“A VESSEL named the ‘Thetis’ was cruising in the Mediterranean in search of a shoal or bank, said to exist beneath the treacherous waters. The captain, after his efforts had failed, abandoned the enterprise, declaring that the reported danger was all ‘a dream.’ An officer on board, forming a different judgment, went out with a subsequent expedition, into the same latitude and longitude, and there discovered a reef, which he reported at the Admiralty. This reef was then inserted in the charts: the discoverer being rewarded with a high appointment.
“The intelligence came to the captain’s ears. He would not believe in the discovery; he was a shrewd, clever, practical man, but unscientific, incredulous, and obstinate. ‘The whole thing is a falsehood,’ he exclaimed; adding, ‘if ever I have the keel of the “Thetis” under me again in those waters, if I don’t carry her clean over where the chart marks a rock, call me a liar and no seaman.’
“Two years after, he was conveying, in the same vessel, the British ambassador to Naples. One windy night he and the master were examining the chart by the light of the lantern, when the latter pointed out the sunken rock on the map. ‘What!’ exclaimed the old seaman; ‘is this invention to meet me in the teeth again? No; I swore I would sail over that spot the first chance I had, and I’ll do it!’ He merrily related the story to the company in the cabin, and said: ‘Within five minutes we shall have crossed the spot.’
“There was a pause. Then, taking out his watch, he said: ‘Oh! the time is past; we have gone over that wonderful reef.’ But presently a grating touch was felt on the ship’s keel—then a sudden shock—a tremendous trash—the ship was wrecked! Through great exertions most of the crew were saved; but the captain would not survive his own mad temerity: and he was last seen standing bareheaded on the dark hull of the ‘Thetis,’ as the foam burst round her bows and stern. He perished a victim of unbelief.”
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Terrible as was the fate of the captain of the “Thetis,” the fate of those who live or die in unbelief of God’s so great salvation will be infinitely more terrible.
The captain did not believe in the existence of the charted rock, and perished for his folly. Multitudes do not believe in the existence of an eternal hell, and will find themselves in its drear solitudes should they perish in their awful folly.
Oh! the folly, the madness of indifference. God has given to man His book—the Bible, and therein we are solemnly warned as to the awful character of sin and its doom, of death and judgment; we are told of God’s love in giving His well-beloved Son to die on the cross to make atonement for sin; it is plainly pointed out that “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:2121Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)), and that alone, is the way of blessing for the needy sinner.
Is all this nothing to you? If you perish in a course of mad indifference your epitaph might well be:—
He perished a victim of unbelief.
May it be far otherwise with you. If ever you have an epitaph may it be—
He died in faith,
“Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)), is the clear testimony of Holy Scripture. If you were to eliminate faith out of the ordinary affairs of life, society would come to a standstill in an hour. And yet men and women, whose ordinary lives are governed by faith every hour of the day, approach the great eternity without faith. What folly to be right in time as to ordinary affairs, and wrong in eternity as to extraordinary affairs. See to it that you enter that vast eternity with faith—faith in the glorious person and work of the Son of God. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
A. J. P.