Many railway travellers, besides ourselves, have been often much pleased
with the provision made at the principal railway stations for supplying
the engines with water. Water is a necessity of motion to the
locomotive, and there are watering stations all along the line. Every
driver knows where these water-tanks are, and he takes care to stop in
time, to get his boiler filled. If he did not look to this, he would
find himself stopping between stations, and would have to submit to the
indignity of being drawn by another engine!
If such a thing occurred, it would be a sort of picture of some Christian
workers, men and women, who in days that are past, were remarkable for
their zeal and push, but who, for want of grace, have had to cease to
work, and are now content to be drawn along by other Christians. We know
Ministers, Local Preachers, and Class-Leaders, who in their day were
notable soul winners, but alas, now, when there is a revival, they cannot
take the lead, but they are helped along by others, perhaps of less power
than they once possessed! What a spectacle to men and angels!
But this is not what we are writing about just now. During the long
frost, which we hope has now passed away for the season, many of us have
been pleased with the pains which have been taken to keep the water from
freezing in the pipe which leads from the tank to the supply-spout for
the engine. Night and day, for weeks, a fire has been kept burning, so
as to have the iron column always hot. Orders have been given to keep
the fire burning while the frost lasts, and these orders have been
obeyed, or we should have seen some poor driver obliged to wire to send
another engine to help on the train which would have been delayed. To
pursue the analogy, has not God's business been delayed because the fire
has not been kept burning? This is a time of spiritual frost. What with
the political crisis, general election, depression in trade, there has
been spiritual ice in all the Churches of our land. The very supply
pipes have been frozen, and men of power are at present quiet, because
they have not received the Water of Life. We know men of God, men who
are earnest, loyal, trustful souls, who are weeping between the porch and
the altar, on account of their want of power. What is to be done? Men
of Israel, help! Come to the rescue! Let us get the fires lighted. To
your knees! To your knees! Bring the promises. Keep fuel always in
hand, so as to replenish the blaze, and we shall see the frozen water
leap out to fill again those who so often have drawn the train
heavenward!
THE LARGEST PUBLIC MEETING
WILL BE THE LAST, AND
YOU WILL BE THERE.