THE business o f the day was over, and the city of Melbourne had quietly settled to its rest, when the cry of "Fire! Fire!" rang out through the night, arousing the people, and making them' rush hurriedly in the direction of its sound. A large drapery store was seen to be all alight with flames, and every effort was speedily made, firstly to arouse and rescue the many sleeping inmates, and secondly to extinguish the blaze.
They thought they had accomplished the former, but all attempts towards the latter were in vain, for the light goods with which the building was stocked burnt so readily that it was soon apparent nothing could be saved.
Suddenly the crowd below, eagerly watching the grand but awful spectacle, was horrified to behold a young man appear upon the roof and mutely beseech help.
Poor fellow! he must have been sleeping all too soundly, and when at last he awoke there was no way of escape down except through a raging mass of smoke and flame. So he made his way up, only, alas! to find it equally closed there. How terrible was his position! Many hearts to pity! No hand to save!
And the crowd below, in spite of that peculiarly "help-one-another" sentiment that animates colonists, could only watch the solitary fire-lit figure in helpless despair.
Presently the poor fellow seemed to realize and accept the inevitable, and turning from his fellow-creatures to his Creator they saw him quietly bend his knees and clasp his hands in prayer, as maybe he had so often done before in the old country beside his mother's knee.
Pathetic and touching in the extreme was this last glimpse to the straining eyes of the mortal crowd below. Surely it was glorifying to the divine Watcher above, "Whose eyes behold, Whose eyelids try, the children of men" (Psalm 11:44The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (Psalm 11:4)).
What a solemn instance is this of the awful suddenness with which death sometimes comes! Should it not be a warning to be ready—prepared with God's preparation—namely, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ?
If trusting in Him, death comes as a friend to usher us into His presence. But if not, it is an inexorable, ever-threatening foe that may claim us at any moment.
God warns you, in the midst of the chances and uncertainties of this life, to put your unreserved confidence in His Son, that on account of His sacrifice your sins may be forgiven, and you be saved and blest.
Then, having Him to turn to—in life or in death, in sickness or in health, in sorrow or joy, in poverty or wealth—there is always rest and gladness. L. J. M.