The captain of a vessel was telling me of a little boy, who served in his ship many years ago. The captain is an earnest Christian now, but in the days when he knew this little fellow, he was not a follower of the Lord Jesus, but a stern and hardened man of the world. His first ship was a small frigate, with about a dozen men, who composed the crew, and among them was this little Tommy, who did odd jobs, and made himself generally useful. Poor Tommy had a bitter life of it among this reckless, godless set of men. His mother had taught him to love the Lord Jesus, and a few weeks before he joined the ship, he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, promising that he would serve Him faithfully.
Of course when the men discovered this fact, Tommy became a capital butt for all their jokes and ill treatment—the captain himself encouraged their sport—but still he held on persisting in kneeling down night and morning, to pour out his heart to his Father in heaven, in spite of the cruel blows which were directed at him, while pleading with God for the souls of the godless crew. With a heart sorely tried, and well-nigh breaking at times, the boy wandered about the vessel seeking a quiet spot, but seldom of ever finding one.
In the course of one voyage the little vessel encountered a succession of terrific storms, day by day increasing in violence. The captain and crew were too much occupied now to notice the boy, so amid the furiously raging elements his happiest and most peaceful moments were spent.
One awful night, when the sky over head was dark and clouds, and the sea dashed mercilessly over the decks of the frigate, Tommy stole aft, and clinging with both hands to a rope, kneeled on the wet boards and pleaded for the men who, regardless of him altogether, were hurrying hither and thither carrying out the captain’s orders.
“It’s all up with us, Bill,” he heard the latter say to the chief mate, in a hoarse whisper. “It’s no use trying to save her.” Then the thundering voice of the waves drowned their voices, but still Tommy went on praying.
Presently he heard, above the rain and wind, the sound of his own name, shouted in different parts of the vessel. Springing to his feet, he made his way (by dint of clinging to every available rope) to the captain’s side.
“Do you want me, sir?” he asked.
“Look here, boy,” said the captain “we’re going to the bottom; its impossible to do anything now—but” and stern and weather-beaten as he was, his voice trembled, “there’s a God in heaven, you say—well—I—I thought perhaps you’d pray for us.” Tommy gave one bright, glad look into the captain’s face.
“O yes sir,” he answered, without a moment’s hesitation, “I shall like that so much.”
The rough sailor turned on his heel and led the way into his cabin below, Tommy and one or two of the crew following. There they knelt down, while the little boy prayed that the storm might abate and with choking sobs, asked God to save the captain and men.
Very shortly afterwards the fury of the waves and winds lessened, the clouds broke, and the clear winter’s moon shone down upon them. This was the result of a boy’s faith. O! what a mighty power that boy became among that crew. Is not this a God worth having, who had said,
“I will never leave thee nor forsake thee?”
Is Tommy’s God, your God? Is Jesus you Friend?
Dear boys and girls, settle this question with yourselves. Listen to the voice of Jesus calling you to Himself. He has borne the punishment of guilt and sin on the cross, and now waits to receive you. Accept His pardon, forsake your sins, and you will be able to prove what a Saviour He is.
“I will receive you and be gracious unto you,” saith the Lord
ML 08/25/1940