I DO not doubt for a moment, but that my young readers have heard more than once of the dangers that ships at sea are exposed to, but they can scarcely imagine the terror and dismay of sailors, when in a pitch-dark night, a hurricane suddenly comes up, and their frail vessel is tossed on the heights and depths of waves, dashed into fury by the storm, or is cast on unknown rocks and sandbanks, where unavoidable destruction awaits it. And still sailors are in general —one can hardly credit it—rough, immoral men; swearing and profanity mingle their horrible sounds with the terrifying noise of the waves; whilst gluttony, and other vices find there a good place for indulgence in the same. At the same time the saying is true:
“Those who cannot pray, must not go to sea!” and many in the midst of a frightful storm have found salvation for both body and soul.
The following story gives an instance of this, and I hope that you will all read it with profit to your souls. It was told to me by a pilot.
On a certain day this pilot set out to meet a sailing vessel which was bound for the harbor of St. Helena. After drawing the attention of the captain to some dangerous places, and giving instructions concerning the steering of the vessel, he was kindly invited to lunch. He followed the captain and mate into the dining-room, where all was ready for them. They sat down, and the pilot was not a little surprised, when he saw the captain—and this is something unusual on board a ship—fold his hands, and offer up thanks to the Giver of all good things. His attention was also attracted by a panel hanging on the wall, on which was painted in large letters:
“Prepare to meet Thy God!”
The captain soon noticed that this writing seemed to interest his guest, and he asked. him if he knew the Lord. This is a serious question; and from my heart I wish that all my readers could give the same reply as our pilot, who said with a happy face:
“Thanks be to God! I do!”
“Then,” continued the captain, “you will be pleased to hear holy, and in what way I was brought to know Him. Look at this mark on the floor! There on that spot, some years ago, I was brought to know the Lord.”
And now he began to tell the pilot this incident in his life which I am going to relate to my young readers:
Years ago the captain was a great sinner. That is true of all who do not believe in the Lord Jesus; but this captain had given himself over to the sin of drunkenness, so that all the money he earned was spent on whiskey, and he would leave his wife and children without necessary food and clothing. How dreadful this was for the poor neglected wife and children, you can imagine!
How grateful my young readers should be, if God has given them good Christian parents, who take care, not only of their bodies, but also of their souls.
One of the captain’s children, a girl of thirteen, found a friend in a Christian woman who brought her to Sunday-school; dressed her and fed her, and told her about Jesus, who loved poor sinners, and came on earth to die for them. This Christian woman’s work was, through God’s blessing, used to bring the child to know herself as a sinner, and the Son of God as her Saviour. Especially through the third chapter of John’s gospel, God had spoken to her heart; and believing in Him, who said:
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned. She hurried home from school one evening having unutterable joy, and told her mother how Jesus had had mercy on her; and she tried to persuade her father, also, to read the chapter. Poor child! she hoped that the word, which had been so blessed to her own heart. would have the same effect on her father. But the time had not yet come.
Shortly after her conversion the little girl was taken sick; and became so ill, that the doctor declared there was no hope of her recovery. When she heard this, she said with a joyful look; “Now, if my body dies, my soul will still be saved.”
But her parents, hoping to keep their child, sent for another doctor, who advised the father to take her with him for a sea-voyage. The mother was greatly disturbed; it seemed a terrible, thing to her, to trust the sick child to this rough father. However, she at last consented, as the doctor assured her that a sea-voyage was the only thing that could restore her child to health. Very soon they set off, and a large number of barrels containing the liquor that had caused so much misery in his family, was taken on board by the captain.
In the beginning, the voyage was very prosperous, but one night shortly before midnight, the vessel struck a rock just as the captain and crew were talking together over a steaming glass of grog. The sudden shock sobered them, and they had to acknowledge that unless a miracle happened, a terrible fate awaited them. The first blow caused the vessel to creak in its whole length. At the same instant they heard a shrill shout from the captain:
“Out with the boats, or we’ll all go to the bottom!”
What must have been the thoughts of these godless men when they heard these words? To die in the fathomless depths of the ocean, far from home and friends, tinder the dark clouds of the midnight sky, and worst of all—with all their sins on their consciences! After the boats had been unfastened and let down, the captain, who had quite forgotten his poor child, returned to his cabin to get his watch. Just as he was taking it from the wall, he heard, through all the confusion and noise, the soft voice of his child praying. Turning round, he saw her on her knees, and heard the words:
“Lord Jesus! save us or we perish!” and, behold, scarcely had she uttered the words, when he heard, as if in direct answer to the little one’s prayer, the mate shouting: “The wind has changed! The ship is off of the rock!”
As if struck by a thunder-bolt, the captain sank on a chair. He was overcome. His sinful life, the wonderful goodness of God, who had heard and answered immediately his child’s prayer, and also the sudden change from unavoidable destruction, to the prospect of perfect safety—all this overwhelmed him; and on the spot, where later on he made a mark on the floor, he sank on his knees, and for the first time in his life uttered the words:
“O God, be merciful to me! I am a great sinner!” And the same gracious God, who had listened to his child’s prayer, and saved the vessel, and all who were in it from certain destruction, now heard the prayer of a repentant sinner, received him, washed him from his sins in the blood of Jesus, and saved him for all eternity. The following morning the captain had all the strong drink thrown over-board so that neither he, nor his crew should be tempted and excited by it.
ML 12/31/1922