I HAD a Christian father, a local preacher in a village in Cornwall, but it pleased the Lord to remove him when I was only four years old, and my dear mother was left with three little children to maintain, and this necessitated my being sent to sea at an early age.
I well remember the time when God revealed to my soul what a sinful creature I was, and how I struggled on for years in that state, seeking rest and finding none. I knew myself to be a sinner; I feared death, and did not like to think about it; I was wretched, miserable, poor, and blind, and felt within myself that nothing in this world could make me happy. The false, delusive pleasures with which Satan lulls precious souls brought me no peace, and I realized the truth of those words of Solomon, “All is vanity and vexation of spirit.” I tried to be religious, and was termed a good young man, because I was outwardly moral, took the sacrament, signed the pledge, and was very near becoming a Good Templar: still no peace! I experienced the truth of that verse in the seventh of Romans, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?”
After having been stationed at home for some time, my duty in the Royal Navy required that I should leave my dear wife and children and sail in H.M.S., “C—” for China. While in this ship I became acquainted with a seaman, whose cheerful and consistent walk soon convinced me that he was in possession of that peace which I so longed for.
I found this young seaman often reading his Bible on the lower deck of the man-of-war, subject to the taunts and scoffing of those who knew not Jesus as a Saviour. To do this requires no small amount of courage. My shipmate was well acquainted with God’s precious Word, and he always referred to it about any question I asked him. With him it was always, “What saith the Word?”
In conversation with my shipmate, he told me he knew he was saved. Oh! how I wished to know the same, although, like many in the present day, I thought him presumptuous for speaking as he did. But Jesus came to save, without anything of poor, erring man’s assistance; and even in this world, which rejected the Lord and put Him to a shameful death, the sinner may know that he is saved through faith in that precious One. Why did Jesus suffer that awful death? Why those hours of darkness? Why was He forsaken of God, if man was to have any part in his own salvation? All man did or could do was to reject; scoff, spit on, and buffet Him: such was the enmity of man’s heart. Oh, my seafaring friends, how often do you take the precious name of Jesus and use it on occasions when you insult those whose one desire is to do you good! Jesus is a name commonly used or shipboard, accompanied by curses and obscene jesting. True, it is often done in ignorance, and God is long-suffering. He bears with it, such is His love. He doth not will the death of one sinner.
At last I was able to rejoice in Christ as my Saviour. God revealed His truth to me in a foreign land, far away from all who were dear to me. I then became very anxious about my loved ones at home, especially my dear wife I earnestly pleaded with her in every letter sent home, so much so that she was almost offended. In one of the letters she wrote me in reply, she said, “You do not even say that you are well!” No! I was too much taker up with my newfound joy, and wanted her to be a sharer in it. And God gave her in His turn to rejoice in the finished work of Christ.
When in China and India I was very muck struck with the devotedness of the natives to the religion they profess. I have often felt they are a pattern to professing Christians in. England. These heathens are not ashamed to come out boldly for their religion—yes and ready to suffer death, if needs be. We send missionaries to them, but these idolaters often say, “Why do you come here preaching your Jesus Christ? Why do you not convert your own countrymen first? Your merchants come here to make money, and to rob us; your sailors get drunk and insult us, and still you preach Jesus Christ!”
Fellow seamen, I speak as one who knows the difficulties of a Christian’s life on board a man-of-war ship; one who though he was lost, yet has been sought and found—who was once dead, but is now alive in Christ.
W. H.