THE FIRE BY THE SEA by L. D. Bantie

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 28, 1872

THE FIRE BY THE SEA.

By L. D. Bantie

[The following exquisite verses are entitled “The Fire by the Sea.” They are from the gifted pen of Alice Cary; and the thoughts of my heart while reading this sweet rendering of the 21st of John, was, “She being dead yet speaketh.” How many of the readers of the REVIEW will feel their hearts stirred while reading this pen-picture of a scene that happened long ago on the sea-shore of Galilee? L. D. BANTIE.]

There were seven fishers with nets in their hands, And they walked and talked by the sea-side sands? Yet sweet as the sweet dew-fall The words they spake, though they spake so low, Across the long, dim centuries flow, And we know them, one and all— Aye! know them and love them all.

Seven sad men in the days of old, And one was gentle, and one was bold, And they walked with downcast eyes; The bold was Peter, the gentle was John, And they all were sad, for the Lord was gone, And they knew not if he would rise— Knew not if the dead would rise.

The live-long night, till the moon went out, In the drowning waters they beat about: Beat slow through the fogs their way; And the sails dropped down with wringing wet, And no man drew but an empty net; And now ’twas the break of the day— The great, glad break of the day.

“Cast your nets on the other side—” (’Twas Jesus speaking across the tide)— And they cast and were dragging hard; But that disciple whom Jesus loved Cried straightway out, for his heart was moved; “It is our risen Lord— Our Master, and our Lord.”

Then Simon, girding his fisher’s coat, Went over the nets and out of the boat— Aye! first of them all was he; Repenting sore the dismal past, He feared no longer his heart to cast Like an anchor into the sea— Down deep in the hungry sea.

And the others, through the mists so dim, In a little ship came after him, Dragging their nets through the tide; And when they had gotten close to the land They saw a fire of coals in the sand, And, with arms of love so wide, Jesus, the crucified!

’Tis long, and long, and long ago, Since the rosy lights began to flow O’er the hills of Galilee; And with eager eyes and lifted hands The seven fishers saw on the sands The fire of coals by the sea— On the wet, wild sands by the sea.

’Tis long ago, yet faith in our souls Is kindled just by that fire of coals That streamed o’er the mists of the sea; Where Peter, girding his fisher’s coat, Went over the net and out of the boat, To answer, “Lov’st thou me?” Thrice over, “Lov’st thou me?”