While making a missionary tour of the South Pacific, I was privileged to behold the active volcano on Savaii, an island of the Samoan group. Before obtaining a near-by view, we were at anchor at Apia, some thirty miles distant from the crater, but even so far away the heavens were lighted up at night with a singular hue by the burning mountain. It was nearest like a red sunset. But on the last night spent in the group, our steamer passed close by the island where the burning mountain is, giving us a good view of the volcano. The scene was awful, weird, and picturesque. The mountain under description is ten miles inland from the sea, yet the burning lava rushes all those miles a raging river till it reaches the mighty billows of the sea. It is like the meeting of two mighty foes. Altho the molten mass belched from the distant mountain had come so far, it was still red hot, and our steamer passing near shore, we could see it madly rushing to meet the mighty billows of the deep, into which it plunged, hissing and boiling, causing the vapor and smoke to arise in a mighty column till lost in the clouds above. Never have I seen anything like it, and to me it was a picture of the great day which shall "burn as an oven." As we rounded the island the wind wafted to us a strong sulfurous smell. I thought of the text which says, "The streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch." Isa. 34:9.
As we passed along in the steamer, the distant lava flowing into the sea gave the appearance of a burning city, and as the volcano has been active for nearly two years, the smoke seems to be ascending "forever and ever," and the fire to "never be quenched." It was awful in the extreme. A bright gleam shone on the dark waters and came against our ship. Shafts of fiery red pierced the darkness of the night and flung their radiance o'er both land and sea. To me the effect was strangely solemnizing. Long into the night the awful glare of the unearthly light could be seen on the eastern horizon as our ship was on her westward course.
It all speaks of an eternal strength, and in no uncertain tone tells of the mighty arsenal from which God will some day draw forth His weapons of wrath with which to punish a disobedient and ungodly world. What a terrible day that will be! The terror of that day will be multiplied ten thousand times ten thousand over the scene I describe, which after all was but a faint picture of that awful day.
As we neared the island, a passing storm arose and for a few moments obscured our view. Upon the mountain-top near the crater, the shafts of lightning played and the thunder crashed, revealing another weapon in His hand. The scene mingled with an occasional view of the volcano was one of exceptional grandeur. This was just before sunset. And as for a few minutes the rain descended, a rainbow appeared as a reminder of the covenant-keeping God. It spoke of the "world that then was" which was overthrown by a flood, but which would not again take place, while this engulfing lava which had destroyed a village seemed to say in awful tones "the heavens and the earth which are now" will be overthrown in a mighty lake of fire.