ON Sunday evening as they were taking a stroll, they observed a little crowd of people collected on the green grass above the cliffs.
On drawing near they found that a young man was reading from the Word of God. The little party of women and children seated themselves on a grassy mound to listen, while Harry and Michael stood among the people. With a clear distinct voice the preacher sounded forth the words, "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near!" (Isa. 4:66And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. (Isaiah 4:6)). "Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)).
Then closing the book he spoke to the young around him, those in health and strength. He told them Christ was waiting to save them in patient grace. He was offering them salvation without money and without price, for He had paid the debt they owed to a holy God.
He told them they were sinners and not fit to stand before God without being washed in the blood of Christ, "But," he added, "the blood has been shed, and God offers you a free pardon today, if you will put your trust in it.”
After he had invited his hearers, lovingly and earnestly, to cast themselves on Jesus just as they were, he began to show them what the consequences would be if they refused. "The Lord Jesus will Himself shut mercy's door one day," he said, "and then if you refused Him while in life and health, it will be TOO LATE. You will have to stand and knock at that closed door and cry, 'Oh, let me in; Lord, Lord, open to me,' and He will answer, 'I never knew you, depart from me.' There will be no hope for you then, though you cry ever so loud, or ever so long, and nothing will be left for you but everlasting woe. 'Behold! NOW is the accepted time; behold, Now is the day of salvation.'" Then he went on to say that once a vessel was wrecked in a dreadful storm, and the captain and his wife were cast upon a small rock not far from land. They knew that unless they were soon rescued they must perish, for the waves were rising higher and higher, and would soon sweep them from the rock. They were, however, discovered, and strong men threw out a rope to help them, which the captain tied round his wife's waist, and showed her at a given signal she must leap upon the wave and it would bear her in to shore-that the sailors would be able to draw her to land.
It was her only chance. But she did not embrace it. Her husband urged her to leap, but she let the right moment go past, and leaped upon the wave when past, being engulfed by the one following it, and so was dashed upon the rock and killed.
Again the speaker urged his hearers to beware of letting the present moment pass. "You may not see another, or Satan may pluck the good seed out of your heart as you turn away from this spot. 'Seek ye the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near.'”
Many who listened were deeply stirred. Some had never been so urged before to come to Jesus, and little children (for little children are always foremost in a crowd) turned up grave and eager faces to the speaker. Then he said a word to them. He had told them that the Savior loved the little ones, and had invited them to come to Him; that Jesus had said "Suffer little children and forbid them not, to come unto Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:1414But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14)).
The three little ones listened very attentively, and the elder folk were much solemnized. Some that stood there had tasted a Savior's pardoning love, and to them the gospel words were sweet. Others had never, till lately, thought seriously over these things, and now conscience was speaking loudly, and the little word "now" rung in their ears.
Along the cliffs and past the corn fields the Craigs and Grays wended their way. The setting sun threw bright golden and crimson rays all around, while the ocean lay calm as a lake beneath them. Little Ben and Kit had never seen such a lovely sight, and as they walked along hand in hand they wondered "how heaven could be more beautiful than this.”
A day or two after the scene was completely changed, however. Driving rain fell, a chill east wind blew, the sky was cloudy, and the sea was rough. In heaven, however, chilly blasts and clouds will never come, "for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:44And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)); there it will be an endless summer of love and joy.