I WONDER if any of my little readers have heard of Nassau? It is the chief city of New Providence, the largest of the Bahamas, a group of islands in the West Indies.
The principle industry of Nassau is the gathering, curing and selling of sponges; and quite a large fleet of schooners, their crews comprising many colored men, are engaged in gathering them from the seas surrounding these islands.
One of these schooners came to port having as part of its cargo the largest and finest sponge ever taken from the Atlantic Ocean.
When laid upon the deck, among the thousands of other sponges classified for sale by auction, this particular one attracted general attention and admiration. It was what is called a wool sponge, which is the finest quality known. In form it was perfectly round, arched like an immense fruit cake, and measured six feet in circumference and two in diameter.
It weighed about twelve pounds and the price obtained for it was four pounds twelve shillings. All that it is good for is to be exhibited as a curiosity, to be looked at and admired by many persons, but of no real use in the world.
This is the way with many people; they like to be admired, and they live for themselves, and think not of what good they may be in the world. Have you ever thought, dear young friends, what alone will secure a useful and happy life? ONLY THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. It is only as we bow in our heart’s affections to the precious name of Jesus, and our lives come under the control of His all-conquering love, told out to sinners on the cross of Calvary, and now made known from the glory into which He has entered, that our lives can be either.
HAPPY OR REALLY USEFUL.
I wonder if you know that a sponge is the porous frame work of a sea animal. A young sponge is at first a little free swimming creature; as it gets older it seems inclined to settle down in life, thus it sinks to the bottom of the sea, and fixes itself on some suitable surface attaching itself mouth downwards.
May we not learn a lesson from the little sponge? Its freedom and liberty are used to lead it to choose a downward course, which brings it to the darkness and distance of the bottom of the sea. It has gone so low that it cannot get lower, and then it becomes firmly attached to some congenial surface, and never comes again to the top unless it is brought up.
How much this is like ourselves! Adam and Eve threw off the restraint of God’s command, which He had. imposed on them for their happiness as creatures, and their children have sunk lower and lower, like the sponge, with its mouth downwards, deriving all its nourishment from below, until by the rejection of Christ, it was proved that we could never be recovered for God, unless He intervened in sovereign grace and
BROUGHT US UP.
If we know even a little of His love, He may use us to speak of it to others. and thus lead them, too, to be happy in His presence. He desires to set the hearts of His loved ones at rest, so that they may sit at His feet, receiving of His Word, like Mary.
What a safe and happy place!
One word more the giant sponge was too big to be used. The Lord can only use us when we are very little, indeed nothing in our own eyes.
“O, keep us, love divine, near Thee.
That we our nothingness may know.”
ML 06/04/1922