Samuel Morse was a professional artist who distinguished himself as a portrait painter. In 1832, while returning by ship from studying art in Europe, Morse overheard a conversation about the newly discovered electromagnet. This set him think about what would come to be called the “telegraph.”
Morse began devoting more and more time to this project. In 1838 he developed a system of dots and dashes that would represent language (and which would be named after him).
In 1843 Congress appropriated $30,000 for Morse to construct a telegraph line between Washington, D. C., and Baltimore. The line was successfully installed and on this date 160 years ago, Morse telegraphed a message from the U. S. Capitol to Alfred Vail at a railroad station in Baltimore: “What hath God wrought?”
Within 10 years, over 20,000 miles of telegraph cable crisscrossed the country. Just as the railroad train revolutionized travel, so did the telegraph revolutionize communication.
Morse’s message was taken from the Book of Numbers (23:23) which continues the story of the Exodus from the end of the encampment at Mr. Sinai, to the arrival at the border of the Promised Land.
At one point, Balaam, a prophet, speaks a promising message from God about the Israelites: “It shall be said of Jacob, ‘See what God has done!”
At the supper table, Jesus looks ahead to the flight of the disciples when he is arrested in Gethsemane. He even says that for a time they will be scattered and return to their homes.
They won’t entirely lose their faith. But for a time it would be weak, imperfect.
John will describe this in the last chapter of his Gospel. Seven of the disciples are back up north near the Sea of Galilee. Not only have they gone back to their home territory but – at least in the case of Peter, Andrew, James and John – back to their previous profession as fishermen. There will be a miraculous catch of fish, and eventually they will recognize the Risen Lord standing on the shore.
There is something of a parallel here to the experience of the death of someone we love – especially a tragic death. We don’t lose our faith, but for days after the funeral we are in a fog. Gradually, through prayer and the word of God, we realize the truth of what Jesus promised.
Ever experience a death like that?
This is nice Salvation.