Many years ago, during a night of storm and tempest, the Tay Bridge in Scotland fell. A railway watchman who lived near the spot had a strange presentiment of coming disaster. The Sunday evening train was soon due to cross, and then to start on what proved to be its last run.
Fearful as to how things would go, the watchman clambered up into the signal-room, where he could hear the clicking of the telegraph instruments, and keep the signalman company.
Each moment the storm raged with increasing fury, but the train came on time into the station. The passengers took their seats as they had often done before. The whistle sounded, and almost instantly the train was out of sight in the darkness. She must cross the great Tay Bridge, during the worst tempest of many days.
At the height of its fury, the signalman touched the handle of his instrument and signaled, "Train on line," to the cabin on the other side of the raging flood. Then both men waited for the telegraphic signal that the train had covered the intervening "block" and had crossed the river in safety. The silence in that cabin was unbroken save for the howling of the storm without. The minutes dragged themselves slowly on, but the telegraph instrument uttered no sound.
"Is the train not yet due on the other side?" said the watchman.
"Yes," said his companion, "but we will give her a minute or two longer."
Silence again, until the stillness became oppressive. "Send a message," said the impatient watcher. "Ask if she has reached the cabin at the other end of the bridge."
The operator at once caught the handle of the telegraph instrument to send his message across. The needle did not move. Under ordinary circumstances the needle would have clicked in response to the operator's touch, thus intimating that the electric current had flashed to the other shore and back again in the twinkling of an eye; but the needle was motionless.
"Try another instrument," said his companion.
He tried another, and another, but all were silent. There was no message from the other shore. The silent needle told to these two men in language more eloquent than words that an awful tragedy had taken place.
They looked at each other in dismay and consternation. In that awful moment they knew that the whole train with its living freight must be engulfed by the raging waters spanned by the Tay Bridge.
"No message from the other shore!" Often have these words reminded us that a day is coming when those who have rejected the Christ of God shall seek to send a message to the other shore. Scripture says something about this. It tells of those who shall "stand without" and knock, saying, "Lord, Lord, open unto us." But He from within shall answer, saying, "I know you not whence ye are." Luke 13:2525When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (Luke 13:25).
Unsaved reader, whether you are concerned about your soul just now I know not; but of this I am certain you will be concerned some day. You may not be in earnest now; but the day is coming when you will be deeply concerned. Then it will be too late.
You have had your opportunities. You have heard of Jesus and His love, of His cleansing blood, and His power to save. Is it to be recorded of you that you rejected the entreaties of His heart of love? You would not have Him as your almighty Savior. Therefore the day draws on when you must meet God, and meet Him in your sins. Then shall come to pass what is written in the scriptures, "Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer: they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me." Proverbs 1:2828Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: (Proverbs 1:28).
Then shall you long for a message from the other shore a message that shall never come, even unto the ages of eternity!
The two men, feeling certain that the train had gone to its doom, descended from the signal station and crept on hands and knees along the bridge to see if haply they might discover any trace of the train. After proceeding some distance the metal rails seemed to have disappeared. As they crept cautiously forward they saw nothing before them but yawning darkness. Far down beneath them poured the raging waters.
They understood it all now. The center part of the bridge had fallen into the river, carrying the whole train into the waters. Not a single soul survived to tell the tale of that awful night. As the bridge went down, every telegraph wire was snapped. No current could travel over these broken wires and so no message came back from the other shore.
Friend, it may be that you have friends on "the other shore." How terrible, then, will be your portion when you shall cry for mercy when mercy's day is forever past! Then your answer must be eternal silence.
Think upon it! Separated forever from the blood-washed throng that surround the throne, and your eternal portion found to be "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Are you prepared for this? Have you counted the cost? Have you weighed what it means to be a lost soul for all eternity?
Arouse thee, O unsaved one! Believe the proclamation of God's redeeming love in the gift of His Son. Take your place before Him as a lost and hell-deserving sinner, and receive the gift of God, which is eternal life in Jesus Christ the Lord. The moment you accept the Lord as your own Savior, you will be in direct communication with "the other shore."
Christ Jesus is the great telegraph wire between heaven and earth— a wire that cannot be broken by any accident of time— that winds above nor waves below can never move.
Are you willing to be saved now on God's terms? Delay not. Procrastinate no longer. This very hour believe, and receive, and confess Him, for it is written, "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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9, 109That 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. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10).