IN A snug little cottage by the sea, there lived a poor fisherman, named Peter, and his wife. Both were true-hearted Christians and sought to live for the Lord who had done so much for them. One day Peter’s wife presented him with a tiny baby girl, and oh, such happiness the little one brought into their home. But not long Afterward Peter’s wife fell ill. When she knew she was not long for this world, she told Peter God had sent the little one into their home and that he must tell her of Jesus the Saviour. Then she passed away.
The loss of his dear wife was a great sorrow to Peter, but he didn’t go out and try to drown his grief in drink, as some men do. No, he went and told Jesus, who loves to lift up the broken-hearted.
However, another great sorrow came into Peter’s life. The little girl who had brought such sunshine into their humble home also fell sick. Soon after, she followed her mother to that bright Home above, where Jesus dwells. Poor Peter was now left alone. Fishing no longer held such pleasure for him as formerly, for he felt he had no one to fish for now. Still he found comfort and encouragement in his Saviour’s love.
One day when Peter was out on a fishing trip, he met a young Swede named Jan Georg, whom he brought home to live with him. Peter told Jan about his wife and baby girl, and then he told him too about Jesus who died for sinners.
One day when they were both out deep-sea fishing, a terrible storm caught them. As the billows rose and fell, tossing their little boat up and down, Peter prayed for deliverance. At last the sea became calm again and they put in their nets once more. When they pulled them in again they found they had an immense haul of fish; their boat was nearly full.
During the night they saw pieces of wreckage floating about. In the morning they saw more, so they knew that a ship had gone to pieces on the rocks nearby.
“What’s that?” asked Jan, pointing to something that had been left high on a rocky ledge by the outgoing tide. Getting into the small boat they rowed over to the rocks and Jan climbed up the ledge. “It’s a little girl that’s lashed to the lid of a chest,” he shouted, and putting his hand over her heart he added, “and she’s still alive.”
Cutting away the rope that bound her, Jan picked the little one up in his arms and lowered her gently into the boat. The tears streamed down Peter’s weather-beaten face as he thought of his own little girl. But Jan had yet to descend the slippery rocks. Suddenly his foot slipped and the poor fellow plunged downward, head-first, striking his head against the side of the boat. Just then a big wave washed him under the boat and he was carried out to sea. Anxiously Peter waited for Jan to rise, but he never saw him again. He had saved the little child’s life — at the cost of his own. With heavy heart Peter still searched the spot, but in vain. Nor was there anything left by which he could identify the wrecked ship.
Peter now turned all his attention to the little one now rescued and in the boat with him. Pinned in the corner of her little dress, still wet from the sea, was a purse containing bank notes worth over $800.00. On the purse were the initials: “A. L. S.” There was no other identification. “Then that’s what we’ll have to call you,” said Peter; “ALS, and since Jan Georg saved you, you’ll have to be ‘Als Georg.’ "
Little Als grew well and strong and Peter loved her. He became a true father to her, providing for her and laying up the $800.00 for her future. Moreover, he sought to bring her up for the Lord.
I have thought of those three leers as being the initials of each one of us. They are mine surely, for I was A L. S. —
A Lost Sinner
I was like the little girl on that rock — wrecked and perishing. But like her. I had
A Loving Saviour
Jan was near to Peter, but how near was Jesus to God His Father. I have taken His name; now I am a Christian, and
A Living Saint
Peter was a real father to little Als, laying up for her future. But what a Father God is and what has He not prepared for those that love Him!
ML-08/22/1971