There were two railway dispatchers working in the Halifax train station that morning. One was the dispatcher who shouted the urgent warning as he ran out of the station, and the other was Vincent Coleman. But instead of running for his life, Coleman ran over to the station’s telegraph office ... he had an urgent message to send!
The dangerous situation began to unfold in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, at 8:40 on the morning of December 6, 1917. In the Halifax Harbor, a French cargo ship carrying wartime explosives, the Mont-Blanc, was entering the right channel at a leisurely four knots. The captain spotted the Norwegian ship Imo through the haze, traveling in the wrong direction, and it was approaching in the path of the Mont-Blanc. The Imo was moving at almost seven knots, which was exceeding the speed limit of the harbor. That particular part of the Halifax Harbor was narrow and left little room for ships to change course.
The Mont-Blanc blew its whistle once, which was the standard signal to claim right-of-way. The Imo blew its whistle twice, signaling that its captain intended to hold his ship on its present course, even though it was traveling in the wrong direction for the channel it was in. Both captains refused to yield and continued blowing the same signals at one another.
At the last minute, both captains gave orders in an attempt to avoid a collision, but it was too late. The Imo’s prow struck the starboard side of the Mont-Blanc!
As the steel hulls scraped across one another, a shower of sparks ignited the vapors from the barrels of benzol fuel on the deck of the Mont-Blanc. In ten minutes’ time the ship was ablaze, which threatened the rest of the ship’s 2700 tons of explosives—TNT and picric acid—all of which was intended for use in World War I that was then raging in Europe.
A naval officer sent sailors ashore to warn the crowds of people gathering, that the burning ship was full of explosives and could explode momentarily. The harbor staff knew of the ship’s cargo and the danger it posed to the city and quickly warned workers in waterfront businesses, including the Halifax station, to leave immediately.
You and I have been given warning messages at times by a parent, a teacher, a police officer or someone else in authority that made us change our minds. God, our supreme authority, has given us a warning message in the Bible. “There is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). People have their own ideas about their sins, often thinking that God will overlook the little ones and hoping that doing their best will cancel out the big ones. But what does God say? “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). God doesn’t label sins as big or little. He says the penalty for any sin is eternal death, but He does offer a remedy to anyone who will change his mind.
Although Vincent Coleman was aware of his extreme danger, he also knew that two passenger trains were inbound for the Halifax station, which was located only a few hundred feet from the harbor and the burning ship. He quickly telegraphed a Morse code message along the rail line: “STOP TRAINS. MUNITION SHIP ON FIRE. MAKING FOR PIER 6. GOODBYE.” It was the last thing Vincent Coleman ever did.
Thankfully, his warning was sent in time, and trains stopped all along the line. His sense of duty and selflessness saved the lives of three hundred passengers.
At 9:04 a.m. the burning Mont-Blanc’s massive cargo exploded, and the resulting blast was enormous! It was estimated that 1,000 people were killed instantly. The blast tore buildings to pieces and shattered every window within fifty miles. Doors were blasted open and wood stoves were toppled, setting fires throughout the city. Two and a half square kilometers of Halifax were completely flattened. And then the twisted, red-hot remains of the blown-apart Mont-Blanc began to rain down on Halifax, setting entire city blocks on fire. The tragic human loss that day was 2,000 men, women and children, with another 9,000 injured.
Vincent Coleman’s bravery saved those three hundred train passengers, who would learn later about his unselfish sacrifice for them. He is still remembered as a heroic figure from the disaster. But have you read or heard about God’s beloved Son who gave up even more to become the greatest sacrifice that heaven and earth has ever known? He willingly left heaven to be born into our sin-filled world and lived a sinless and selfless life, healing many diseases and even restoring life to some. Instead of being honored, He was hated and mocked. Those who ridiculed Him and didn’t believe that He was the Son of God finally crucified Him. But God intended that the death of His Son would become a wonderful plan of salvation for sinners.
God cannot accept sin into His perfect heaven, and there is nothing sinners can do to pay the penalty for their sins and be accepted by God. But God’s beloved Son Jesus said He would pay the penalty for the sins of any sinner who would accept Him as Saviour, which is what He accomplished on the cross. He says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” Those who carelessly ignore or outright refuse His offer of mercy and forgiveness will spend their eternity in the burning fires of hell.
God loves you and wants you in heaven with Himself and His beloved Son who died for you. Will you change your mind and listen to God’s urgent warning? You only need to admit that you are a sinner and believe that Jesus died for you and paid for your sins.
“Flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7).
MEMORY VERSE: “Flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7
ML-02/15/2009