Some years ago when the seacoast was crowded with boys and girls on vacation in August, two boys could be seen preparing a rowboat for a trip. They were both good oarsmen, having been well trained, and they had planned to row to a castle which stood out in the sea on a peninsula of rock and sand. It was only about two miles as the crow flies, but strong tides made it wise to go a long distance down the coast before crossing to the other side.
As our two friends were pushed off by other men and boys, another boat shot out from further along the shore. Two boys in it shouted a challenge to race to the castle.
Now in spite of previous warnings the challenge was accepted, and instead of the proper course, both boats steered straight across.
Soon the strong currents were too much for the challengers who gave up and went back, leaving our two friends victorious. However, instead of behaving wisely and altering their course, they rowed straight into the sweeping current, which had carried many people out to sea and some to their death.
They were now within two oars-lengths of the beach, but so strong was the tide that it would have been fatal to attempt a landing. The only way to safety was to pull hard around the point of the castle and let the tide sweep them onto the beach. Encouraged by the shouts of some soldiers in the castle they pulled as they had never pulled before, and gradually inch by inch they found they were making headway. They were taking a terrible risk. But through the Lord’s goodness they just managed to pull their boat around the point, and they were swept up on the beach by the tide.
Terribly exhausted, the boys lay a long time before they could even think of the good things they had brought with them for a picnic. In God’s mercy they were spared, and both of them are now serving the Lord Jesus. They often thank Him for His goodness to them that day in giving them another opportunity of yielding themselves to Him.
ML 12/31/1961