Haste to the Rescue by J. S. Washburn

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 11, 1904

Haste to the Rescue

By J. S. Washburn

AN alarm of fire! The furious, rapid ringing of fire-bells that thrill the heart, that quicken the pulse, that fill with thoughts of terror for the danger, and immediately with a wild joy and strange exhilaration at the thought of rescue! There is a sudden clearing of the crowded street, a quick arrest of the attention of every foot-passenger, a sudden rush to the windows and doors. What is the cause?—A cloud of dust and smoke and steam; the sharp thunder of heavy and rapid hoof-beats and the clatter and whirl of wheels,—a mad rush to the rescue. Three horses abreast, great, noble creatures, full speed, heads close to the ground, nostrils distended,—they need no urging, for they live for this moment,—for the wild gladness of freedom to exert every power! Behind them the heavy fire-engine seems to fly with feathery lightness, and clinging to it are strong, brave men with cool heads and steady nerves, eagerly rushing to save; for O! the danger to property, and to precious life, it may be, appeals to every noble instinct in man to hasten to help and deliver. For did He not send his Son to save, to pluck us as brands out of the burning?

Who that has lived in the city has not been awakened, thrilled by the sight of a fire company hastening to a fire? Let us visit an engine-house. It is night. All is still. The lights are low, apparently men and horses are soundly sleeping. Suddenly a sharp ring; the lights blaze out. The great horses leap under the harness. Wide awake instantly, the firemen leap to the side of the horses and to their seats upon the engine. The great doors suddenly open, and before we have time to think a second thought, the horses are galloping to the fire. Haste! a moment may mean a life!

Were you ever suddenly awakened from sound slumber by a suffocating, terrible odor of smoke; by the crackling and roaring of great, hungry flames? O! it is fearful! The fire is under, in the hall, the stairway! Blinded, dazed, and terrified, you waken the loved ones, and hasten them, drag them, carry them down the blazing, trembling stairway. In an anguish of fear, your clothing aflame, you burst the door, out into the cool air, and into safety. O! thank God,—all here? O! horror! one is missing, one is still in the burning house. Now through the window comes the piteous cry, “Save me!” You rush to the entrance; strong arms bar your way. You are forced back into safety. Quickly the ladder is drawn, placed, extended; at awful risk, a brave fireman climbs through smoke and flame, and reaches,—saves. Thank God for the brave, strong rescuer! Thank God that He who died to save has made men, even many who do not love God, willing to risk their own lives to save the life of another. There are among men true heroes yet.

O that among God’s people, among God’s workers, for all his people are workers, there was the earnest, the intense zeal to hasten to save! A terrific danger, an eternal catastrophe, fire quenchless, remorseless, threatens our loved ones, yea, the millions whom God loves—and we are asleep! We claim

to know the message of warning, of salvation, to a perishing world—yet how dull, how stupid, how slow! O God, awaken us, stir our hearts with the tender love for sinners; the fierce, undying, infinite hate for sin; the zeal that consumed the very life of Jesus, that constrained, that urged Paul ever onward to seek and to save.

When I see a fire company hastening to the rescue, I can but pray, O Lord, make me a thousand times more earnest, more zealous in thy blessed, thy terrible work. However small our talent, however ignorant and uncultivated we may be, yet if we are desperately in earnest, God will make us able through him to rescue and to save.

I know that if you and I and all God’s workers were aroused, awake to the awful, the glorious realities of the present day and situation, in one day the world would be ablaze with the light of truth. How quickly would the work be finished and cut short in righteousness!

The devil is fiercely, terribly in earnest. Men are rushing madly after mammon, after worldly, empty honor, after hollow, fleeting pleasure. They all win, draw, attract, because they are in earnest. But we who are God’s messengers, we who hold in our hands the key of this crisis of the ages, are not half awake.

How long, O Lord, how long will it take to finish the work? God has wonderfully led his people during the last year. Shall there not be a new era? A new day must dawn. The world is filled with a false religion,—the religion of India, the worship of nature, the creature rather than the Creator.

All the world needs to know just how and to what degree nature reveals its author. Christ in his parables drew wonderful lessons from nature. All Seventh-day Adventists ought to read again to-day that wonderful book on Christ’s parables, “Christ’s Object Lessons,” and then sell it far and near, to every one within reach. That book, with “Christian Education,” contains a message for these days. It was a gift from heaven to save and to bless our schools, to save and to bless those who sell it, and to save eternally those who read it. May the Lord revive the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons” in every conference. May he send us out quickly to seek and to save. And may the world be thrilled, electrified, quickened, as they see God’s people, now discouraged, rusting, dying of inaction, suddenly awaken to finish, to complete, and to perfect the solemn, glorious work he has given them to do.

J. S. WASHBURN, Secretary of Committee for Relief of the Schools.