the poor man, and those who had friends amongst the bathers were in great alarm lest he (whom no one at present knew) should be a relative. You can imagine what joy all felt as they saw his head continue above water until the swimmers’ hands were laid upon him and he was almost saved.
Alas! it was only almost, for a strong wave at that moment swept by them, and, when it had passed, only the two would-be-saviours could be seen; for it had carried the helpless man from their arms, and we saw him no more.
The boat had at length been launched, and was now near the spot, and those who occupied it remained for some time seeking in vain for the body, whilst the swimmers returned to the shore, where they met the large company of disappointed persons who had seen them so nearly succeed. The one drowned proved to be a young man who had purposed leaving England in a day or two for a foreign country, and was only waiting until the vessel that should convey him would be ready to start. The member of a large family in comfortable circumstances, his prospects were doubtless as bright as the morning itself that proved such a solemn one to him. Thus, when least expecting it, he was summoned into eternity; and if it was with his soul as with his body, only almost saved, what an awful end such a one’s must be! We trust it was not so.
Now, are there not among the readers of GOOD NEWS those who are in a similar case with reference to the salvation of their souls? If you are not resting upon Christ, you are as surely passing on to destruction as the poor young man was. All this, with a Saviour as near, or nearer, to you than those men were who sought to rescue him; and you know it, and are thus, it may be, among the almost saved. The anxious eyes of believing friends are upon you, and as they pray for your salvation they watch for signs of divine life to appear, and long to catch from your lips the hearty confession of Christ as your Saviour, for, in Romans 10:9,9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9) it is declared that “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” You have often heard this, or read it in the pages of this Magazine, and yet are not at peace with God, although, like Agrippa, almost persuaded to be a Christian. What an awful thing to be only almost for, if you are called from earth in this state, it will only add to your condemnation to have been so near the Saviour and yet not to be saved.
The young man of whom I have told you, perished because the wave was stronger than the arms of those who came to save him. Such cannot be your case. In Psalms 69 you read of Christ as the One who passed through the waters of the judgment of God, and bore it all, so that for those who trust in Him no judgment now remains (Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)). Once in His hand, He is too strong for any to pluck you thence and will never allow you to 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, until you know that you are there, let me entreat you not to rest satisfied short of the full and perfect assurance of safety which you may possess by trusting yourself wholly to Him who by His death fully atoned for sin, and in whom, as risen and gloried, every believer is seen by God, and thus “accepted in the Beloved.” Then for you even death itself would have no terror, for the sting which is sin is gone, and the victory is given to all who believe through Jesus Christ.