Fire on These Flags if You Dare
By F. A. Allum
A True Story of the Cuban War of 1867 THE following true story relates to a man who went from England to America, and thence to Cuba. He had not been in Cuba long before the Cuban war of 1867 broke out, and he was arrested as a spy. He knew nothing about what he was arrested for, as he could not understand a word of Spanish, which is the language spoken in Cuba. He was court-martialed and ordered shot. When he realized his peril, he sent for the American and English consuls, and laid the case before them. The consuls looked into the case, and found that he was perfectly innocent. They went to the Spanish authorities, and endeavored to secure his release; but the Spanish officers said: "He has been tried by our law, and found guilty. The law must take its course, and the man must die." There was no submarine cable then, hence the consuls could not telegraph to their governments, and they had not time to write and get an answer back. When the morning set for the execution came, the condemned man was brought out. A grave had been dug, and a coffin placed beside it, and the man took his seat upon the coffin. Then the black cap was pulled over his head. There stood the Spanish soldiers, awaiting orders to fire; but at that moment the American and English consuls rode up, and jumping from their carriage, ran and wrapped the Star-spangled Banner and the Union Jack around the man, and turning to the Spanish officer, said, "Fire on these flags if you dare." He did not dare. There were two great governments back of those flags. My friends, what is the government of the island of Cuba when compared with the government of heaven? Every man born into this world has sinned against the government of heaven, and transgressed the law of God; and the Bible, the law by which all will be tried, says, "The wages of sin is death." Therefore every man who has not applied for protection through the merit of the sacrifice of Christ, stands in the same perilous condition that this Englishman occupied. You, dear reader, are virtually sitting on your coffin beside the open grave, and soon sin will draw the black cap over your face, and death will take your life — your eternal life. But you ask, Is there no way of escape, no hope for me? Listen! This is what the Bible says: "We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5: 10, 20, 21. If you will but accept Christ as your Saviour, God will forgive all your sins, and the following text will in your case be fulfilled: "He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love." S. of S. 2: 4. God and Christ will wrap the flag of mercy around you, and sin and death will no longer have power over you; for "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6: 23.